Robotic Chess Board Mechatronics Project

Project Description

This is a autonomous, robotic chess board that I created with two friends. The board is able to detect player's mnoves using only hall effect sensors and magnets inside the pieces. To read the 64 hall effect sensors, 4 16-channel analog multiplexers were used, reducing the required pins to only 8. The detected move is then fed into an on-board Orange Pi 5 running a custom chess engine. Finally, the engine's move is played using a 4 string tension system under the board.(Think NFL flying camera). This system moves an electromagnet, which seamlessly guides any piece above the board with no visible movement.

Project Details

  • Detects player moves using an 8x8 array of linear hall effect sensors on a custom PCB
  • On board computer calculates the best response at user-specified level up to 2400 ELO
  • Electromagnet moved by 4 string tension system driven by 4 NEMA17 stepper motors
  • ISEF 2023: Robotics and Intelligent Machines 2nd Place | CIA Special Award First Place

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