Very Attractive Idea

WEEK 2 Meeting 2

Coming into this group meeting, we had an objective to decide on how each module would connect with each other smoothly. Many avenues of connection were analyzed, we could use button clicking, where it would be somewhat like a press fit, we could use latches on the top of each module, or we could use other attractive forces. The goal of the module connection was to make sure that electricity was able to be transferred through the base module to the other various modules.

I came to the group with ideas of using magnets as the interface between each module. My initial thoughts were that magnets were conductive and we could just have an open circuit with the magnets exposed. Once connected with another module, the circuit inside the module would finish the circuit and then would have power. However, this idea had flaws:

1. If someone were to touch both magnets, they would essentially shock themselves. This I not safe and we cannot have this.

2. Running current through a magnet in the wrong direction might disrupt its magnetic field, leading the magnet to lose its attraction.

3. It would be very hard to incorporate magnets into the circuit since a magnet is an alloy and we cannot predict its resistance values and such.

As a team, we decided that using a magnet would be the best way of connecting modules, the benefits included, clean connections, strong connections, and a snappy and attractive way of putting modules together. There would be no need for a mechanical mechanism that would wear out over time, instead, our interfaces would last forever.