Forces of Flight Simulator

(Showcased at the Boston Children's Museum)

Interactive Flight Simulator for Children: Exploring the Four Fundamental Forces of Flight

This educational simulator uses an Arduino MEGA, a joystick, two RGB LED strips, and five arcade-style buttons to control a digital interface displayed on a laptop. Designed to teach children about the four fundamental forces of flight, the game immerses players in a simulated "cockpit" experience, guiding them from takeoff to landing.

Participants "fly" the plane by answering a series of simple questions related to flight forces, such as "What makes a plane move forward?" (Answer: Thrust). Responses are inputted using the joystick—Lift (Up), Thrust (Right), Weight (Down), Drag (Left)—while the buttons activate engaging display features, including "Lights" to illuminate the LED strips and "Help" for assistance from the creators.

How it Works: 

The joystick and buttons transmit analog signals to the laptop through the Arduino Serial Monitor. The laptop concurrently runs the Arduino Serial Monitor and a digital interface developed on the Processing platform. 

Processing interprets the Arduino inputs to execute commands. Due to time constraints, a fully digital 3D game was not developed; instead, a series of videos from the game Kerbal Space Program were recorded. 

The correct joystick input triggers the next video in the sequence, giving the illusion of controlling the plane. Incorrect inputs prompt a retry message and turn the LED strip red, enhancing the interactive experience.

Results:

The project debuted at the Boston Children's Museum, attracting over 60 young participants. It received enthusiastic feedback, successfully engaging children and proving resilient against even the most energetic interactions.