Paper Circuit Ring
10-30 min
Ages 8+
What Will You Learn?
You’ll apply a paper circuit to a wearable, 3-dimensional ring.
About This Adventure
Today, fashion designers are not limited to fabrics in their designs. Technology has become part of our story and is much more accessible. Young designers can use tech such as lights, sensors, and microcontrollers to tell their stories.
In this adventure, you will experience and experiment as we go through the MakeFashion Edu process to support campers as they:
learn – about the elements of fashion and circuits
design – a story and the wearable
construct – a fashion tech piece using recyclable materials and lights
exhibit – be seen! Our favorite medium is the runway.
You will be able to support your designers as they find their voices and tell their own stories through fashion pieces they create and share.
This adventure is divided into several sections, each with its own projects. The bolded project denotes the page you are on. The arrows mark the section you are in.
Making the Ring
Fold the Ring
Follow the video to make the origami ring. Stop before the last step which is inserting the ends together. It is time to add the circuit.
Add the Circuit
Put a piece of copper tape on each side of the ring. On one side bring the tape around the end and up 1/2″ on the outside.
Open the ring up and poke a small hole in the center of the box, enough to push up a bit of the LED through.
Bend the legs of the LED so they look like someone who is riding a horse.
Insert the LED partially into the hole from the underside. Use transparent tape to fasten the LED leads to the copper tape. Tape the battery to the ring, making sure the battery is sandwiched between the tape that was 1/2″ up the outside and the copper tape on the other side. If you can remember which side the positive leg is on great! The ring should light up before you tape it. If that doesn’t happen, switch the battery around.
Put the ring on your finger and impress your friends!
About MakeFashion
MakeFashion Edu is an international non-profit working to promote learning through fashion and tech. Through hosting workshops, reach-out and push-in activities, and larger events, MakeFashion Edu sees providing access for young designers to go to industry and project-based learning as one way to pull local communities together.
SteamHead makerspace is a network of people, spaces, and events who collaborate to improve equity in education as the path forward. We believe that by embracing design thinking and a maker-mindset, education can be more engaging and meaningful, and with that more effective in preparing students for success. Check their website for their courses.
Materials:
- Color paper cut into a 2" x 4" (5cm x 10 cm) rectangle
- Copper tape
- LED
- Transparent tape
- Coin cell battery (CR2032)
