Week 5- Journal

Ideation

Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)

This week, I worked on designing a durable, efficient, and smart flashlight for hiking. The goal is to create a flashlight that is lightweight, energy-efficient, and adaptable to different outdoor conditions. To enhance safety, I’ve also added a buzzer system that can serve as a warning signal in case of emergencies.

Why Do I Care About This Idea?

As someone who enjoys outdoor adventures, I understand the importance of having a reliable light source when hiking at night or in low-visibility conditions.

Additionally, the buzzer system is a crucial safety feature. If a hiker gets lost or faces danger, activating the buzzer can alert nearby people or scare away wild animals.

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

Software:

Tinkercad which is a free, web-based application that allows users to create 3D designs, circuit simulations, and code-based projects.

Electronic components:

Mini Breadboard – A platform to connect all components without soldering.
Jumper Wires – Connects the components and ensures proper electrical flow.
Light Bulb – The primary light source of the flashlight.
Potentiometer – Adjusts the sound of the buzzer by controlling voltage.
On/Off Switch – Allows the user to turn the circuit on or off.
Buzzer – Provides an alert or emergency signal when activated.
5V Adapter – Powers the entire circuit.

Enclosure:

Cardboard – Forms the structure of the flashlight, providing a lightweight yet durable casing.
Glue Gun – Bonds the cardboard pieces securely, ensuring a firm and stable build.
Cutter – Helps precisely cut the cardboard into required shapes for a clean and professional look.
Aluminum foil – Helps reflecting the bulb light and magnifying its impact.

Potentiometer

Mini Breadboard

Jumper wires

Buzzer

On/Off switch

Light bulb

Cardboard

Glue Gun & glue sticks

Cutter

Aluminium foil

Design/Preparation Process

Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?

Circuit connection on TinkerCAD

Flashlight for hikers.webm

Circuit testing on TinkerCAD

Circuit connection

Circuit testing

Adjusting the lamp

1️⃣ Circuit overview on TinkedCAD

Lamp & Buzzer in Parallel: The lamp provides illumination, while the buzzer serves as an emergency alert.
Potentiometer-Controlled Buzzer: The buzzer's activation depends on the potentiometer setting, allowing users to enable or disable sound as needed.
On/Off Switch: Controls the entire circuit, ensuring energy efficiency when not in use.
5V Power Supply: Provides consistent voltage to run the flashlight effectively.

2️⃣ Circuit Assembly & Electrical Components

I started by designing the electrical circuit and testing it on a breadboard before finalizing the build. The key steps included:

Connecting a 5V adapter to power the circuit.
Wiring the lamp (LED/bulb) and buzzer in parallel, ensuring both could operate independently.
Adding a potentiometer in series with the buzzer to control whether it produces sound or remains silent.
Integrating an on/off switch to turn the flashlight on and off.
Using jumper wires to establish proper electrical connections.

3️⃣ Manufacturing the Enclosure

To protect the internal components, I designed and built an enclosure using cardboard, ensuring a compact and sturdy structure suitable for outdoor conditions. The process involved:

Measuring and cutting cardboard into panels using a cutter to create the flashlight casing.
Using a glue gun to assemble the enclosure, ensuring durability.
Cutting precise openings for the lamp, switch, the adaptor jack and potentiometer for accessibility.
Securing all components inside, making sure the lamp and buzzer had proper ventilation for heat dissipation.

Inputs & Outputs openings

Development/Implementation Process

Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?

Development & Implementation Process of the Hiking Flashlight 🔦

The development process of the hiking flashlight involved circuit assembly, enclosure construction, and functional testing. The aim was to create a portable, reliable, and energy-efficient flashlight suitable for outdoor use.

Testing & Final Adjustments

Once the flashlight was assembled, I conducted several tests:

Brightness Check – Ensured the lamp provided adequate lighting for hiking.
Buzzer Functionality – Verified that the potentiometer could control the buzzer, allowing it to be turned off or on when needed.
Switch Operation – Checked that the on/off switch worked smoothly.
Durability Assessment – Confirmed that the enclosure was sturdy and lightweight for outdoor use.

Outcome & Reflection

The final product was a versatile hiking flashlight with adjustable brightness and a user-controlled emergency buzzer, making it ideal for outdoor safety. The parallel connection of the lamp and buzzer ensured both could function independently, while the potentiometer provided flexible control over sound production.

Flashlight circuit

Full enclosure

Testing the final prototype

Community of Learning

Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?

Well my idea was basically on making a Buzzer wire game, but I struggled finding a suitable wire to build it. So I brainstormed with my friend Menna Bissar, she suggested working on something relevant to hiking -one of her hobbies- and I decided to build this Flashlight for hikers.

Overcoming Challenges

When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?

I was stuck building an enclosure to this circuit. Trying number of ready made wooden types as shown, building my own but in a smaller dimensions. I researched DIY Projects on YouTube to have better ideas for the enclosure and with the help of the video below I ended up making a bigger shape with different fit openings to every input and output in the circuit.
I also built the circuit without an On/Off switch in the beginning, but rechecking the requirements I added one to have full control over the whole circuit.

Enclosure improvement reference

Flashlight without a switch

Connecting the circuit without a switch

Ready-made wooden tube

Final Project

How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?

I think one of the golden pros of this week's task was getting into a deeper chance to apply different cardboard techniques, especially cause I've never liked crafts and so. I would say flexibility as well, cause although I wasted valuable time trying my best to build the Buzzer wire game, I finally chose to work on something different which I believe was a learned lesson on making good use of time and working with easy-to-reach materials.

WOW!

What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?

One of the coolest experience was working with Asmaa Ezz El-Arab on our RC Car. I truly learned a lot from her taking the time to plan our design and working comfortably and I really enjoyed the competition between our Dokki teams although I don't like competing with anyone but ourselves but it was an experience full of laughs, good time and sportsmanship!

IMG_5590.MOV

Testing our car

Weekly Digest [OPTIONAL]

Tell us about any other cool things that you've made this week: in the Hands-on activity, tutorial examples, exercises, or any other cool mini-project that you tried out aside from the assignment.

Title of Media

Assignment Design Files

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