Technical Activities

Here’s everything you can try on LiveWires.

We’ll teach you everything you need, and you’ll take home what you make to show off.

You’ll have time for two or three different activities. This page should help you choose!

Coding

Learn HTML and CSS, the building blocks of the Web, or take your understanding further to build an online game using Javascript.

Web design

Design and build your own web pages. Learn HTML and CSS to create your very own website.

Programming

Start programming for the first time by learning JavaScript. We’ll guide you through the basic concepts, and we’re here to help if you get stuck!

Games

Once you’ve got the basics of programming, you can build a game using JavaScript and our games course. Create your own version of your favourite mobile game, or perhaps something entirely new.

Media Production

Combine computers with your creative side! Learn how to use computers to create your own art, whether that’s music, stills or film.

3D Graphics

Sculpt, texture and animate your own virtual models or scenery using Blender.

Sound Production

Work with others to record, edit, and master a podcast or song with guidance and gear from the professionals.

Video Production

Shoot and edit a short film or trailer, from storyboarding through to post-production. This is a group activity.

Electronics

Pick up a soldering iron and build something physical! Choose between loads of exciting projects, all carefully designed to make the most of your time with us.

Learn to solder

All the projects require some soldering. Some also involve the making circuit boards and cases from scratch. But don’t worry, we’ve got the equipment and know-how to show you what you need to do!

There’s a small extra cost for these activities, which we’ll tell you beforehand.

Each project has two difficulty ratings: the first for the electrical work (soldering and wiring) and the second for mechanical building (PCB, drilling, filing, nuts and bolts etc.).

Electronics projects

LED Clock

~£20-£25 • electrical: medium • mechanical: easy

Make your own clock to display the current time on the 7 segment LED displays. This project uses a ready made circuit board, is complete with the box and external mains power supply unit.

Digital Echo Chamber

~£15-£20 • electrical: medium • mechanical: easy

This circuit takes input from the built-in microphone, or from an external input, and allows you to add echo and feedback to your voice, or music. This circuit uses a ready make circuit board.

Guitar Pedal

~£15-£20 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

Are you a budding guitarist and would like to build your own distortion pedal? With this project, you can!

3D LED Cube

~£20-£25 • electrical: medium • mechanical: advanced

Create a 3D light cube to display a changing set of patterns. Software is provided to program lighting sequences. This circuit uses a ready made circuit board, but you will need to have experience and a steady hand to be able to solder the tricky cube joints.

Computer Message Display

~£35-£40 • electrical: advanced • mechanical: medium

Create a second display for your computer to show drive space information, incoming emails, or display your Twitter feed. Drivers and software provided for Windows XP or greater, and a DLL is provided if you want to program it for other purposes. This uses a ready made circuit board, but you will need to have good soldering skills due to the complexity of some of the joints.

Dual Dice

~£10-£15 • electrical: medium • mechanical: easy

With a press of a button, this dual dice will give you a roll! LEDs light to show your number.

Escape Robot

~£25-£30 • electrical: medium • mechanical: advanced

Build a robot that will find its way out of a maze using sensors and its microprocessor.

Audio Analyser

~£35-£40 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

Build this little project and you can see what your musical instruments or recording are doing: with a graphic display you can see a real-time spectrum of your audio.

Parrot

~£10-£15 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

This little creature repeats your words… but in it's own voice! Complete with microphone, loudspeaker and case.

Light Beam Alarm

~£10-£15 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

Contained in a small and easily concealed box, when an intruder passes by it emits a piercing whistle letting you know they’re there.

LCD Scrolling Message Display

~£15-£20 • electrical: easy • mechanical: none

Display your own scrolling message! Using the on board buttons you can program this device to display scrolling text on its LCD screen. This project uses a ready-made circuit board making it ideal if you're new to electronics.

Classic Arcade Game

~£15-£20 • electrical: easy • mechanical: none

Build your own arcade machine! Using the built in buttons you can play the classic Pong computer game on your TV. This project uses a ready-made circuit board making it ideal if you're new to electronics.

Electronic Light Bug

~£10-£15 • electrical: easy • mechanical: easy

This little critter is looking for the light! Driven by two miniature motors it can direct itself to where it detects the most light. This project uses a ready-made circuit board making it ideal if you're new to electronics.

Long electronics projects

There are also some longer electronics projects:

Bike alarm

~£25-£30 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

A very loud deterrent, with vibration and tilt sensors, a key switch, and optional tamper alarm.

Oscilloscope

~£30-£35 • electrical: advanced • mechanical: medium

Have you ever wondered what is happening in an electronic circuit? Now is your chance to find out. Build this little PC powered oscilloscope and you can look at signals to your heart's content. This uses a ready made circuit board and has a reasonable number of components. All the software you need is provided as well.

Guitar Headphones Amp

~£35-£40 • electrical: advanced • mechanical: advanced

Rock in the comfort of your own headphones with this battery powered box. It's a DI box too, so you can plug into a mixer if you want everyone to hear.

Theremin

~£15-£20 • electrical: medium • mechanical: medium

The only instrument you can play without touching it! Create weird and wonderful music by waving your hands!

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