Introduction¶

The laser guns are one central part of the Laser Tag game. The overall body was produced using a 3D-printer. It has holes that allow to mount different features onto the gun. These features include a power supply (9V battery), a 10 bar LED showing the current status of the player (alive/dead, bullets remaining before reloading is required), a trigger, an IR emitter shooting the "bullet beams", and a buzzer making shooting sounds when the trigger is pulled. All these features are controlled by the FRDM-KL25Z development platform, which also communicates with the body armour via a serial bus.

Components (per gun)¶

• Microcontroller board (FRDM-KL25Z)

• Electronics components
  • Microswitch PTM (for the trigger)
  • Buzzer
  • Transistor BC182L
  • 10kOhm resistor
  • IR emitter (TSUS5402 5mm)
  • 20 pin DIL socket
  • 10 LED bar (LEDTECH LL10000-G)
  • 10 43Ohm resistors
  • 9V battery
  • Battery clip
  • 2-pin female connector
  • Veroboard (30x50mm)
  • Insulating tape
  • Solid core wire
  • Stranded core wire

• Housing
  • Gun chassis (3D printed or wooden)
  • 2 cable ties
  • 2 metal brackets
  • 8 metal bolts
  • 8 metal washers
  • 10 metal nuts
  • 4 nylon bolts
  • 4 nylon washers
  • 6 nylon nuts

Note: Some nuts were used as spacers
Note: All bolts,washers and nuts used were M3

Functionality¶

Once the gun receives the game start signal via the serial bus connecting the body armour, the gun is loaded with 10 bullets displayed as ten shining LEDs on the status display. When pulling the trigger, "bullets" are fired, which is heard accoustially via the buzzer and seen visually by the LEDs on the status display switching off from the top to the bottom. Once all bullets are fired, the player has to reload his laser gun by tilting it towards him/her. If done correctly, the gun reloads 10 bullets, which again can be seen on the LEDs on the status display. When the player is shot, the body armour sends a signal that disables the gun, which results in the LEDs on the status display flashing in turn for 30 seconds in which the player cannot shoot. After these 30 seconds, the player gets 10 new bullets and can continue the game.

Assembling the gun¶

1. Start with a 3D printed (or wooden) housing similar to this one with holes to fit M3 bolts and a space for a 9v battery 2. Add the 9v battery and angular brackets 3.