The Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our museums are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.

Collection

Physical Computing

View Objects
This collection set has been designed for people learning Arduino and ThinkerShield. It can be used as a resource when exploring innovation in physical computing. It can also be used to explore the history of each of the components on the ThinkerShield. The objects in this set have been chosen for their innovation in physical computing and connection to the past.

2018/2/1 Cuberider payload, metal / silicon / plastic, made by Cuberider, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2015-2017
Cuberider1 payload used on the International Space Station
2015-2017
2017/7/9 MakerBot motherboard v2.4, metal / solder, designed by MakerBot Industries, New York, United States of America, 2011-2016
MakerBot motherboard v2.4
2000/135/1 Stylophone electronic musical instrument and instruction booklet, metal / plastic / paper, Dubreq Studios Limited, London, England, c. 1970
Stylophone electronic musical instrument and instructions
c. 1970
2014/13/6 Turnstile controller board and manual, from a Monorail station, made by CGEA Transport Sydney Pty Ltd, used on the Sydney Monorail, Darling Harbour and Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1988-2013
Sydney Monorail station turnstile controller board
1988
88/986 Potentiometer, No. 48689A, metal / wood / plastic, Townson and Mercer Ltd, made in London, England, 1932-1945, used at University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1932 -1945
Potentiometer
1932-1945
H9953-13 Electronic music synthesiser, part of collection, 'Don Banks Box' (VCS 1), metal / plastic / electronic components, designed and made by David Cockerell / Tristram Cary / Peter Zinovieff, England, 1968, commissioned and used by Don Banks, England 1968-1971 / Australia 1971-1980
'Don Banks Box' electronic music synthesiser
1968
2012/101/3 LED lights (7) and extra fittings, mixed media, sourced and assembled by Ron Allum for Acheron Pty Ltd, Leichardt, New South Wales, Australia, 2012
LED lights for Deepsea Challenger submersible
2012
2009/83/2 Transient waveform modifier (envelope shaper), custom built, metal / plastic / electronic components / glass, probably made by Tristram Cary, England, 1958-1962
Transient waveform modifier
1958-1962
2002/116/1 Control unit, Pedestrian Group Type PX-2, metal / plastic / electronic components, made by the Department of Motor Transport, New South Wales, Australia, 1967
Pedestrian traffic control unit
1967
2019/27/2 Implantable LED light and controller (2), 'Northstar V1' / 'Grindhouse V1 P2', metal / plastic / electrical components, designed and developed at Grindhouse Wetware, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, 2014-2015, implanted in Jes Waldrip and another unknown person from 2015
'Northstar V1' and 'Grindhouse V1 P2' subdermal LED light implants
2014-2015
2014/23/5 Printed circuit board (PCB), for RØDE iXY directional microphone, metal / plastic / electronic components, made by RØDE Microphones, China / Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2012
RØDE iXY directional microphone blue circuit board
2012
On display
87/234 Traffic light pedestrian crossing buttons (2), ATPD, 'Audio -Tactile Pedestrian Detector', metal / plastic, made by K J Aldridge Automatic Systems Pty Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1976-1987
Traffic light pedestrian crossing buttons
c 1984
2002/107/1 Personal locator beacon prototypes (4) and electronic components (5), developed for the 'Warrendi' Personal Locator Beacon', metal / wood / plastic / paper / elastic, designed and made by British Aerospace Australia / BAE Systems, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1997
'Warrendi' Personal Locator Beacon prototypes and electronic components
1997
2004/44/12-9 Light exposure meter, 'The Weston Master II', metal / glass, Sangamo Weston Ltd, England, 1946-1953
The Weston Master II light exposure meter
1946-1953
On display
2003/160/1 Electronic toy, Nintendo 'Game & Watch' Octopus, plastic /metal /electronics components, designed by Gunpei Yokoi, manufactured by Nintendo, Japan, 1981
Octopus Game & Watch by Nintendo
1981