Operation Game

This is the third lesson from a Simple Circuit Unit that I created for middle school and high school students. It is fun and involves hands-on learning. For more cool hands-on engineering projects check out Machine Science (This is where I work).

http://www.machinescience.org/catalog

Step 1: Simple Circuit Games Unit 3: Operation Game

Back in the 1960s, kids didn't have Halo 3 or Madden NFL 2007 to entertain them. Even PacMan hadn't been invented yet. But that didn't mean there weren't any electronic games. One of the first was called Operation, and it challenged players to remove tiny plastic game pieces from the body of a nervous patient, who the game creators called "Cavity Sam." Players earned game money by performing various operations on Sam, but one false move would cause a buzzer to sound and Sam's nose to light up, signaling that the surgery had been botched. After 40 years, the original Operation game is still on the market, and Hasbro recently introduced a new Simpson's edition, with Homer as the patient (Figure).

In this project, you will build your own Operation game from foam board, wire, and basic electronic components, including a buzzer and an LED. In Challenge 1, you will set up the game board. In Challenge 2, you will make the electrical connections and try your hand at performing operations on your patient!

Comments

[rmehta5]

is there any way to make it with only the buzzer?

[dexter1965]

"Aluminum and other metals are very good at carrying electricity in circuits- these materials are known as conductors" How do you pick up the coin with out making the buzzer sound? Nice job by the way!

[dread]

Touching the coin does not complete the circuit unless you also touch the coin to the sides. So, it may be trickier to pick up the coin, which I would actually consider a bonus feature not in the original game (which uses all plastic body parts).

[luvit]

when i was little this game kept me on edge with 2 D cell batteries, earth shaking buzz, and a bright incandescent bulb. now it uses a AA cell battery, a puny cell phone vibrator, and red LED. ...thanks milton bradley.

[mman1506]

the v7ibrator in that was crazy it scared the hell out of me

[Seifpic]

You can also add a switch and an S.C.R. to make the LED and buzzer stay on...

[jimihendrix4753]

Sorry to be annoying, but I was also wondering where can I get a 2 prong header and a battery lead extender. Can somebody please give a link to a store where I can find these products online, because my local Radioshack does not possess them?

[steven.folkins]

you can check out machinescience.org

[jimihendrix4753]

Do you need a 5mm or a 10mm LED for this project? Also, what kind of a buzzer do you need? Is there a product link for the buzzer on www.radioshack.com

[tornadoboy]

Someone ought to make a parody of this game by giving it a plastic surgeon theme, where instead of taking pieces out out you need to put them in, including breast implants.

[GorillazMiko]

Nicely done job, I could do this instead of buying it, though I've never liked this game, it gives me the willies.

[watermelonhead]

me too. it doesn't help that i can never get the stuff out, or that mr.operation is naked...

[Kiteman]

Without wanting to put a damper on an otherwise very good instructable, have you considered copyright issues? The official version of this game is still in production (there's even a Spongebob version), and unless you have had permission to use Cavity Sam's image from Hasbro, then you are putting this website in an awkward situation, legally.

[Blazemann]

So are Rubix Cubes. Have a better point?

[Kiteman]

Do I need one? Rubix forgot to patent his design, so lost a fortune because of the numerous knock-offs. The outer design, being just a cube, is uncopyrightable.

[Kyri]

There's still the similar instructable I made awhile ago... "Disease Remover" :)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Your-own-Operation-Board-Game/

[Kiteman]

They can't copyright the basic concept (it's just a steady-hand game, after all) - it's the image that's copyright.

(Tesco - UK supermarket - has started selling its own version, Shoperation, where you have to extract items of shopping from picture of a shop. It's pink.)

[zachninme]

I remember they took out a version of DIY Scrabble... That reminds me... remember when they used to replace the instructable and set the intro image to a scrabble X when they were "removed"? S'funny...