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The X-Ray Skeleton

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The plan

The x-ray skeleton was a store-bought prop that stopped working so I decide to try to give it new life. I wanted to add a piston and solenoid to it so it could be triggered to “jump” in front of someone. And, if possible, I wanted to try and re-use its sound effect or pull them from something else.

The parameters

  • Must tip over far enough to scare someone but not so far that it would hit them
  • Once triggered, it has to stay in position for a set amount of time and can’t return to the starting position one the triggered is released.
  • Try to get lights working again
  • Try to get sounds to trigger AFTER the motion is triggered

The result

I mounted the prop to a 2×3 and attached it to a base using a metal hinge to give me the movement I wanted. Then I attached a piston and solenoid to allow the motion to be triggered. To get it to stay triggered, I found a relay timer on line and my dad helped me figure out how to wire it. The instructions weren’t very good but we got it to work. Last, my dad gave me the idea of using the metal hinge as a trigger for the sound effects.

How it works:

  1. A person steps on a large home-made step pad.
  2. The step pad closes a circuit, activating the solenoid and timer.
  3. The skeleton tips over and stays there for the set amount of time.
  4. At the point where it stops moving, the metal hinge hits a springy metal piece that’s wired to the “try me” connection on a sound effect box and actives the sound.
  5. The timer is set to match the length of the sound effects.
  6. When the timer is done, the skeleton returns to the starting position and is ready for the next person.
Here you can see the sound effects box in the upper left. The timer relay is in the lower left. The solenoid which controls the pneumatic piston is in the center,

The control board

Here you can see the sound effects box in the upper left. The timer relay is in the lower left. The solenoid which controls the pneumatic piston is in the center,
This was hard to get a picture of but this is the springy metal piece that acts as the sound effects trigger. The hinge and the metal piece are wired to the "try me" connector on the sound box. When the skeleton drops down and the metal hinge make contact with the spingy metal, it completes the circuit, and acts just like pressing the actual Try Me button and starts the sound effects.

The second trigger

This was hard to get a picture of but this is the springy metal piece that acts as the sound effects trigger. The hinge and the metal piece are wired to the “try me” connector on the sound box. When the skeleton drops down and the metal hinge make contact with the spingy metal, it completes the circuit, and acts just like pressing the actual Try Me button and starts the sound effects.
IMG_6834

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