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Zappers and Controllers

How do remote controls work?

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RC CarCan you imagine having to press a button on the front of the telly to change the channel?  Luckily, you don’t need to – thanks to the remote control!

Zappers are handy because they are not attached to the telly.  It’s a bit like remote controlled toys – they have controllers that aren’t attached, which makes playing with them a lot more fun! Both types of controllers use invisible waves to send instructions around.

The TV remote has a circuit board inside that turns your orders into digital information made of ones and noughts.  These orders are sent in light waves – made by a Light Emitting Diode or LED – that you can’t see, but which a receiver in the telly can decode.

The remote controlled car uses radio waves – like the sort that you hear on your radio, but these are just sending instructions to the toys.

How many toys or gadgets do you have that have separate controllers?

 

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Techno Mum

Ever wondered how things work? Ask Techno Mum!

More From Techno Mum