Some ideas for a STEM project to test/learn MultiSIM and UltiBoard

[David-Baratheon]

Hi everyone.

A bus that does engineering STEM activities has a lot of mechnical/manufacturing goodies to show the kids but they don't currently have anything electronic.

I need a little mini project in order to learn MultiSIM and Ultiboard and so thought I would look at doing something for STEM activites. Just a PCB that I show kids that would be interesting to look at.

Does anyone have any project ideas I could have a go at? 

It needs to be a low budget project as it will have little or no funding.

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[aa232004]

hello everyone.

it sounds like a good idea, but my questiomn is - what is the goal of that project?

to be more specific - the question is  - to learn the electronics or to learn the MS package?

thanks

Michael

[David-Baratheon]

Hi Michael, yes good question.

It is on a bus that my workplace calls "tha mantra bus". It goes to airshows, schools etc. The kids only get a few minutes to play with this so I am not looking for a "kit" as such, more of a "specimen" to show off some electronics. So something flashy and interesting to just pick up and look at to see what electronic engineers can do.

All of the current "specimens" we have are all materials and mechanical engineering related so I wanted something electronics related in there. To give an example of whats in the "show and tell" style box, we have a 3D printed minion, we have a 3D printed device with moving parts, we have a composite material that gradually increases in toughness to show how much control we have over our material properties, a powdered titanium 3D printed hip replacement. Its a little box of things we just show the kids with a bit of an explanation and then they just look and touch and mess about with it. Its one of the 4 or 5 segments we have on the bus. The others include virtual reality, a CNC machine, some screens with videos of the bloodhound project, aircraft etc. Its a bus aimed at inspiring people mainly. So not something the kids would use in a classroom setting over a period of focused time engineering something, just sopmething they can pick up and look at that looks flashy and "cool" and would make kids more interested in electronics.

An additional objective is to practise using MultiSIM and UltiBoard to design and produce it, as I am currently making the transition from cadence software. So its nice to have a small little live project to work on.