"Snoopy" Science Project

 

"Snoopy" the Electronic Dog Up Close

Snoopy Display Won 2nd Place

In 1960, my friend Jim and I were Seniors at Lourdes High School in Rochester, MN and needed an entry for the Spring Science Fair.  We decided to make an electronic Snoopy dog, based on  the "Peanuts" cartoon  character, by Charles M. Schultz.   Our plan  was to construct a "dog" so that when a flashlight was shined into its eyes, its battery operated motors were to start and the dog was to follow the flashlight beam.

Jim and I worked on the project for some time with the result that our "dog" was more a rectangular aluminum box assembly with photoelectric cells for eyes, solenoids for steering front wheels, motors to power the wheels and various other electronic components.    The dog needed 110 volts AC to run the motors instead of batteries and a very bright flashlight to activate the "eye" photocells, but it generally did what it was supposed to do.

We won 2nd place.  Jim and I couldn't decide what to do with the dog (as it belonged to both of us) so I disassembled it and we split the parts!  I wish it were in one piece today.

Grandsons Luke (on left) and Jake By a Replica of the real
 Snoopy September 2000 in Downtown St. Paul, MN