Smart Chess Board

ME102B Mechatronics Design capstone final project: Smart Chess board- aimed for online to in-person game accessibility and accessibility for physical disabilities or difficulties in fine-motor coordination. This project includes a PID-controlled, over-the-board, cable-driven X-Y gantry system with a Z-direction effector equipped with an electromagnet, state machine, analog and digital sensors (encoders & FSR), a custom laser-cut chess board, and easy 2-person gameplay ("Next Player" button, official chess coordinate recognition).

Design Requirements & Goals:
- Components: DC motors, include at least one degree of freedom, an analog input, a digital input (via I/O pin), a microcontroller, and a button.
- Functionality: automatically moving chess pieces based on user input, effectively pick up and place pieces without dropping them, resting pieces must not get knocked over during piece travel, transport pieces at high speeds comparable to human motion, gantry must return to home between piece placements.

Achieved Specifications:
- Automated piece movement via cable-driven X,Y gantry movement, moving (Z-axis) electromagnet
- Smooth and automated motion across the full board at a range of speeds (low and medium speed). The system was robustly tested at high speeds, at which the gantry did not fail.
- Consistent motion and stability

My Responsibilities within group project:
Technical:
- Designing visual state transition diagram (LucidChart) and initial pseudo-coding state machine code
- Writing C++/Arduino code to automate Z-axis effector to accomodate different height pieces
- Designing (AutoCAD) and laser-cutting custom chess board
- Designing electronics assembly (sensors, microcontroller, power electronics) and developing a detailed wiring diagram (P&ID)
Project Management:
- Scheduling working meetings around teammate's calendars and ensuring team has the required training for makerspace, machine shop, and 3D printing lab tasks
- Delegating deliverables and action items, ensuring each project deliverable meets requirements. Deliverables include: initial project proposal, pitch presentation slides and oral presentation, mid-semester check-in, CAD spin, functionality check, final report, and final design showcase.
- Managing working BOM and orders, optimizing schedule and productivity around lead times and deadlines
- Writing final report deliverables, delegating action items, and formatting all content in LaTeX

Technologies Used: OnShape CAD, AutoCAD, Arduino C++/IDE, GitBash/GitHub/Terminal, LaTeX, LucidChart