This disarming game was made for my daughter Tika’s Traditional Theme day (TTT-day). This year’s theme was “James Bond meets Austin Powers meets Chuck” (two International Men of Mystery and one All American Nerd). An activity around disarming an (obviously fake) bomb was the apotheosis.
Check out this video on the result:
The object of the game is to cut the correct wires to stop the clock in time. During the day they got several coded messages on some of the colour codes used on the wires (but not all and some confusing). Cutting one of the four correct wires results in one of the red LEDS switching off and one off the green switching on. Cutting a wrong wire switches on an orange LED. Reaching four green LEDs switches of the clock and switches on a voice recorder to play. For some scare the recorded message warns an explosion to be imminent, followed by a counting down fading as the bomb switches of completely with only seconds to spare ;-)
When four orange LEDs would be switched on ................ well nothing happens actually. After all the kids were supposed to win. Actually they cut only one wrong wire and the orange LED happened to malfunction (loose connection), but that did not diminish the fun.
I made this for a one time use and kept things as simple as I could. I also kept this Instructable very simple, just the parts list, an explanation on the circuit diagram on the building. If you have some basic knowledge of electronics, it should set you on your way if you wish to make your own version. If you have some serious knowledge of electronics, you can probably improve it significantly.
This also an entry in Kiteman's "International-Go-Pro-Challenge". Check it out!
Check out this video on the result:
The object of the game is to cut the correct wires to stop the clock in time. During the day they got several coded messages on some of the colour codes used on the wires (but not all and some confusing). Cutting one of the four correct wires results in one of the red LEDS switching off and one off the green switching on. Cutting a wrong wire switches on an orange LED. Reaching four green LEDs switches of the clock and switches on a voice recorder to play. For some scare the recorded message warns an explosion to be imminent, followed by a counting down fading as the bomb switches of completely with only seconds to spare ;-)
When four orange LEDs would be switched on ................ well nothing happens actually. After all the kids were supposed to win. Actually they cut only one wrong wire and the orange LED happened to malfunction (loose connection), but that did not diminish the fun.
I made this for a one time use and kept things as simple as I could. I also kept this Instructable very simple, just the parts list, an explanation on the circuit diagram on the building. If you have some basic knowledge of electronics, it should set you on your way if you wish to make your own version. If you have some serious knowledge of electronics, you can probably improve it significantly.
This also an entry in Kiteman's "International-Go-Pro-Challenge". Check it out!
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Signing UpStep 1: The parts
A battery operated quartz clock, a fitting battery and a separate battery holder for the battery
A 12V battery
4 red LEDs
4 green LEDs
4 orange LEDs
5 diodes
Two 1 kOhm resistorsA 2.5 kOhm trimpot
A 12V relay with single or double SPDT switches (double makes adding an optional blinking indicator LED easy)
A 2N2222A transistor or any NPN general purpose switching transistor capable of driving your relay
Some colour coded single stranded wire, at least 8 pieces of 20 cm length (to be cut). A piece of ethernet cable is a good source.
A breadboard or some other way to build the circuit and some more wires to make connections.
Some wires with alligator clips to connect the clock, its battery and the optional voice recorder
Some tape to attach or mask parts
Optionally:
A voice recorder that plays back when switched on. I used a small sound recording module used for greeting cards product ID 191184 at Conrad
A blue blinking LED And a another 1kOhm resistor
Something to put everything on or in. I used a case with a board cut to fit and to hold the 12 V battery
A 12V battery
4 red LEDs
4 green LEDs
4 orange LEDs
5 diodes
Two 1 kOhm resistorsA 2.5 kOhm trimpot
A 12V relay with single or double SPDT switches (double makes adding an optional blinking indicator LED easy)
A 2N2222A transistor or any NPN general purpose switching transistor capable of driving your relay
Some colour coded single stranded wire, at least 8 pieces of 20 cm length (to be cut). A piece of ethernet cable is a good source.
A breadboard or some other way to build the circuit and some more wires to make connections.
Some wires with alligator clips to connect the clock, its battery and the optional voice recorder
Some tape to attach or mask parts
Optionally:
A voice recorder that plays back when switched on. I used a small sound recording module used for greeting cards product ID 191184 at Conrad
A blue blinking LED And a another 1kOhm resistor
Something to put everything on or in. I used a case with a board cut to fit and to hold the 12 V battery
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hopelijk is de bom niet zo broos ;)
In werkelijkheid was het nadeel van de éénmalige opbouw op een breadboard dat de kinderen inderdaad niet aan de draden mochten trekken.
Once one of them stopped me after seeing my diy mintybooster http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/
I was allowed to go through with it after showing them how it worked and what it did though :D
Mine is simply a low cost, short time alternative, to be used once (or a couple of times by replacing the wires). Just what I needed.
You could indeed combine "disarming by wire cutting" with the vast opportunities of a micro-controller based approach, and go for repeated use. Great idea, please go ahead an post an Ible on it.
I love this thing! When I was a kid, my 'favorite' thing to do with old wires was to wrap them around ... anything round ... pencils, screwdrivers, anything, and then take the coiled wires and build "bombs" like Wile E. Coyote.
Your project looks like a lot of fun. With more robust wires and "bullet connectors," it could be made reusable, although you might want to switch the wires around for each use. Also, if four green LEDs can trigger the voice and stop the clock, could four orange LEDs trigger a disposable camera flash? There would at least be a somewhat audible pop and a flash when you fail :P
I would leave out the four red LEDs and distribute the other LEDs around randomly so that when you do cut a wire there isn't quite such an obvious indicator.
Also, you mention they did cut one wrong wire but the orange LED didn't light? Did they win with a passing grade of 75% or what? What if they got two wrong and two right? three wrong?
Awesome dad, Awesome project!
Michael.
I'm a big fan of Wile E. Coyote too.
Obviously getting four changes to get it right when disarming a bomb is not very realistic, but neither is the whole concept with four wires to be cut. I really wanted something with several steps to use the coded messages they solved during the day.
A safe en simple addition when to much incorrect wires are cut is another sound recorder module with the sound of an explosion. Could be done with a similar trimpot, transistor and relay setup added to the array of orange LEDs.
A cooler, but a lot more complex addition would be the timer accelerating with each wrong wire cut.
Erg leuk project!