Shining a light on the situation

When I first heard that our assignment was to create a lantern out of materials for a simple circuit, I was immediately apprehensive. However, as I actually began thinking about the project, I realized that I didn't need a degree in engineering, I just needed a little creativity.

Being impatient, I wanted to just get started building a lantern and when I got to the lab I grabbed random materials to try and create something. I realized after a series of failed attempts that if I actually took the time to plan things out and sketch, I would have a lot more success. So I started brainstorming, and came up with a flashlight-inspired design that would maximize the LED light.

For the end of the flashlight, I cut off the bottom of a paper cup, poked a hole in the bottom for the light, and glued scrap metal around the light for reflection and brightness.

On the other side, I assembled my circuit, using electrical tape, paper clips and aluminum foil to connect the battery, LED, and resistor. The I ended up using was 470 ohms, as I calculated the resistor to be at least 450 ohms. By using a paperclip connected to the resistor and touching it to aluminum foil at one end of the LED, I could close the circuit.

To make a switch, I stretched a rubber band around a pushpin to put pressure on the paperclip to hold it against the foil, completing the circuit and making the device light up!

With a working light and a switch, I just had to work on the appearance of my new flashlight. I used a larger cup and some pieces of paper as a cover, and cut a hole for the push pins to stick out. The design protected the materials from harm while allowing the user to easily switch the light on and off.

I glued the larger cup to the circuit device, using some folded up pieces of aluminum foil to brace against the opposite side of the cup. Then, feeling artsy, I painted the flashlight and labeled the on/off switch.

After completing the design, I was really hoping it would still work...

:)

Looking back, I'm proud of what I accomplished. Maybe my "flashlight" isn't ready to hit the shelves at CVS, but with no prior experience I managed to make something that actually worked. I even got a glowing (pun intended) review from a real engineer!! Well, it was my dad and he's probably a little biased, but still...

What I like about this class is that it challenges me to do something I wouldn't think to even try normally, and making this project was a genuinely rewarding experience.