Arduino and Android based Chess Computer

A portable Refab Space built chess board that can publish its game moves onto the web.

To do this we are going to use our experience with Arduino and the rather amazing possibilities of the Android Open Accessory Development Kit. To give you a clue what is possible watch this.

We have these devices in the Refab Space (although without the demo shield) so now we need people to help us build it.

After the first meeting of the group to discuss the project these look like the current Specs

• Portable board with Arduino Mega ADK mounted & attached and Android Phone via USB
• Moves displayed on phone
• Broadcasts moves via twitter
• Broadcasts moves in PGN
• Identifiable pieces (2 techniques not previously mentioned came out as the 2 most popular and will be investigated first)
  1. Use an LED in the base of each piece, a transparent board and the android camera to ID the pieces either by pulse pattern or colour)
  2. Use Hall effect detectors to detect the height or strength of magnets in the based of the pieces

• Allows play against remote opponent
• Allows play against web based computer opponent.
• Remote moves printed or drawn on screen and possibly spoken
• Remote moves confirmed on board before next move allowed

• Remote moves, moved by XY plotter arm and magnets like this (We would want to adapt this so the XY setup was optional and the setup could work without it for outdoor use.)

To try and decide the feasibility of the piece identification methods we decided to stage a challenge. Each team to build a mockup of their detection method and check it can tell the difference between the 14 different piece types (7 black and 7 white).

Currently the 2 proposed ideas are

1. Use an LED in the base of each piece, a transparent board and the android camera to ID the pieces either by pulse pattern or colour)
2. Use Hall effect detectors to detect the height or strength of magnets in the based of the pieces

But if someone else wishes to mock up a detection method please email us here

We held a project launch Tue 24 Apr at 1pm. If you missed it but want to be involved please email us here.

This is a open project and we will all learn together how to use these very new possibilities. However in order to feel you are able to contribute effectively you may need familiarity with at least one of these areas:-

• Chess
• Electronics
• Programming
• Arduino
• Android Phones or tablets
• Inkscape
• Product design

As project just started I will keep these older ideas here so new comers can see what we have considered.

• 8 by 8 grid of input and output wires to the board squares
• Works from known starting position (no identifying of individual pieces)
• Identifies pieces by resistance
• Identifies pieces by capacitance
• Identifies pieces by Dallas button
• Identifies pieces by RFID (hard)
• Moves spoken by phone
• Moves validated by phone
• Allows play against computer opponent based on the Android phone
• If piece detection based on electrical contact, a board will need to be designed and lasercut / etched
• If pieces are not identifiable then a setup mode will be required using :-
  • selecting each piece to be placed on the phone
  • voice recognition of piece names as they are placed
  • Non legal moves from standard start position