Thingamaplush Robot

Step 7 Add the Hand Sensors

The first electronics to go in are the photocell sensors in the hands.

Start by running a length of wire wrap from one "wrist" to the other, straight through the robot's body. If you're using tubing you will need to cut an access hole in the middle to feed the wires through to the head. The wire wrap can be opened at any point, so no hole is needed. Then, run an equal length of 14 gauge solid wire through the wire wrap. This makes the arms poseable. Finish the ends of the wire by folding them back on themselves, to prevent the wire from poking through the fabric.

Each hand gets its own sensor (or just use one if you wish). Glue the sensor onto the white pad on the palm of the hand, and wait for the glue to dry. Stuff the hand with stuffing.

Run the wires from one hand through the wire wrap tubing to the body of the robot, so that the wire exits through the wire wrap inside the body. Pull the wires from the body end until the hand is flush with the "wrist." Then carefully sew the hand onto the arm. Do the same with the other hand.

Choose any one wire from each hand, and solder the ends together. Finish with heat shrink. This will form a series circuit between the photocells. The other two wires will be soldered to the PCB in the robot's head.