1.9 Optional Exploration: Headphones
A fun exploration for younger students is to make headphones. We can do this with the speakers from the telephone exploration.
Here is what we will make:
A set of headphones that you can use to listen to the radio or ipod.
Materials Required:
• two small 3′ speakers and attached wires.
• two mailing tube sections or other plastic pipe section. You can also use a PVC end cap
• Hardware tape 12″
• two machine screws and two machine nuts
• mini phono plug and wires
• tape
Procedure
1. If your cardboard tubing is unravelling, then tape it down:
2. Attach the hardware tape to each tubing piece with machine screws as shown in the picture below: Note that there needs to be a hole in the side of the tubing.
3. Tape a speaker to each cup and allow the wires to hang out the back.
4. Twist the black wires together. This will give you three wires.
5. Refer to this diagram:
6. Twist the double wires from the headphone jack to the black. On each of the other wires attach a red. These are extremely small wires. They are made to withstand some rough treatment as they have to withstand tossing about while using a device, but still be somewhat careful.
7. You are now ready to test your headphones! Plug the phono plug into a radio or other device to see what you can hear. Adjust the headphones to fit the head and ears. Add foam or some other feature to make the headset comfortable! Here is my friend who made a pair out of cardboard tubes and then used pool noodles to pad the ends. He also added foam to the head band to protect his hair!
PLEASE RESPOND: How is this an opportunity to teach technology? Engineering? [email protected]
