Lesson video

Hi and welcome to today's lesson.

This is all about Harry Beck and circuit diagrams. We are going to be learning about who Harry Beck was and what he's famous for and how it actually links with circuit diagrams. And I'm sure you'd be able to see the connections very soon as we go through the lesson.

So without further ado, what we're going to do first is have a look at the learning cycle, the learning outcome, and the key words.

So today's learning outcome for the lesson is that we can relate Harry Beck's work to circuit diagrams and to draw your own circuit diagrams as well.

There are four keywords today.

First word is circuit diagram, which we've already mentioned a couple of times now.

That's a simple drawing showing how parts of an electrical system are connected.

The second one is electrical components and that's part of an electrical circuit.

Third one is Tinkercad.

Now Tinkercad is an online computer-aided design application.

And lastly, workspace.

Now a workspace is an area where objects are created and changed.

And with this way we are thinking about a workspace within Tinkercad.

The lesson outlined today, there are two learning cycles.

Harry Beck developing circuit diagrams and drawing circuit diagrams. We are going to start, of course, with the first learning cycle, which is Harry Beck developing circuit diagrams. So Harry Beck, well, Harry Beck was a draughtsman in the drawing office of the London Underground.

So he worked for the London Underground.

And he is best known for creating the iconic color-coded diagram for the London Underground network.

We're going to see a picture in a moment.

His early life and career, well, he was born in 4th of June 1902 in Leyton in London.

And he was very artistic and he attended local art classes and even studied sculpture when he went over and did some work in Italy.

And in 1925, he began working as an engineering draughtsman for London Transport.

And he believed that geographical maps used by London Transport just needed simplifying.

Now this is, as you can see on the left-hand side, this is a geographical map used in 1908.

And that is the original map of all of the underground stations that were in London.

And as you can see there, it's a bit of a mix and it's not very, very clear.

Have got colours, which is something that we still have with today's London Underground.

But you can see that it's a very good map, but it's quite tricky to actually use.

So his idea was to remove all of the features, so keep the River Thames.

And he wanted to have the line straight so that they could just show the tracks and literally it would just show the stops.

And this is what he came up with.

And this is the first version of his map and that was created in 1931.

This version that you've got a picture of there is 1935, so sort of slightly updated version.

And as you can see, you've got the river, the River Thames still on there.

And then you've got all of the stations that are north of the river and the stations that are south of the river.

And they're all equally spread apart.

Now he based his design on a circuit diagram using vertical, horizontal, and 45-degree diagonal lines.

And this was released to the public in 1933.

So circuit diagrams, let's talk about those now, the thing that really inspired him to come up with his design of the London Underground.

So circuit diagram is a simple diagram showing how electrical components are connected.

And there's a picture there of a simple circuit diagram.

Now it's very straightforward, it's got lines, simple symbols, and it makes it easy for anyone to understand.

Regardless of what language you speak, you can actually understand what it shows.

Now the lines do not represent the actual distances between the components, but just how they are connected together.

Just like the London Underground, it's not the distance between them all, all the distances are the same on the map, oh, sorry, on Harry Beck's map, but when we actually have them in real life, some are closer together than others.

But it makes it easier for them to see if they're all equally spread out.

Right, let's go for a quick check for understanding.

What does a circuit diagram show? Is it a, how electrical components are connected? Is it b, the distance between electrical components? Or is it c, geographical features of a city? So what does a circuit diagram show? Is it a, b, or c? Well done, that's right, it's a, how electrical components are connected.

It gives a really nice simple diagram about how things are all connected together.

So let's go back to Harry Beck's design.

So his simplified map using straight color-coded lines to show all the tracks and then circles for the stations is very similar to the circuit diagrams that we are used to seeing.

And he was able to fit the whole entire system onto one map by not thinking about the distances between stations and only focusing on the order in which they appear.

As you can see, even from that short excerpt there on that map, it's quite busy, but it's all very, very clear because of the colours and because of the different stations.

And you can see where all the different stations are and what colour lines they're actually on.

In real life, if you have a look at this picture here, in real life, a lot of those stations in the middle there are actually very, very close together.

And the ones on the outskirts, so you can't see on this map but you can on the main one, they're actually quite far apart.

In some ways sometimes it's actually quicker to walk from one tube station to another than it is to actually go and catch a tube.

But that's not the case when you go further out or if you've got a longer journey.

It's very interesting to think about what's underground compared to what's actually on the overground as well, whether it's easier to walk or whether it's easier to take an underground train.

So this iconic design, well, here's a more modern one, this is from 2016.

And this shows you how the map has just grown and grown and grown, but the same ideas are still there.

Remember this is quite a few years later, decades later.

And actually we're still using Harry Beck's idea that he got from looking at circuit diagrams. So the maps that are used today are still based on those original designs.

And even other transport maps in other cities around the world use a very, very similar system as well.

So let's go through Harry Beck's timeline.

He was born in 1902.

He began working as a draughtsman in 1925.

He designed the London Underground map.

The map was published in 1933.

He created a map of the entire railway system, the entire rail system in 1938.

And finally he died in 1974, having achieved some really amazing iconic designs.

Check for understanding again.

How the underground map and a circuit diagram similar? Is it a, they use colourful lines for different paths? Is it b, they show the exact distance between things? Or is it c, they show how things are connected? Which do you think it is a, b, or c? That's right, it's c.

Laura was correct that they show how things are connected.

Right, onto a task now for you to complete.

So Harry Beck's London Underground map was based on an electrical circuit diagram.

In pairs or small groups, I'd like you to look at the underground map and the circuit diagram and discuss the following.

Can you think of three similarities? Are there things that are very similar or the same? And then also think of three differences.

So think about three things that are actually different between the two designs.

So that's we're comparing the London underground map and the electrical circuit you're thinking about.

What is the same and what is different? Right, I'm gonna let you get on with this task now and then we will come back for some feedback in a few minutes.

Okay, off you go and enjoy.

Okay, welcome back.

Now you may have discussed points like some of the following that we're going to go through.

So you might have come up with these similarities.

That they use straight lines, symbols.

It's simple and it's a clear design.

It's easy to understand in any language.

And it shows lots of information in one diagram.

You might have thought of differences.

Now here's a list of some differences.

So the underground map uses color-coded lines.

Each diagram represents different things.

So wires and components will be symbolised in one in circuit diagrams, risk stations and tracks will be symbolised in the London Underground map.

Has different purposes, very different purposes.

So the purpose of the underground map is to help you get around.

And a circuit diagram is to help you build and understand what a circuit is.

And lastly, you might have thought about the different users who's actually going to use this.

So it'd be passengers and tourists who are gonna use the map.

It might be engineers or designers who are using a circuit diagram.

All right, well done.

I'm sure you've come up with something on this list.

You probably came up with things that weren't on the list, that maybe we haven't actually thought of in this particular slide.

There's so many different ideas but these are the key main ones.

So well done if you've got something different and well done if you managed to get some of these.

Good, well done.

I'm sure you've got a full understanding now of Harry Beck and what a circuit diagram is.

Onto lesson cycle two now.

So we are gonna be thinking now about drawing circuit diagrams, and how we do that, and the sort skills we need and the tools that we need.

Now the first thing we could do is we could actually draw these on paper.

And this you might need a pencil and a ruler and some nice paper.

But today we're actually going to be thinking that we can actually do this with software.

And we are gonna be using Tinkercad today.

Now Tinkercad is an online computer-aided design programme and that allows us to draw and to test electrical circuits.

By logging into Tinkercad, we can explore the components further.

So we're going to be going through quite a few screenshots and some ideas and stages of how to use Tinkercad before, you might have used it before.

And in which case you can go through the next few slides quite quickly 'cause it tells you about how to get involved and how to use it.

But if of course you haven't done it, then we're gonna go through some step-by-step instructions on how to create your own circuit diagrams using Tinkercad.

So the first thing we need to do is to log in.

And then you'll need to type in a class code.

And then join in with a nickname and enter a nickname.

We're then going to access a part of Tinkercad called Tinkercad Circuits.

There's three main parts to it and that's 3D designs, circuits, and code blocks.

We are just going to be looking at circuits today.

And there's two different ways of doing this.

When you first join in, you might find that there's a big green box there saying create your first circuits design.

But if you've already been using Tinkercad, then you need to click on the Create button.

And then there'll be a dropdown menu which you'll be able to select circuits.

All right and now we can go into Tinkercad.

And this is a Tinkercad workspace for one of the Tinkercad circuits.

And the first thing to do, which is really good practise just to get used to doing is to change the file name.

You'll automatically be given a file name but it's really good practise to decide what your file name's gonna be.

So speak to your teacher about something that's gonna be helpful for them to be able to identify it.

And then you can choose a name for your work.

We've just put in a suggestion.

You can choose with your teacher what you think is going to be appropriate for you.

We then have that big blank space and that's the workspace and we've spoke about that as being one of our keywords.

And the workspace is somewhere where we are going to move and amend and test and change different things.

And then finally on the right-hand side are the electrical components.

And you can see there, there's lots of different types of components.

We then move on to adding components to the workspace and exactly how do we do that? Well, very, very simply, you need to use your mouse cursor, hover over the component that you want, in this case, a motor.

And then what you do is you just drag that component over onto the workspace.

And you can see here that I've got a few different components.

A very simple circuit this is going to be.

But we've got a slide switch, got two 1.

5 volt cells, and a three volt motor as well.

So how do we connect them? Well, this is a sort of enlarged area of the screen that I've just shown you.

And if you have a look, there's the bottom of the cells.

And you can see there's some red and there's some black connectors.

Now if you click on one of those connectors and then move your mouse cursor away, you'll start to see this green line appear.

And if you click it again then it starts and it enables you to then change direction.

But it only really allows you to go in 90-degree areas.

So if you want to go into different, connect two different components, you'll have to think about how best to do that with 90-degree angles.

Now as you can see, you can see why we've chosen Harry Beck and circuit diagrams 'cause this is very similar.

Although Harry Beck's underground system did actually have some 45-degree angles.

We're just gonna keep it to 90 degrees for today.

So very quick check for understanding.

How do you connect electrical components in Tinkercad? Do you a, click on a connector to the same connector? B, click on a connector to another connector? C, click on a component to the same component? Or d, click on a component to another component? Which do you think is correct, a, b, c, or d? That's right, you're clicking on a connector to another connector.

It's those red and black connecting areas that are the bits that you want to connect the different components to.

So here we have one cell connected to a motor.

And you can see although there's two cells there, one of them isn't connected at all.

And you can also see that the slide switch has not been connected either.

We've then got two cells connected to a motor and you can see how that circuit diagram has been just broken up a little bit so that everything can fit together.

And lastly, we've got two cells and a switch which is off, connected to a motor.

Now you know that it's off 'cause if you look very, very closely you can see that sort of that light grey area is pushed to the left.

And if we click on it and push it to the right, then that connects the circuit together.

And here's a bit of a closeup for you of that switch that I was just talking about.

So here you've got the example of the switch being off.

And you can see that light grey area is just to the left and you've got the connectors there, but it's not connected because that light grey area needs to come to the right-hand side and then that connects the circuit together.

You might be wondering why there's that third prong there.

Well, this is what happens if you incorrectly put it in because it actually won't connect the circuit properly.

Check for understanding now.

Which of these shows a switch that's incorrectly connected? Is it a, b or c? That's right, it's b.

And I have switched them around from the last slide.

So I hope you managed to get that one right.

Well, well done.

Right, now that we've made a circuit and you can see there we've got two cells, the motor and the slide switch, and you can see that actually the slide switch is on, we are now going to start the simulation.

And what happens is when we click on start simulation, as you can see there, then you'll notice that the motor starts spinning around.

And actually just underneath that, that yellow motor spindle that's going around is actually the speed of the motor.

Now, if the cells are connected in the opposite direction, then the motor spins also in the opposite direction.

And you can see here that I've turned the cells upside down or the other way around.

Still connecting them and it's still connected correctly, but if you look very carefully, you'll be able to see that on the motor, that the motor is spinning but in a different direction.

And we know it's a different direction because the revs per minute have actually changed.

And that the value to the revs per minute have actually become negative rather than positive as they were in the previous slide.

That shows that the motor direction has reversed.

Okay, now it's time for you to get into Tinkercad and to create your own circuit diagram using the electrical components that we're gonna use for the electric vehicle.

And it's very simple that we want to have a switch, some cells, and the motor.

So it's all there very much for you.

I want you to go in and have a look at Tinkercad and explore the different components.

You might wish to add some additional components, that's entirely up to you.

But do make sure you do the first task of ensuring that we've got a simple circuit diagram of what you're going to use for your electric vehicle.

Right, I'm gonna let you get on now.

Enjoy working with Tinkercad, there's some fantastic stuff that you can do there within the Tinkercad circuits and I look forward to getting back to you and we'll be talking about some of the feedback that we can talk about.

All right, okay, have fun, enjoy.

And I'm sure you'll do a fabulous job.

Right, welcome back.

Hope you've been able to access everything okay.

And that you've been able to think very carefully about what sort of components you're gonna be using for your electric vehicle.

And you've been able to draw a circuit diagram just like Sofia's done here.

Now she's created a circuit diagram in Tinkercad using electrical components that she's gonna use for her electric vehicle.

And you can see there, she's actually chosen for the motor to spin in a positive direction, because the polarities in that certain direction, and she's actually got the switch on.

Well done Sofia and well done you.

Right, let's go through a summary of today's lesson.

So the key learning points from today are.

Harry Beck was inspired by circuit diagrams when he developed the London Underground map.

Electric vehicle prototypes need pulleys, a motor, a battery pack, axle, and a switch to work.

And electrical designs need circuit diagrams. And lastly, Tinkercad can be used to draw electric circuits.

Right, well done.

We've got through quite a lot today.

We've got a biography of Harry Beck.

We've talked about the circuit diagrams and the relevance to the London Underground designs that Harry Beck developed.

And you've been able to log into Tinkercad and draw your own circuit diagram.

So a lot has been packed in today and you've done incredibly well.

So, well done, and I look forward to working with you next time.