Project 34 - Slide Traffic Light "K-12 JUNO STEM KIT"

What You Can Build Using K-12 JUNO STEM KIT

In the "Slide Traffic Light" project, learners design a basic traffic light system using three slide switches and three LEDs—red, yellow, and green. Each switch operates its own LED, allowing the user to manually simulate the operation of a real traffic light. By switching ON or OFF the appropriate slide controls, learners can represent stop, caution, and go signals just like at road intersections.

What You Can Learn

• Switch-Based Control: Understand how slide switches work as mechanical controllers that maintain their state until toggled again.

• Circuit Segmentation: Learn how multiple branches in a circuit can operate independently within the same power system.

• Traffic Light Simulation: Explore the logic behind traffic signal systems and how each light represents a different action to ensure safe movement.

Real Life Problem Solving

• Traffic Management Systems: Demonstrates the functioning concept of real‑world streetlight controls used in intersections and crosswalks.

• Safety Education: Encourages understanding of traffic signals and their importance in regulating vehicle and pedestrian flow.

• Hands‑On Logic: Develops critical thinking about control logic sequencing and coordination between stop, caution, and go commands.

Applications and Extensions

• Add a timer or microcontroller to automate switching between red, yellow, and green lights.

• Introduce sensors to create a smart traffic light that adapts based on real‑time conditions.

• Use multi‑color LEDs to simplify circuit complexity while expanding functionality.

Skills Developed

• Fundamental wiring using slide switches, LEDs, and resistors.

• Analytical reasoning about circuit flow and state control.

• Real‑world system modeling and problem‑solving using hands‑on experimentation.

Real-Life Benefits

• Automation Foundation: Demonstrates the core logic behind automated control systems used in modern transportation and robotics.

• STEM Integration: Builds connections between electronics, logic design, and safety engineering—key concepts in smart city technology.

• Visual Learning: Helps learners connect light signals to the language of safety, timing, and coordination.

Why This Project Matters

The Slide Traffic Light project helps learners go beyond simple circuits to understand real‑life control systems. By experimenting with slide switches and LEDs, students learn how mechanical controls form the backbone of signaling systems used worldwide—from traffic lights to industrial automation.

Project 34: Slide Traffic Light empowers students to connect electronics, safety, and logic, forming a crucial step toward mastering automation and control engineering.