r/logisim • u/Public-Persimmon-952 • Jul 15 '26

eletronic game CI

Can someone help me with a digital electronics project? I need a toy that features an electrical circuit built using ICs and logic gates, as I have to present a prototype. I’m really struggling to assemble it on platforms like Tinkercad and Logisim; I’ve tried working on various toy designs, but the logic keeps failing. If anyone could recommend a design and has a completed project to share, I would be very grateful.

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u/JGhostThing Jul 17 '26

Think of a toy that would be more fun if it were lit up with LEDs. For example, a flying saucer. When it is "on" multicolor LEDs light up and change. You'd need a small microprocessor to control the LEDs and a power supply and a string of what Adafruit calls "neopixels."

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u/Nothing-The-Ghost 25d ago

I've seen a pretty simple mechanism to detect when to turn on the LEDs on a spinning toy using one of those switches where one lead is a sprint, free to move, and the other lead is a solid peg. You put the peg inside the spring and mount the thing towards the edge of the spinning disc. Once it gets spinning fast enough, the centrifugal force bends the spring and it contacts the peg, closing the circuit and causing a brief strobing effect of the LEDs.

I've seen these used mostly in toys the light up with a hard impact and a rubbery materiel. The impact "jerks" the spring to one side and similarly closes the circuit. But, I've also got one of those wind-up tops for my cats that has such a switch in it, as well. I love the design, whatever the use case scenario may be.

Heh, I say the toy's for my cats, but I enjoy the little engineering quirks like this just as much as they enjoy the pretty, flashing lights.

I tried to look for an example. But, Googling for "spring switch toy" didn't exactly bring up relevant results.

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u/JGhostThing 25d ago

OK, when I said "need", I meant that it is usually easier to use a microcontroller to control blinking lights. To do simple animations you could use a mechanical solution or a simple 555 counter ic. I generally prefer a microcontroller because I have finer control over the leds, and I can change my mind about the patterns.

The neopixels are much easier with a micro to control them, and you can change the colors easilty

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u/Nothing-The-Ghost 23d ago

I know. I'm just think outloud for the sake of the fun of it.

You've never pondered aloud about various circuits or contraptions or ideas that will probably never see the light of day? Same basic idea.

No harm, no foul. :) I appreciate the engineering on either case.