miniTesla: build electronics and more
Another advantage of miniTesla is that circuits can be built in the shape they are typically drawn, reinforcing circuit patterns and thus amplifying the learning process. Due to the mechanical integrity of the system circuits can be used long-term in projects or just kept as a reference.
If you have been annoyed by unreliable breadboards, and the mess of wires they often produce, give miniTesla a try. You will like it. For further details refer to our free manual.
History: miniTesla is based on an ingenious spring contact that was introduced by Philips in Europe during the 1960s. Philips developed an entire electronics kit system around this spring contact. These kits were particularly popular in German-speaking countries in Europe because Philips Germany took over the development and marketing of these kits. However, sometime during the 1990s, due to the emerging personal computers, electronic kits became less and less popular and Philips lost interest in their system and discontinued it.
We have decided to revive this superior prototyping system and make it even better. The primary improvements we have made are:
- We changed the hole raster by adding additional holes to allow the connection of transistors without the requirement of carrier boards.
- A new and versatile way to connect to printed circuit boards with the bottom part of the spring contacts. This creates two additional connection layers. Essentially miniTesla is a modular two-layer printed circuit board where individual traces can be added and removed selectively.
- Changed from 15 mm to 16 mm hole spacing to be compatible with Lego and goBilda.
- We switched to a transparent board to make any connections under the board visible.
This new mechatronic interface to printed circuit boards makes it very easy to connect to other popular platforms such as Raspberry Pi and Arduino.
miniTesla offers, for a solderless system, superior mechanic and electric connectivity and reliability together with low component costs.
Subtopics
Projects & Circuits Lego kits Switches Traces Connectors & SocketsAuthors
Products
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10k Ohm Potentiometer with Pushbutton sub-boardminiTesla A potentiometer, or variable resistor, with three pins labeled CW, CCW, and wiper. The wiper moves between the CW (clockwise) and CCW (counterclockwise) endpoints and therefore the resistance between the wiper and the endpoints changes with the position of the potentiometer. The resistance between CW and CWW is a constant 10k Ohm. Additionally, this potentiometer has a built-in momentary pushbutton by pressing down on the dial. When pressed the SW1 and SW2 pins are connected. | $9 to wish list | |
miniTesla PegboardminiTesla This pegboard is 192 mm x 128 mm (7.6" x 5") large which is a bit smaller than half letter size and made from clear 1/8" thick acrylic. Additionally, you will receive four M4x20 mm long hex spacers made from nylon and four M4 matching nylon screws. These spacers function as feet for the board. The board has 230 holes to accept our spring contacts and it can be mechanically linked to Lego bricks and Lego technic components. In the Lego raster, it is 16 x 24 large. Its shorter side is exactly half the length of a Lego baseplate which is 32 x 32. Please see the free miniTesla manual for details on how this electronic... | $9.90 to wish list | |
9V Battery KitminiTesla With this kit you can mechanically and electrically connect a 9V battery to the miniTesla pegboard. Included in the kit are:
The metal clip is screwed to the pegboard with the M4 screws and standoffs. Attach the snap-on connector to a 9V battery and insert the 9V battery into the metal clip. Connect the alligator clips to your circuit. By removing/attaching one of the alligator clips you can power off and on your circuit. Please... | $9.50 to wish list | |
Spring Contact Compression ToolminiTesla This tool is perfect to compress the miniTesla contacts to connect wires to it. Please refer to the miniTesla manual for details.
| $3 to wish list | |
Spring Contact (Package of 25)miniTesla These are the crucial miniTesla spring contacts. They are the connecting elements that allow mechanical as well as electrical connection of electric components. This package includes 25 of them.
They are inserted in 5 mm holes of pegboards about 1/8" (~3 mm) thick. They can be inserted and removed with your fingers but a better removal tool is a 1.75 mm (No. 0) crochet hook. Please refer to the manual for details. To clamp wires use your fingers or our compression tool. These spring contacts also fit perfectly into half-height (thin) Lego technic beams. One can construct a little pegboard purely from thin Lego... | $9.90 to wish list | |
miniTesla ManualChris Wasshuber This is the getting started guide for the miniTesla solderless electronic prototyping system. Learn the basics of how to build, develop, test, and disassemble circuits, and how to mechanically connect them to the world of Lego.
miniTesla is a new electronics prototyping system based on an ingenious spring contact originally developed by Philips in the 1960s. This contact provides mechanic as well as electric connectivity. We have further improved the original system by eliminating the need for carrier boards for discrete transistors, and by adding additional ways to connect components providing three... | ★★★★★ $0 to wish list |