M10 - System and Control Training Kit

Project No.: M10

Project Title: System and Control Training Kit

1. INTRODUCTION

The project aims to develop a set of learning and teaching aid for local secondary school on system and control subject of the Technology Education Key Learning Area (TEKLA). The kit will mainly be used by the teachers to conduct learning activities on signals, input, output, feedback, and other system and control concepts. The kit can also be used by the students to experiment and create simple mechatronic systems (see Figure 1) for their independent study projects.

Figure 1 An electro-mechanical prototype built by
installing training kit blocks on a GIGO structure

2. TECHNICAL OUTLINE

The training kit shall be designed based on an existing kit (see Figure 2). The new design should improve the existing kit in the following area:

• Reduce the building blocks' size so that the kit can be used on a common school desk;
• Simplify production process and reduce cost;
• Improve power supply schematics so that more component blocks can be connected without affecting the signal stability;
• Adjust the kits focus from component level to system level learning;
• Improve safety and durability.

Figure 2 Existing training kit package for design reference

3. SPECIFICATIONS

The training kit's physical form factor and interface should be fully compatible with GIGO educational construction kit. The training kit should include the following components:

• Rocker and momentary switches
• Variable resistors
• Proximity sensors
• Thermo-sensors
• Photo-sensors
• Infra-red emitters and sensors
• AND/OR/NOT gates
• Counters
• Relays
• Power supply and leads