Squishy-Circuits
IEEE PIKES PEAK SECTION: AN EVOLVING AND ESTABLISHED LEADER IN STEAM TEAMS
Check Out Our Squishy Circuits
Program and More
The total components cost shown below is approximately $200 as of December 2024.
Playlist of Past Successful STEAM/STEM Student Activities with the Pikes Peak Communities
- Please View First Five-Six Videos in Video Playlist Below of Past Student Activities
TALKING PHOTOS
This is a demonstration of a talking photo where you talke a static photo and turn it into animated talking head video.
Here, you can upload a static photo and then covert it into a talking script.
First, the IEEE Region 5 priorities are given in bold as:
- Increased section leadership vitality
- Increasing leadership pipeline of Young Professionals (YP)
- Increased engagement with IEEE student members
- IEEE industry engagement from YPs employers and connections
- LMAG connections with industry
- Increased industry engagement (given as IEEE Region 5 Priorities)
- IEEE industry engagement from YPs employers and connections
- LMAG connections with industry
IEEE Pikes Peak Section Vision, Mission and Strategic Goals, developed during 2020 from active EXCOM members, given as follows:
Vision: To be valued members of the Pikes Peak Region as a recognized and engaged technical organization focused on
- Professional Growth
- Innovative and Viable Solutions
- Educational Outreach
Mission: To foster technological innovation and excellence for contributing to the economic growth in the Pikes Peak Region
Strategic Goals: These goals are given as:
- Enhance professional skills
- Increase Membership Engagement
- Assist Improvement of Workforce
- Invest in STEM Education
- Dr John Santiago will advocate changing STEM to STEAM given the rapid technological explosion, like AI in 2023 and rapid adoption of Blockchain Proof-of-Work (BC-PoW) technologies, especially from the Project 2025 (about a 900-page report) with the New Administration found in the IEEE Spectrum Article, dated 27 Nov 2024.
- “A” = Arts/AI is the art and science of communicating multi-media content about STEAM topics while leveraging AI-assisted technologies.
More information about these STEAM TEAMS meetings can be found here: STEAM-TEAMS-notes | IEEE Pikes Peak Section
11 Feb 2025 (Tues), 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, 21st Century Library, Room B6 (see next tab with meeting notes)
17 Mar 2025 (Mon), 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, 21st Century Library, Room B6
21 Apr 2025 (Mon), 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, 21st Century Library, ENT Conference Room
12 May 2025 (Mon), 11:00 am – 1:15 pm, 21st Century Library, ENT Conference Room
16 Jun 2025 (Mon), 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, 21st Century Library, ENT Conference Room
STEAM TEAMS RESOURCES AND TOOLS
Here are some resources to prepare yourself before the meetings: STEAM-TEAMS-notes | IEEE Pikes Peak Section
11 Feb 2025, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, Download Documents
Registration for 11 Feb 2025, 1730-1900 (5:30 pm to 7:00 pm): STEM/STEAM Workstations and Preparation Events for September 2025 ‘What-If’ Festival : vTools Events | vTools IEEE
EMPOWERING YOUR IEEE MEMBERS
The intent of these Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Demos is to empower you with your own community outreach in parents should encourage their children to enter the STEAM/STEM fields.
World’s Simplest Motor: What Is a Homopolar Motor?
The homopolar motor is the simplest type of electric motor. It uses direct current (DC) and a magnetic field to create continuous rotation without reversing the current like in other motors. It’s often used in science demos to show the basics of electromagnetism.
What Is a Homopolar Motor?
The homopolar motor is the simplest type of electric motor. It uses direct current (DC) and a magnetic field to create continuous rotation without reversing the current like in other motors. It’s often used in science demos to show the basics of electromagnetism.
Why It’s Cool:
-
It shows how motion, electricity, and magnetism are linked.
-
It’s a perfect intro to Lorentz force and electromagnetic principles.
-
You can build one at home or in a classroom with just 3 items!
SIMPLE MOTOR DEMOS
Here’s a simple motor demo where a motor consist mainly of three components:
- Permanent Magnet
- Battery
- Connect battery to a coil of wire wrapped around a nail. This is called an electromagnet. When current runs through the coil of wire it creates a magnetic field. With this device, you can turn on and off the magnetic field.
When the electromagnet is turned on nearby a permanent magnet there is a push (repelling action) and pull (attracting action) causing the coil of wire to spin.
There is no narration in this video as you can use it as your elevator pitch to create curiosity to whomever you meet every day.
General Information
Link to more lesson notes
11 Feb 2023, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The schedule of confirmed reserved meeting rooms can be found in the previous tab of this webpage.
The agendas and additional documentation for this meeting and upcoming meetings can be found here and currently a work-in-progress: STEAM-TEAMS-notes | IEEE Pikes Peak Section
Squishy Circuit plus STEAM/STEM Demos
The presentation also includes feedback from the meeting participants. The leading topics for future STEAM/STEM meetings are more demos and production of STEAM/STEM demos. Results of the end-of-meeting surveys will be updated as more participants provide more feedback for community outreach for educating the public about what is engineering?
The cold weather and scheduled conflicts affected the attendance as well. Future meetings are planned for those who could not attend.
Current and planned STEAM/STEM demos can be found here: STEM Demos | IEEE Pikes Peak Section.
e-learning widgets for interactive learning for self-motivated students can be here: e-Learning Demos | IEEE Pikes Peak Section
STEAM/STEM Meeting Notes
- The meeting started at 5:30 with general introductions. Seven of 12 section members registered and attended the meeting. The cold weather and illness prevented the others from attending.
- John provided motivational video clips of various outreach activities at previous events
- The group discussed the needs and opportunities for outreach, especially to girls and other underserved groups
- Micah described the work that he was doing as a student at Colorado Early Colleges
- John brought the “Squishy circuits” equipment and the team had a grand time playing with it
- The team also discussed issues getting schools involved. Mark pointed out that the Section had similar issues with its scholarship program several years ago. Teachers start the school year with a predetermined and full schedule. It can take a year to get information into that schedule.
- Jill pointed out that visiting speakers have a lot of flexibility to present and can provide relief to the teachers
- Mark noted that we have to be cognizant of local school board politics, especially the current spat between the D11 board and the teachers’ union
- The team continued to exchange ideas on available resources
- A feedback survey form was filled out to guide future direction of STEAM/STEM events. (see above slide 9 for survey results and other comments)
- The meeting ended at 7:10 pm
- Mark to follow up on status of “What If” Festival
- John to provide Mark with correct names and e-addresses of attendees
- Mark to follow up with Jill and Nathan to capture some of their ideas
Snap Circuits and Other Demos
In addition to playing with Squishy Circuits, participants also played with Snap Circuits. One of the participants says they’ve used Snap Circuits and most likely influenced their kids to get interested in engineering. Below is a sample example of one Snap Circuits.
Time ran out in showing demos but will be shown in the next meeting. There’s also a possibility in building simple motors as an activity for the next meeting. Shown below are demos for the future meetings.
MENTORING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF STEAM-TEAMS PROFESSIONALS
What-If Festival - September 2017
Space Foundation - Summer of Discovery
Student Projects
Semiconductors
- Fostering the Next Generation of Technology Innovators – TryEngineering
- TRYEngineering 2024 [2 – 3] (nxtbook.com)
- IEEE Receives Grant to Develop Lesson Plans On Semiconductors – IEEE Spectrum
IEEE STEM Grants
STEM Grants – TryEngineering.org Powered by IEEE
- The IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grant Program offers financial support to IEEE members engaged in STEM outreach for pre-university students. Grants are available in three tiers: Introductory Level (up to $500), Share Level ($501–$1,000), and Inspire Level ($1,001–$2,000). The program is supported by various IEEE societies, including the Computer Society, Communications Society, Oceanic Engineering Society, Women in Engineering, and Signal Processing Society, each contributing funds for initiatives aligned with their fields. Applications are currently open, with a deadline of January 3, 2025.
TRY ENGINEERING
Example of IEEE STEM Grant Proposal (IEEE Pikes Peak recipient from 415 submitted proposals)
This example was submitted by Dr John Santiago)
Attachment to Online Application
Section Goal: 1 recruited member per year during the next 4 years
- Assume 20 active members in IEEE Pikes Peak Section for a 650 member section
- In four years, we have over 150 members
- In four years, we can have 20 teams of 8 members each
From a Region 5 Educational Activities Coordinator (REAC), currently Dr. John Santiago
- Use STEAM/STEM Educational Activities and Mentorship Activities
- Dr John Santiago will advocate STEM to STEAM where
- “A”= Arts (and science) of delivering and teaching multi-media content about STEAM/STEM concepts
- Ideal case:
- LMAG mentors YP
- YP mentors IEEE Student Branches
- Chapters/LMAG, YP and student mentors k-12 and parents
Squishy circuits offer an engaging, hands-on approach to learning about electrical circuits by combining conductive and insulating play dough with electronic components. Here are some top squishy circuit projects that effectively illustrate fundamental concepts:
- Camera Project: Assemble a play dough camera model with LEDs to simulate a flash, introducing basic circuitry and creative design.
- Flag Project: Design a flag using conductive dough to light up LEDs, teaching about series and parallel circuits.
- Rainbow Project: Create a colorful rainbow with LEDs representing each color, enhancing understanding of circuit connections and color theory.
- Snail Project: Build a snail sculpture with illuminated eyes using LEDs, combining art and basic electronics.
- Airplane Project: Craft an airplane model with spinning propellers powered by small motors, introducing concepts of motion and circuitry.
- Fireflies Project: Simulate glowing fireflies by embedding LEDs in play dough, teaching about simple circuits and bioluminescence.
- Buzzing Bee Project: Create a bee that buzzes using a piezoelectric buzzer, integrating sound into circuit design.
These projects not only make learning about electricity and circuits accessible but also encourage creativity and problem-solving skills. They are suitable for various educational settings, from classrooms to home-based learning.
PhET Simulations
STEM Kits for Sections Program – IEEE Region 5
Fostering the Next Generation of Technology Innovators – TryEngineering
Science Buddies: Free K-12 STEM Resources (youtube.com)
H5P Demos: Examples in Using e-Learning Widgets
- Interactive Video
- Interactive Presenatations
- Image Hotspots
- Drag-n-Drop
LESSONS
We will provide you with a sequence of lessons – spanning from squishy circuits (playdoh) to breadboards and even micro:bit programmable embedded computers! These lessons can be used together over multiple events or individually for a one time STEM experience.
Below are some sample lessons…
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
For middle or high-school students, you relate squishy circuits with nature to start thinking about developing an eco-system and KEYSTONE mindset.
Engineering a Better Economy: Why KEYSTONE-Based Technologies Matter More Than Ever – IEEE Region 5
Here are some thought and experimental papers from Dr John Santiago. These thought papers were inspired by interviews with Michael, Saylor, Jason Lowery, Saifedeen Ammous, and Robert Breedlove.
When teaching to engineering students, here are advanced concepts to help them get started developing more system (or wholistic) and critical thinking.
Blockchain Technology | IEEE Pikes Peak Section
Resources for STEM Projects
- PhET Interactive Simulations, developed by the University of Colorado Boulder, is an online platform offering free, engaging, and research-based interactive simulations for teaching and learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The simulations are designed to visually demonstrate complex concepts in subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, and math, making them accessible and intuitive for students and educators of all levels. PhET’s user-friendly, browser-based interface allows for exploration, experimentation, and inquiry-based learning, fostering a deeper understanding of STEM topics in classrooms and beyond.
-
Snap Circuits by Elencoelenco.com
Snap Circuits, developed by Elenco Electronics, are educational kits designed to introduce children aged eight and above to the fundamentals of electronics and circuitry. These kits feature color-coded, snap-together components that allow users to construct various electronic projects without soldering or complex tools. Each set includes a plastic baseboard and components such as capacitors, diodes, motors, LEDs, and more, enabling the creation of functional circuits like radios, alarms, and other electronic devices. Snap Circuits are widely used in educational settings to promote hands-on learning and to inspire interest in STEM fields.
Recommended Resources:
- YouTube Videos:
- Learn Electronics with Snap Circuits Lesson #1: Introduction to Snap Circuits: This video provides a comprehensive introduction to Snap Circuits, explaining their components and demonstrating basic projects.
- Snap Circuits Skill Builder – Electronics: A playlist offering step-by-step tutorials on various Snap Circuits projects, ideal for beginners seeking guided instruction.
- Websites:
- Elenco’s Official Snap Circuits Page: The official page provides detailed information about the Snap Circuits product line, including available kits, educational resources, and support materials.
- Harlepengren’s “Snap Circuits: How to Get Started”: This article offers insights into beginning with Snap Circuits, discussing basic components and providing guidance on initial projects.
These resources serve as valuable tools for both educators and learners to effectively explore and understand electronic circuits using Snap Circuits kits.
- YouTube Videos:
- MrErdreich.com, created by educator and inventor Jason Erdreich, offers a comprehensive suite of resources for students, teachers, and makers. The site features tutorials on CAD software, electronics prototyping, and 3D printing, alongside lesson plans and design challenges. It also provides information on professional development workshops and one-on-one virtual tutoring, aiming to foster innovation and hands-on learning in technology and design.
- The YouTube channel “MrErdreich,” curated by educator and maker Jason Erdreich, offers a variety of playlists focused on technology, engineering, and design. These playlists feature tutorials on CAD software like Tinkercad and Onshape, guidance on 3D printing techniques, and insights into electronics prototyping with platforms such as Arduino. Designed to support learners of all levels, the content emphasizes hands-on projects and practical applications, serving as a valuable resource for students, educators, and DIY enthusiasts seeking to enhance their skills in these areas.
How to use Tinkercad to create electronic circuits and programs!
- Algodoo is an intuitive, physics-based 2D simulation software designed for educational and creative exploration. It enables users to create, interact with, and experiment with virtual objects in a realistic physics environment, allowing for the visualization of concepts like gravity, friction, fluid dynamics, and collisions. Popular among educators, students, and hobbyists, Algodoo fosters learning in physics, engineering, and problem-solving through hands-on experimentation in a fun, engaging way. Its simple drag-and-drop interface and interactive tools make it accessible to users of all skill levels.
STEM Videos for the Flipped Classroom
Don’t Forget to REFRESH THE BROWSER if you don’t see IMAGE(S) below
ICP stands for Industrial Content Platform. It is an IEEE initiative to develop relevant content that the industry can use. Dr Santiago inquired if this platform can be easily adapted for delivery of STEAM-STEM Content. During 2024, Dr Santiago has been working with project managers by providing tutorial STEAM/STEM content that he has developed for the past several years.
Here’s the link to the prototype webpage: IEEE Industry Content Platform
For your convenience, below are screenshots of the above link and is an example from one of Dr. Santiago’s video way back in 2009. The video is about R-2R Digital-to-Analog-Conversion. Below the video is an example of how ICP initiative used AI-assisted software to transform the video content into digestible and text format.
Below is a full screenshot of the ICP webpage but image quality is not the same as the above ICP link.
MEASURING VOLTAGE (ICP Article)
Here is another example of AI-assisted generation of content based on Dr Santiago’s YouTube video:
Scaling “My Story, My Professional Home, My IEEE”
Introduction
Dr John Santiago introduces an inspiring video by Johnny Lee how a simple idea/demo can get commercialize within months.
Dr Santiago gave a similar talk to middle-aged students hosted by the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). His joy from this event was when one student came back the following year to the same session given by Dr Santiago and explained how he implemented the same project in his school. The project was using a $40-$50 Wii mote and a $5 investment to build an IR pen to function as a mouse and convert any flat wall surface into an interactive whiteboard (worth $10,000 in today’s dollars). That is, creating value when there is an 80% solution at less than 1% of the cost.
Next, Dr. John Santiago looks at the first principles to innovation as explained by Elon Musk in an interview.
Then Dr. Santiago applies these principles delivered as a video to help meet Region 5 priorities (increase volunteer & leadership activities, increase Young Professional (YP) pipeline, and increase industry engagement) that aligns well with the detailed and comprehensive strategic plan developed at the IEEE Pikes Peak Section. and strategic goal given as:
“For each year, each of the current active and engaged members, recruit one IEEE member and mentor the recruit to be an active and engaged member of the IEEE Pikes Peak Section. By your leadership example, have your recruit who is now an active and engaged member do the same as you did by recruiting one member.”
Then a brief evaluation is given about the video talking about scaling the My IEEE Story based on the first principles of Elon Musk.
Johnny Lee’s Brilliant Use of YouTube at TED Talk (18 years ago, 2009)
First Principles Method as Explained By Elon Musk (11 years ago, 2014)
The First Principles Method Explained by Elon Musk
Scaling IEEE mantra of: My Story, My Professional Home, My IEEE
UPDATED: Example Application of AI-Assisted Content Generation with Camtasia
Comparison Framework: 7 Steps of First Principles Thinking vs. “IEEE My Story” Script
1. Identify the Problem
First Principles Thinking: Clearly define the problem you are facing. Be specific.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“Too many IEEE members and educators have remarkable stories… But their impact is confined to live talks, conference halls, and PDF resumes.”
The video script attempts to identify the core pain point: impact is not scalable because storytelling and legacy-sharing are limited to outdated formats.
➡️ Mapped perfectly: Here, the script defined a specific, relatable problem that IEEE members face — one with deep implications.
2. Break Down the Problem
First Principles Thinking: Decompose the problem into core elements. Ignore assumptions.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“In an age of short attention span and multimedia learning, we need tools that bridge tradition with technology.”
An attempt is made to separate the problem of impact into human constraints (time, access, geography) and technical limitations (format, delivery, engagement).
➡️ The script intended to strip away the assumption that legacy = static archives (e.g., PDFs, PowerPoints). The script instead exposes the core needs: scale, engagement, multimedia, mentorship.
3. Question Assumptions
First Principles Thinking: Challenge norms and ask “why must it be this way?”
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“IEEE gave me a platform… But to truly pass the torch… we need the right medium.” “We need a simple, powerful way to tell our stories…”
The video implicitly challenges the assumption that IEEE’s impact must rely on traditional channels (live events, formal conferences, written papers). Like Musk questioning rocket cost structures, the video questions the assumption that storytelling must be static or high barrier.
➡️ ✅ Strong challenge to current paradigms of mentoring, legacy, and teaching.
4. Analyze the Basic Elements
First Principles Thinking: Understand the raw elements.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“Camtasia empowers any IEEE member—regardless of production experience—to create rich, professional multimedia content: narrated videos, flipped classrooms, animated leadership stories…”
Dr Santiago attempts to isolate the raw material of influence:
-
Mentorship
-
Storytelling
-
Knowledge
-
Tool access
And identify the delivery bottleneck: not having an intuitive, scalable tool.
➡️ Camtasia becomes the equivalent of Musk’s raw materials like titanium and aluminum — a foundational enabler.
5. Rebuild from Scratch
First Principles Thinking: Reconstruct a better solution using new insights.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“Now imagine this solution: IEEE members across regions… upload to a shared IEEE platform… They inspire globally while mentoring locally.”
Dr Santiago propose a new infrastructure: a decentralized, multimedia-enabled mentorship and knowledge-transfer system, powered by Camtasia and scaled across IEEE. The Industry Content Platform or a derivative not mentioned in the video could be used to serve as a one-pager summary for one’s story, such as a 5-minute video by a Life Member Affinity Group (LMAG) on lessons learned.
➡️ Just like SpaceX rebuilt the rocket from first principles, you’re rebuilding legacy delivery from the ground up, using the best components: digital storytelling, flipped models, and intuitive tools.
6. Test and Iterate
First Principles Thinking: Prototype and refine.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“We’re asking for a $750 grant to test this concept for the IEEE Pikes Peak Section… Provide it to selected Young Professionals and Students…”
To evolve this innovative concept, the IEEE Pikes Peak Section will serve and move into pilot mode. Low-cost test. Focused deployment. Data-driven validation (via feedback and content output).
➡️ ✅ The idea is not just theorizing — you’re testing the model using lean experimentation.
7. Scale Up
First Principles Thinking: Expand when validated.
Scaling IEEE Story Script:
“We build a living archive of innovation, wisdom, and impact—accessible by any student, engineer, policymaker, or parent.”
Here, Dr Santiago articulates a future state: one where every IEEE member becomes a digital mentor, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of wisdom.
➡️ A clear vision for exponential scaling (similar to Metcalf’s Network Effect) and much like Musk’s end goal of making space travel accessible.
Comparative Summary Table
| First Principles Step | Musk Example (Rockets) | Your Camtasia Script |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify Problem | Rockets too expensive | IEEE stories don’t scale |
| 2. Break Down Problem | Cost = raw materials + process | Impact = storytelling + tech delivery |
| 3. Question Assumptions | Why not reusable? | Why not scalable, multimedia mentorship? |
| 4. Analyze Elements | Materials (titanium, etc.) | Camtasia = multimedia delivery tool |
| 5. Rebuild from Scratch | Build reusable rockets | Build digital legacy & mentorship tools from scratch |
| 6. Test and Iterate | Launch test rockets | $750 pilot grant for 3–4 licenses |
| 7. Scale Up | Lowered launch costs, opened access | IEEE-wide content platform for education & inspiration (Industry Content Platform, ICP, or its derivative) |
Insights & Innovative Suggestions (Anticipating Needs)
-
Visualize the First Principles Model in the Video
Consider a 10-second segment visually mapping each step you just walked through, helping skeptical engineers see that this proposal has solid engineering logic behind it. -
Make Musk Comparison Explicit (Optional)
For an IEEE audience, an analogy like “If Elon Musk rethought rockets, what if IEEE rethought mentorship?” could serve as a powerful storytelling bridge. -
Gamify the Pilot Output
After the test phase, consider issuing digital badges, leaderboards, or impact dashboards to encourage wider adoption. -
Incorporate AI Summarization Tools
Use Camtasia alongside AI tools (like Whisper for transcripts, GPT summarizers) to help IEEE members publish faster and more accessibly.
✅ Conclusion
The Camtasia pitch follows the logic and flow of First Principles Thinking, paralleling Elon Musk’s approach almost step-by-step. Here, we showed the breaking down of a legacy problem into first principles, rebuild the solution with fresh tools, and propose an inexpensive test to validate before scaling. This pitch attempts not just visionary, but methodologically sound for a skeptical engineering audience.
Author’s Notes
- You can find similar and more information about innovation at the IEEE Pikes Peak Section Mini Website: Innovation | IEEE Pikes Peak Section (work-in-progress for the Innovation webpage).
- Strategic Plan | Extending the John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success (PyramidX-OS) | Mentorship
- 2025 STEM Grant Application where IEEE Pikes Peak Section was a recent recipient. The grant is entitled, “Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovator’s Through The STEAM-TEAMS challenge. This proposal rose to the top competing among 415 applicants.
- For text-based of stories from LMAG members, please visit at: Contributions & Stories of LMAG Members | IEEE Pikes Peak Section