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On October 11, 2024, Performance Validation joined the excitement at the All Portage Elementary STEAM Event, held at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan. This one-night-only event, held every two years, invites elementary students from across Portage Public Schools (PPS) to dive into the world of STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Sponsored by local organizations, including the Air Zoo and the Portage Education Foundation, the event was entirely free, offering students a hands-on way to explore and learn.
For Performance Validation, the highlight of the evening was showcasing our interactive temperature mapping display. Temperature mapping is a vital part of ensuring medicines—and even treats like ice cream—remain safe by maintaining proper storage temperatures. But presenting this technical process in a fun, hands-on way for elementary students required creativity and innovation.
The Idea: Making Temperature Mapping Accessible
Temperature mapping is one of the many services Performance Validation provides to clients, typically performed in large-scale environments such as warehouses or cleanrooms. For this event, the team faced the challenge of scaling this process down to a portable, engaging demonstration that could spark curiosity in young learners. The brainstorming process centered on three key goals:
- Visual Appeal: The display needed to be colorful and eye-catching to draw in students and hold their attention.
- Interactivity: The demonstration had to allow students to actively participate and observe immediate results.
- Educational Value: The activity had to effectively communicate the importance of temperature mapping in real-world applications.
Building the Display: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Choosing the Right Container
The team selected a clear fish tank to simulate a mini “warehouse” environment. The transparent walls allowed students to see everything inside, making it an ideal choice for a visual and contained demonstration.
Step 2: Setting Up the Temperature Sensors
Portable temperature sensors were strategically placed inside the tank—at the corners and the center—to mimic real-life sensor placement in a large facility. This arrangement helped demonstrate how temperature mapping identifies inconsistencies in different areas of a storage space.
Step 3: Adding a Visual Element
To make temperature changes visible, the team connected the sensors to colorful LED lights. Each light represented a specific temperature range: white for optimal conditions, blue for too cold, and red for too hot. The LEDs provided an immediate visual cue, making it easy for students to grasp the concept.
Step 4: Coding the Interaction
Using an Arduino microcontroller, the team wrote code to link the sensors with the LEDs. This programming ensured the lights changed color based on the temperature readings from the sensors, creating an automated and responsive display. A breadboard was used to wire the sensors and LEDs, allowing the components to communicate seamlessly.
Step 5: Designing the Interactive Element
The team wanted students to directly influence the temperature inside the tank. Hair dryers were provided to increase the temperature, while fans or the “cool” setting on the hair dryers helped lower it. Holes were cut into the tank’s lid, allowing students to direct airflow at the sensors while maintaining a mostly enclosed environment to stabilize temperature changes.
Step 6: Testing and Refining
Before the event, the team conducted multiple tests to ensure the display worked flawlessly. Adjustments were made to fine-tune the sensor placements, LED color ranges, and airflow mechanisms to provide a seamless experience for participants.
Bringing the Display to Life
On the night of the event, the temperature mapping display was a showstopper. Students eagerly lined up to try their hand at manipulating the tank’s temperature and observing how the LED lights responded. The interactive setup turned a complex scientific process into an exciting game, prompting students to ask insightful questions like, “What happens if a medicine gets too hot?” and “Why is it bad if it gets too cold?”
Our team members explained how temperature mapping helps ensure that medicines remain effective and safe for consumption by identifying potential hot or cold spots in storage facilities. They also discussed how similar technology is used in everyday scenarios, like keeping ice cream from melting at the grocery store.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Throughout the evening, it was heartening to see how engaged and curious the students were. Many shared their own ideas about how science and technology could solve everyday problems, and some even expressed interest in pursuing careers in STEAM fields.
Events like these highlight the importance of community involvement in fostering the next generation of innovators. By offering students a glimpse into real-world applications of science and technology, we hope to inspire them to dream big and explore how they can make a difference in their communities and beyond.
We’re proud to have been part of the All Portage Elementary STEAM Event and look forward to future opportunities to inspire young minds.
Check out a few pictures from the event below to see our setup and all the fun we had!
