From traffic safety lights to neon signs, lights have a way of grabbing peoples’ attention. So, it’s no surprise that wearable clothing with built-in lights can make a bold statement. These types of clothing, known as electronic textiles (e-textiles) or wearable electronics, are already in use. E-textiles weave electrical components like batteries, wires, and lights directly into clothing, allowing them to light up or respond to sound. While e-textiles are often used for decorative or fashion purposes, they can also serve practical applications, such as traffic control devices or medical instruments. In this article, we will explore how to create a traffic control glove with LEDs that indicate “stop” and “go” signals to motorists and pedestrians. This project will not only make a fashion statement but will also showcase your engineering skills.
Objective
Design and build an LED traffic glove with red and green LEDs to display stop and go signals.
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Introduction
Clothing that lights up may sound like something out of a science-fiction movie, but e-textiles, also known as wearable electronics, are a reality. These textiles are used both for decorative and practical purposes. For example, some T-shirts have strings of lights that react to sound. Police officers also use traffic control gloves with built-in lights to signal stop and go to traffic.
In this project, you will design and build your own light-up traffic control glove using the engineering design process. But before we dive into the project, let’s familiarize ourselves with some basics about electrical circuits. Electrical circuits provide a path for electricity to flow through conductors, materials that conduct electricity. Insulators, on the other hand, do not conduct electricity and are used in circuits to prevent the flow of electricity in unwanted directions. Wires used in electrical circuits, for instance, are made of a thin copper wire surrounded by rubber, with copper acting as the conductor and rubber acting as the insulator.
To build the traffic control glove, you will need to understand voltage, current, and resistance. These concepts are essential for creating a circuit that powers the LEDs. Additionally, you’ll need to know how to read a circuit diagram, which is a visual representation of an electrical circuit. Circuit diagrams use symbols to represent real-world circuit components.
A traffic control glove requires green LEDs for the “go” signal and red LEDs for the “stop” signal, mimicking the functionality of a real traffic light. To control the LEDs, you will incorporate switches into the glove that can be activated by pinching your fingers together.
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When designing your glove, you must consider ergonomics, which involves ensuring that the glove fits comfortably on the hand and is easy to use. Ergonomics play a vital role in the design of many products we use daily, such as office chairs, computer keyboards, and video game controllers. For example, various generations of Nintendo® video game controllers have been designed with improved ergonomics. As you design your traffic control glove, think about how you can make it ergonomic and user-friendly.
Terms and Concepts
To fully grasp the project, it’s essential to understand the following terms and concepts:
- Electronic textiles (e-textiles)
- Electrical circuit
- Conductor
- Insulator
- Voltage
- Current
- Resistance
- Battery
- Positive and negative terminals
- Light-emitting diode (LED)
- Leads
- Resistor
- Switch
- Circuit diagram
- Symbols
- Open circuit
- Closed circuit
- Ergonomics
Questions
To deepen your knowledge, consider these questions:
- What is a circuit diagram, and how do its symbols represent real-world circuit components?
- Why is it important to use a resistor when connecting an LED to a battery?
- What is the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit? How can a switch control the circuit’s openness or closure?
- What design criteria do you need to consider for your traffic glove? For example, how many LEDs should it have? Do you want the LEDs to form a specific shape?
- What design criteria for your glove involve ergonomics? How will you ensure that the user can comfortably pick up objects without snagging the LEDs or wires on other objects?
Materials and Equipment
To complete this project, gather the following materials:
- Pair of lightweight gardening/work gloves or light winter gloves (avoid thick leather work gloves or insulated winter gloves)
- LilyPad green LEDs (pack of five) from SparkFun Electronics®
- LilyPad red LEDs (pack of five) from SparkFun Electronics
- 22 AWG stranded red wire (25-foot spool) from SparkFun Electronics
- 22 AWG stranded black wire (25-foot spool) from SparkFun Electronics
- 5 mm copper tape (50-foot roll) from SparkFun Electronics
- 2xAAA battery holder with cover and switch from SparkFun Electronics
- AAA batteries (2)
- Electrical tape
- Lab notebook
You will also need the following tools:
- Ruler (metric)
- Wire strippers (available from SparkFun Electronics or hardware/electronics stores)
- Soldering iron (optional but recommended, available from electronics/hobby stores)
- Lead-free solder for use with a soldering iron (optional but recommended, available from SparkFun Electronics)
- Silver conductive epoxy (optional, available on Amazon.com)
- Adult helper (required if using a soldering iron, optional if using silver conductive epoxy)
Experimental Procedure
Unfortunately, the detailed experimental procedure for creating the LED traffic glove is not provided in the original content. However, based on the information given, here are some general steps you might consider:
- Start by sketching your design for the traffic control glove, carefully considering the placement of LEDs and switches.
- Prepare the glove by choosing a suitable lightweight gardening/work glove or light winter glove.
- Assemble the necessary materials, including the LilyPad LEDs, wires, copper tape, battery holder, batteries, and electrical tape.
- Follow the circuit diagram to connect the components, ensuring proper connections and polarity.
- If using a soldering iron, solder the connections. If using silver conductive epoxy, apply it where necessary.
- Test the circuit by checking if the LEDs light up as intended.
- Attach the components to the glove using copper tape and secure them with electrical tape.
- Make any necessary adjustments to ensure the glove remains comfortable and functional.
- Document your progress, observations, and any modifications made in your lab notebook.
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Remember to prioritize safety throughout the project by following proper handling and usage guidelines for the tools and materials involved.
Global Connections
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. Consider how this project relates to the UNSDGs and how wearable technology can contribute to sustainable development.
Variations
To explore further, you can experiment with different design variations for your traffic control glove. For example, you could incorporate additional LEDs, create more complex lighting patterns, or integrate sensors to automate the glove’s functionality.
Careers
If you enjoy this project, you might be interested in exploring careers related to electronics, engineering, and wearable technology. Some potential career paths include electrical engineer, product designer, or wearable technology developer.
Related Links
For more project ideas and resources, check out these related links:
- Science Fair Project Guide
- Other Ideas Like This
- Electricity & Electronics Project Ideas
- My Favorites
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Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: HOW
