Video of the device  (clicking the link will download the video)

The device produces electricity through electromagnetic induction. As the fidget spinner spins, the magnets attached to the spinner spins together. When the spinner is moved close to the copper coil, electromagnetic induction occurs, and electricity flows through the copper. The flow of electricity can be checked by the multimeter. In the video, the gage of the multimeter increases as the spinner moves closer to the coil. However, the LED is not lighted because the voltage is not big enough to light a LED. The maximum voltage shown in the video was 0.03V, while a LED requires 2V to 3V.

I was successful with the product in terms of producing electricity out of manpower. The device generated electricity by using the fidget spinner, which was spun by me.

Lack of efficiency was the area that I needed to improve. Although the device generated electricity, it simply was not efficient enough to light a LED. I could wind the wire more, used stronger magnets, and used a larger spinner to increase the voltage of electricity that was produced.’

The product is environmentally friendly and entertaining at the same time because it does not consume energy; it produces electricity by spinning a fidget spinner.

Three neodymium magnets were attached to each side of the fidget spinner. In addition to being magnetic, the magnets added weights, which allowed the spinner to spin longer. The spinner wasn’t heavy nor light and had a very small resistance that made it spin for more than a minute.

Although the spinner worked very well, the copper coil did not.

I tested if the coil was working well by connecting the coil to the multimeter and spinning the fidget spinner on the coil.

Before I spun the spinner, the voltage was 48mV.

After I spun the spinner, the voltage did increase to 69mV. However, it is impossible to light a LED with only 69mV, which means that the coil has to be much more efficient.

In order to improve the efficiency of the device, the magnet has to be stronger, or the copper has to be winded at least a thousand times.

To maximize the efficiency, I bought a longer copper wire and winded it. Also, I added three more magnets on the spinner to increase the efficiency.

The new coil conducted electricity much more effectively than the previous one. According to the multimeter, the maximum voltage was 0.89V. However, the high voltage lasted only for a second, so the LED was not lighted.

After multiple tries, it was concluded that the device does produce electricity, but it was not enough to light a LED.

Task: Make a toy or device that converts energy

1. Falling & Sliding Cars

Babies do not know how energy is converted, so they are easily interested in toys that convert energies such as cars, speakers, and lights. This toy convert’s the cars’ gravitational potential energies into kinetic energies. As the cars are released at the top, the cars slide down the slope because of the gravitational energies. By repeating this process, the cars reach the bottom. The cars are capable of moving on both sides, so they can still move when they are flipped.

Not all gravitational energy is converted into kinetic energy. The cars create frictions with the slope. Air resistance also takes energy.

Materials:

The cars are made of wooden bodies and wooden wheels. The slides and columns are also made of wood.

Pros: The toy explicitly shows how gravitational potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and is entertaining. It is also relatively easy to manufacture as it does not use complicated parts.

Cons: The car must have small amount of a friction. Since it is a baby toy, materials should not be harmful to health.

2. Pull Back Car

Pull back cars enable a car to move by itself without having people pushing the car directly. Pull back cars convert energy. When a person pulls a car,  the spring attached to the wheel of the car is compressed. As the person releases the car, the potential energy of the compressed spring is converted into kinetic energy and delivers energy to the tires through gears. The compressed spring’s potential energy is also converted into various types of energies such as sound, air resistance, and friction between the car and the floor.

Pros: Demonstrates how a compressed spring’s potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. It entertains people by moving by itself.

Cons: Gears and springs are very complicated. They might break easily.

3. Motorboat

Motorboat is a boat that moves by the power of a motor. It does not need manpower to make it move. The battery and motor are attached inside of the boat. As the switch is turned on, the electrical energy contained in the battery causes the electrons to flow into the motor, and the electrical energy is converted into kinetic energy. The spinning screw attached to the motor will cause friction with the water so the boat can move forward. However, not the entire electrical energy is converted into the boat’s kinetic energy. Electrical energy is also converted into sound energy and heat energy.

Materials needed: a screw, a battery, a dc motor, a switch, any material that can float on water

Pros: Demonstrates how electric energy is converted into kinetic energy. The toy is also entertaining to play with.

Cons: First of all, the boat must float. It will be challenging to make it floatable. To make it safe, the water must not contact the motor or the battery. The boat cannot steer. It can only go forward. Also, the toy can only be used in water. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab1da7gk_i8

4. Fidget spinner generator

People waste their energy by spinning fidget spinners. However, if a fidget spinner can generate electricity, people can waste less of their energy. The fidget spinner generator generates electricity. If a person spins the spinner, electromagnetic induction occurs, which generates electricity in the coil. A lightbulb will be attached to the coil to confirm that electricity is produced. A person’s kinetic energy of hand converts into the fidget spinner’s kinetic energy. The spinner’s kinetic energy converts into electric energy through electromagnetic induction. Some of the energy is wasted because of air resistance and sound energy.

Materials: a fidget spinner, coil of wire, lightbulb, strong magnets

Pros: Opposite to many devices, it creates electricity, not using electricity.

Cons: Since it requires manpower, it is hard to generate electricity constantly. Also, it won’t spin long as its kinetic energy is converted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIFP7K6G9Oo