Week 5

Thriller Bark Saga🎻☠️

Ideation

Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)

Inspiration

This week, my idea comes from a game I’ve always loved seeing at festivals and TV shows—the wire loop buzzer challenge. You guide a metal loop along a crazy-shaped wire, and if you touch it—buzz! You’re out. Simple, but so addictive.

What inspires me is how something so basic can test your focus, patience, and steady hands. I like that it’s playful, yet it’s also about circuits and how feedback works in real time. Some versions even gave shocks ⚡ (funny, but a bit too brutal for this project).

For me, it’s the perfect mix of fun and learning—a game that looks easy but really makes you slow down, concentrate, and laugh at your mistakes. That’s why I want to reimagine it in a safer, creative way while keeping the thrill of the challenge.

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

Software

Tinkercad

I tested the buzzer loop game on Tinkercad Circuits by setting up the power, wires, and buzzer virtually. It let me see how the design works and fix mistakes safely before building it—like a quick rehearsal before the real thing.

Materials

Cardboard

Glue Gun

Cutter

Scissors

Electronic Components

Breadboard

Crocodile Jumpers

Jumper Wires

5V Adaptor

Buzzer

LED

220 Ohm Resistor

On/Off Switch

Design/Preparation Process

Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?

Circuit Design on Tinkercad

I started by adding the main components I needed:

On/Off switch
Buzzer
Power supply
LED
220Ω resistor
Breadboard

After placing them, I connected the circuit and ran a simulation on Tinkercad to check for possible errors, short circuits, or burnouts. This helped ensure the design was safe and functional before moving forward.

Tinkercad Circuit

Wiring the Circuit

To wire the buzzer game circuit, I followed these steps:

Power Rails Setup
- Connected the power supply to the breadboard rails, making one line the positive (+) rail and the other the negative (–) rail.
Adding the Switch
- Placed the On/Off switch on the breadboard.
- Connected one terminal of the switch to the positive rail (+).
- Connected the other terminal of the switch to a new line (orange wire) that will carry current when the switch is ON.
Connecting the LED
- Connected the LED to the orange wire (current line from the switch).
- Placed a 220Ω resistor in series with the LED to protect it.
Connecting the Buzzer
- Connected the buzzer in parallel with the LED so both can operate at the same time.
Completing the Circuit
- Connected the negative terminals of both the LED and the buzzer back to the negative rail (–) of the breadboard.

With this setup, when the switch is turned ON, current flows to both the LED and the buzzer. The LED provides a visual indicator, while the buzzer signals the game’s interaction.

Development/Implementation Process

Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?

Preparing the cardboard

To build the body of the buzzer wire game, I prepared the cardboard as follows:

Cutting the Base and Sides
- Measured and cut the cardboard pieces as shown in the reference image.
- Left 1 cm margins on each side to ensure smooth connections between the cardboard panels.
Placing the Components
- Marked and cut spaces for the On/Off switch, the LED, and the buzzer so they could be mounted securely.
- Positioned the LED in a way that the red light would be visible from the outside once it is turned on.
Hiding the Wiring
- Designed the interior so that wires and unnecessary components would remain hidden inside the cardboard structure.
- This gave the project a cleaner, more professional look, while still allowing easy access if adjustments were needed.

Implementation Process

First, I began by building the circuit in real life, making sure it worked the same way as the simulation. After that, I cut the cardboard into the pieces I had planned earlier and prepared them to form the body of the game.

Next, I carefully placed the components (switch, LED, buzzer, etc.) inside the box, making sure everything fit neatly. I also connected the game wire—the loop where the ring moves through—to the circuit.

Once everything was secured and connected, the final product was ready: a functional buzzer wire game inside its own cardboard body.

Final Product

WhatsApp Video 2025-08-30 at 13.08.12_f8c7b29e.mp4

Overcoming Challenges

When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?

Problem with the LED

At the start, the LED wasn’t working, and I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. I kept checking the wiring and connections, assuming the issue was with the circuit. Later, I realized the problem wasn’t the wiring at all—it was the LED itself.

From this, I learned the importance of unit testing: checking each component individually before building the full system. This way, if something doesn’t work, you know right away which part needs replacing. It saves time, avoids confusion, and makes troubleshooting much easier.

So, the big lesson was: always test components first before assembling the whole project.

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