Proposed Class Project
For the final class project, I plan to design and fabricate a digitalized chess board with LED bottom-illuminated squares and an integrated timing mechanism that will clock players' movements automatically without need of a separate manual timer. I intend to do this through the use of either color sensors below the squares or RFID or NFC technology.
Background/Inspiration
My grandfather and I enjoy playing chess and I would like to develop an easier "computer-less" approach to playing one another long-distance. The idea started as a way to use physical boards and pieces and avoid needing a computer and screen to play the same game, and soon evolved to include other features such as automatic timing and game logging.
Desired Outcome
I would like to build a "smart" chessboard that incorporates several advanced features:
- automatic player timing--eliminate the use/need of manually-punched clocks
- game logging--log all moves in an exportable format
- remote playing--facilitate distance gaming through an Internet connection without the need of a computer or screen
About Me
I'm a K-8 public school technology coordinator/teacher in rural downeast Maine who is fascinated by digital fabrication; LEGOs; geeky, techie things; and good, clean design. For more, you can check out my professional homepage at www.mattjurick.me
