Sergio Is a Giant CNC Operation Game

You may remember playing Operation as a kid (or adult), where you were certainly challenged by handling the tweezers to extract whatever object resisted inside slots in the miniature man’s body. While “perhaps” not great training for future surgeons, the game can be a lot of fun, though a bit stressful for those without excellent hand dexterity. If only the game was bigger, with a surgical robot rig to help you out.

Well now there is, thanks to SPOT technology’s Sergio operation game, a nine-foot board that towers over its arcade cabinet controller and the human “doctor” performing the procedure. The main part of the system is a CNC-style gantry, which allows the human to position a gripper over the obstruction using a joystick. When in place, a button controls the device to plunge into the man’s body, hopefully extracting whatever is inside without hitting the edge. If you miss, a button on the gripper contacts the playfield, and the patient’s nose lights up red to indicate that you’ve made a mistake.

Sergio’s controls include an array of relays, along with Arduino Megas implemented in both the control cabinet and the board itself. You can see the life-size game in person at the upcoming Philadelphia Maker Faire on October 6th!