| Sound is easily converted into an electrical signal, and vice versa. |
| The temperature can be converted into a voltage via, say, a thermocouple. |
| Signals can be multiplied by various factors and then added, via a circuit described in the lab manual. |
| When the gain, or the frequency, or anything else, depends on a particular resistor, that property can be varied continuously and at will if the resistor is replaced by a pot. |
| Filters can be used to eliminate certain frequencies, but they can also be used to change the shape of a signal. |
| Think how easily an op amp can be used to turn a dc voltage on and off! |
| If you use a pot, remember that the pot can be adjusted so that its resistance is zero. For some of our circuits, making R=0 would be a very bad idea, so be sure to protect your circuit from fatal flaws like that. |
| Work incrementally - build small pieces of your project and test them. This is one way of finding out if your ideas are feasible. |
| Small dc motors can easily be made to do some amusing things. |
| It's possible that a simple follower circuit will solve problems in connecting one part of your design to another. |
| For some of you, a little logic will help a lot. Just the early part of Lab 13 in the manual could make your life simpler and more beautiful. |
| I've brought in two cheap, unused car speakers. If you're doing an audio project, one of them might be for you. |
| Students have made good use of scavenged parts, such as keypads from old calculators. This might be good for you, too. |
For your project you must turn in a writeup. This will contain (1) a very clear circuit diagram, (2) a detailed explanation of how your circuit does what it does, and (3) the history of your project, including your original plan, where you got your ingredients (ideas and components), and how and why you modified your plan as you went along.