background image

UNDERSTANDING LOGIBLOCS

Logiblocs make computer technology simple!

Logiblocs is the electronic discovery system that helps you understand about
the world of technology around you as you create your own inventions.

From traffic lights to super computers, everything in today's high-tech world
runs by the same principles that Logiblocs demonstrate.  Inside each
Logibloc is a printed circuit board and every block is colour-coded for the
function it performs. By plugging together Logiblocs in different combinations
you can create circuits and virtually write your own simple program to build
each new invention.

Each block has its own job to do, described by its colour:

Logi Yellow

Input: These blocks trigger the system at the press of a button and in all
sorts of other ways.

Logi Blue

Throughput: These blocks take messages from place to place.

Logi Orange

Logic: These brain blocks do the thinking and make sure that everything
happens in the right place and at the right time.

Logi Red

Output: These chatterboxes turn things on and off and communicate with
the outside world through light and sound.

Logi Green

Power: These energy suppliers give life to Logibloc inventions.

All Logiblocs work with each other so with a few Extrablocs you can build on to
your inventions to make them even more powerful using your Logimagination.

3

Summary of Contents for Electric City

Page 1: ...I N V E N T O R S M A N U A L ...

Page 2: ... Do not use the Logiblocs until you under stand the safety advice Please keep these instructions for future reference Never ever touch or try to push any wires into a mains electrical socket or plug This would be very dangerous Do not let the Logiblocs get wet and never put any parts or wires into your mouth LOOKING AFTER YOUR LOGIBLOCS It s a good idea to keep your Logiblocs in the box There is p...

Page 3: ... own simple program to build each new invention Each block has its own job to do described by its colour Logi Yellow Input These blocks trigger the system at the press of a button and in all sorts of other ways Logi Blue Throughput These blocks take messages from place to place Logi Orange Logic These brain blocks do the thinking and make sure that everything happens in the right place and at the ...

Page 4: ...you have all the parts in the Electric City Kit as follows BATTERY BOX BUTTON IN LIGHT SWITCH NOT AND OR BLEEP OUT STRAIGHT x 4 CROSS x 2 FLYER Jack Plug Wires Red Yellow Blue Bulb 1 5V Socket Stickers 4 Maximum current rating 1A ...

Page 5: ...atteries in See the section on battery installation near the end of this booklet Step 2 Plug in the BATTERY BOX to the CROSS Step 3 Plug in the BUTTON and BLEEP When you press it the light on the CROSS should come on and the BLEEP will sound If this doesn t happen check that the batteries are put in correctly If you still have trouble maybe your batteries are flat BATTERY BOX CROSS BLEEP BUTTON 5 ...

Page 6: ...ays does the opposite to the other Logiblocs Now press the BUTTON and see what happens The NOT should go off and all the other lights will come on Also listen for the click of the OUT This is the relay inside which completes the circuit between the two terminals STRAIGHT NOT OUT 6 ...

Page 7: ...Step 7 Finally just add the FLYER AND and OR Logiblocs press the BUTTON and check that all the lights work Hold the Jack Plug wires in each hand and touch the metal ends of the wires together Again the lights will light up As you have seen there are three different ways to trigger the Logiblocs LIGHT SWITCH JACK PLUG IN 7 You have successfully completed the test procedure Well done Now it is time ...

Page 8: ...oor surround with their ends sticking out so that the door will brush past them when it is opened Stick the two wires on with sticky tape Stick your Alarmed sticker on the door to tell people that you are alarmed Don t forget to disconnect the BATTERY BOX when you are not using the Logiblocs to make the batteries last as long as possible 8 Step 2 Shape a strip of aluminium foil around the edge of ...

Page 9: ...ignal from the IN however short it is Press the BUTTON to re set the system Hide the Logibloc system you have made Remember if you want you can extend the jack plug wires just by joining two other wires on to make them longer Make sure you cover the joins with tape to avoid accidentally setting the alarm off 9 ...

Page 10: ...ng the circuit between the two terminals Note the OUT does not provide any power output itself it just completes the circuit You will need a separate battery supply to drive any lights or motors that you want the Logiblocs to control Maximum current rating 1A Try fixing up the bulb and socket so that the light will shine when the door is opened as well as or instead of the BLEEP alarm You will nee...

Page 11: ...es of foil touch the circuit is completed and the Logiblocs should be triggered If the aluminium foil sheets in the sandwich are touching too easily then add another spacer or two When you are happy with the sandwich stick down the top piece of cardboard to the spacers Hide the Logiblocs and place the mat under carpets and surprise your friends when they step in the wrong place Remember to disconn...

Page 12: ... usually a bit of space CHECK FOR METAL We can use the two metal ends of the Jack Plug Wires to test for metal Metal con ducts electricity and so you can test all sorts of objects Use the same Logibloc arrangement shown on opposite page Test a pencil Does the lead inside conduct electricity So it s not just metal that conducts electricity Your message should be Look I conduct electricity Remember ...

Page 13: ... Jack Plug Step 3 Place the Logiblocs on the edge of a basin but be careful not to get them wet Fill up the basin to half full Hold the two aluminium foil sheets one in each hand but do not let them touch and slowly lower them in to the water The BLEEP should go off since the water acts to complete the circuit Now experiment with the water sensor to find other ways to let water trigger the Logiblo...

Page 14: ...p 3 Now keeping the pads separate place one or two fingers on one pad Get someone to ask you some questions about you or your friends Each time you give either a true or false answer put one or two fingers from your other hand onto the second pad The sound level of the BLEEP will change depending on how hard you press or how much your hands are sweating because of telling lies You can also do this...

Page 15: ...y the Treasure Hunt in the dark LIGHT DETECTOR Step 1 Fix the Logiblocs together as shown Have fun Don t forget to disconnect the BATTERY BOX when you are not using the Logiblocs to make the batteries last as long as possible Walk around in the evening and see when the green light is on and when the red light is on Swap round the BLEEP so that it only goes on when there is no light Try shining a f...

Page 16: ...ake sure that we catch the intruder we need to use the Memory Circuit again although in a slightly different way Step 2 Fix the LIGHT SWITCH to the wall and line up a flashlight to shine across the room at the lens If anyone crosses the light beam the alarm goes off Plug the Logiblocs together as shown and stand them up on the BATTERY BOX 16 ...

Page 17: ...n Step 2 Connect the light bulb circuit to the OUT terminals as shown in Step 5 of the Door Alarm page 10 Step 3 Cover the lens and the bulb will shine Now bring the shining bulb close to the lens until it is almost touching See what happens This is called feedback Try replacing the LIGHT SWITCH with the IN and connect the jack plug wires directly to the terminals of the OUT Remember to disconnect...

Page 18: ...iblocs in secret places and see the hidden treasure revealed with the shine of your flashlight LOGIBUZZER We can use another type of feedback loop to make a Logibuzzer Put the blocks together as shown Connect the Jack Plug wires to the terminals of the OUT block Plug the Jack Plug into the IN If there is enough light shining onto the LIGHT SWITCH the blocks will buzz Now cover the lens of the LIGH...

Page 19: ...This acts as a cross roads for all Logiblocs and lets you turn corners STRAIGHT This is the basic Logibloc piece that just gets you from place to place The light lights up whenever it receives a message and it passes it on immediately BUTTON When the button is pressed it triggers any block connected to it The button is the easiest way to turn things on 19 Logiblocs make things happen ...

Page 20: ...knob inserting the wire and releasing the knob which will hold the wire firmly When the OUT is triggered it closes the circuit between the two wires which can make other things work such as light bulbs and motors which will need their own power supply Maximum current rating 1A NOT This does the opposite of what you expect When it gets a message it doesn t send it on and if it has no message it sen...

Page 21: ...rt or all of the lens with different types of tape BLEEP When a message gets to the BLEEP it makes a noise AND The AND stops signals getting through unless both the inputs are on OR The OR lets either of the two signals it receives go through FLYER The FLYER lets you jump over the other Logiblocs or just get from place to place quickly AND MORE 21 Build your own hi tech inventions with Logiblocs ...

Page 22: ... the spring in the battery compartment Insert the two lugs into the holes and close the lid Do up the screw again Do not tighten too much LIFT LID TO ADD BATTERIES SCREW underneath JOIN OTHER LOGIBLOCS HERE 22 FUSE REPLACEMENT As an added safety feature there is a 1A fuse contained in the BATTERY BOX If in the unlikely event this gets broken you will need to obtain a replacement BATTERY BOX Please...

Page 23: ...bon zinc batteries Do not attempt to recharge non rechargeable batteries Do not short circuit the supply terminals or throw in fire Remove batteries during long periods of non use Never leave worn out batteries connected they might leak and corrode things Use only one BATTERY BOX or BATTERY CONNECTOR in any circuit SOME MORE DOs AND DON Ts If you want to save the batteries disconnect the BATTERY B...

Page 24: ...Logiblocs is a registered trademark of Logiblocs Ltd Copyright 2000 VERSION 171299 Logiblocs Limited PO Box 375 St Albans Herts AL1 3GA England www logiblocs com ...

Reviews: