(Hint: Get creative with the ground connection. In the example above, we
connected ground to a penciled bar where we rested our hand.)
What Makes a Key? Conductivity.
A material is a conductor if it allows electricity (even just a tiny bit of it) to
flow. This is the magic behind the MaKey MaKey: most of the world
is
conductive! Anything metal will almost certainly conduct electricity. The
“standard” conductors are copper, silver, gold, etc. But with the Makey
MaKey our conductor scope grows. Most organic materials - things like
human skin, liquids, foods, and frog legs - are at least a little conductive.
And that’s really all the MaKey MaKey needs.
If an object isn’t conductive, it’s an
insulator
. Common insulators include
plastic, glass, ceramic and wood. You can usually tell just by looking at
something whether it’s an insulator or conductor. You’ll have to watch out
for objects like this, as they just won’t work with the MaKey MaKey. To get
around that, though, you can line them with a conductive material (like
copper tape, or just regular old wire), to create the illusion that they’re
conducting electricity.
Resistance
is a measure of exactly how conductive a device is. Resistance
can be measured with just about any standard multimeter. Any object with a
resistance of about 4.5M
Ω
(that’s a really high resistance) or less should
work as a MaKey MaKey input. If you’re not sure if something will work with
the MaKey MaKey, whip out a multimeter (buy one if you have to, they’re
an essential tool for electronics hobbyists) and test that resistance! Or,
better yet, just connect it to your MaKey MaKey and experiment.
Resources and Going Further
If you’re left with any questions after reading this tutorial, here are all the
MaKey MaKey-related resources we can find:
• MaKey MaKey Schematic – A PDF of the MaKey MaKey’s circuit.
• MaKey MaKey Eagle Files – The design files. What we use to make
the PCB.
• MaKey MaKey GitHub Repository – Where we keep all of the MaKey
MaKey’s firmware and design files up to date.
• Windows Driver – Should work for all compatible versions of
Windows.
• MaKeyMaKey.com – The home of MaKey MaKey. Check out their
Quick Start Guide for more help.
Example Projects
Sometimes following by example is the best way to learn. If you’re not sure
where to start with the MaKey MaKey, give these examples a look-over. I
hope they inspire you! If you want your project added to this list, post it in
the comments below, or send us an email!
• O Say Can You See (Lunch)
• j.viewz Playing Teardrop With Vegetables
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