Introduction: Robot Surgery Game

About: My name is Randy and I am a Community Manager in these here parts. In a previous life I had founded and run the Instructables Design Studio (RIP) @ Autodesk's Pier 9 Technology Center. I'm also the author of t…


Not just anyone can perform surgery. It takes decades of schooling and years of experience to become a surgeon. Fortunately, most anyone can not only play operation, but build their own custom operation game. In this way you can practice removing unnecessary bits from whatever sentient life-form you wish. You may not get a surgical license for this, but you will surely have a better time than attending medical school.

Step 1: Go Get Stuff

You will need:

- 4 "AA" Battery Holder (Model: 270-391 | Catalog #: 270-391)
- (x2) Red LED with Holder (Model: 276-084 | Catalog #: 276-084)
- 75dB Piezo Electric Buzzer (Model: 273-054 | Catalog #: 273-054)
- 220 ohm 1/4W 5% Carbon Film Resistor (Model: 271-1313 | Catalog #: 271-1313)
- Enercell® "AA" Alkaline Batteries (4-Pack) (Model: AA-4PK | Catalog #: 23-849)
- Robot operation template (see attached)
- Operation pieces
- (x4) 1/4" x 1-1/14" bolts with nuts
- (x4) Washers
- (x4) Rubber bolt covers
- 11 x 17 mat board.
- Aluminum foil
- Two zip ties

Step 2: Glue

Cover your mat board with spray glue and center your robot cut template on top.

Smooth it out to get rid of air bubbles and make sure it is attached well.

Step 3: Cut

Use a craft knife to cut out the inner pieces by following the outlines.

Step 4: Glue Some More

Flip your board over and spray the back with glue. Firmly attache a sheet of aluminum over top of the entire back side.

Step 5: Aluminum Edges

Flip the board back over. Trim away the excess aluminum foil from around the board's edges

Carefully cut the inner shapes and fold the aluminum up and over the lips of the opening onto the picture side.

Step 6: More Holes

Cut two small 1/4" holes at the end of the robot's antennae.

Step 7: LEDs

Pass your LED assemblies down through these openings and securely fasten them in place.

Step 8: Bolts

Pass one of the bolts through from front to back.

Cut a 12" piece of wire and expose three inches. Wrap the exposed wire around this first bolt. Put on a washer and then fasten it down with a nut.

Pass the remaining bolts through, add washers and fasten them in place with nuts.

Step 9: Buzzer

Make a loop of tape and stick your buzzer to the aluminum side of your board.

Step 10: Tweezers

Cut a two foot section of wire and expose about two inches worth.

Solder this wire to the joint of your tweezers.

Step 11: Wire It Up

Wire the red wire fastened to the bolt to the red wire of the battery holder.

Wire the two red LED wires to your 220 ohm resistor.

Wire the red buzzer wire and the tweezers wire to the other side of the resistor.

Wire together all of the black wires.

Step 12: Clean It Up

Cover all of the exposed wires with electrical tape so that they can't cross.

Bundle together all of the wires with zip ties, except for the tweezers wire.

Step 13: Finishing Touches

Put your thread covers onto the ends of each of the bolts.

Step 14: Batteries

Put your batteries into the battery holder.

Now, when you touch the tweezers anywhere on the aluminum foil, the LEDs should light up and the buzzer should buzz.

Step 15: Game Pieces

Drop your game pieces into the appropriate holes.

Step 16: Play!

Try to remove the pieces without touching the sides of the hole with the tweezers. If it buzzes, you lose your turn. The person to pull out the most pieces wins.