Chelsea – our Museum Education Assistant who oversees a variety of programs – shares a classic i.d.e.a. Museum activity offered during the Father’s Day Tinkershop. This Buzz Bot incorporates creativity, building and simple circuits.
Let’s get started!
Materials:
- Small cell battery (coin cell battery)
- Vibration motor
- Materials to build your bot (such as building blocks or clay)
- Double sided foam tape, such as photo mounting tape
- Your creativity!
The materials you use to create a bot will be determined by what you have available and what type of robot you want to create. The video features 3 examples, but anything will do!
Making your buzz bot
First, tap into your imagination to create your own bot. See video for examples.
2. Next, cut a piece of double-sided tape and apply it to the bot.
3. Once the tape is applied, mount the vibration motor to the top of it. Place one of the motor wires on the tape and leave the other unattached.
4. Then, mount the battery onto the wire and the tape. Make sure the exposed wire taped down makes contact with the battery.
Remember we are creating a simple closed circuit; therefore, the energy will have to pass through a loop by connecting both wire ends to the energy source.
5. Next, you will want to close the circuit by attaching the top wire to the opposite side of the battery cell. You can do this with the tape. Attach a small piece of the tape onto the remaining wire.
6. Finally, when you’re ready to close your circuit and operate the motor, stick the tape with the wire onto the top of the battery, making sure the wire touches the battery. When you want to turn the motor off, disconnect the wire from the battery.
There you have it! You’ve created a bot and a simple circuit.
This activity is great to do with your family for Father’s Day or anytime!