Michael Wiznitzer

Hardware & Layout

• Arduino Uno
• Breadboard
• LED Driver
• DC Motor
• H-Bridge
• Breakbeam Sensors
• Clock
• LEDs
• Toggle Switch
• Piezo Buzzer
• 9V Batteries

At start up, the clock will blink 00:00 and the red status LEDs will illuminate. Once, the checkpoint at the start position is passed, the clock will begin to count and the motor will be activated to run on a specific time schedule (5 seconds on and 5 seconds off). In a typical game, the child will start at the start position, and work their way through the game-board by using the corner spring compressors (not shown in the Figure) at each corner. Each time the ball goes through a checkpoint for the first time, the status LEDs will switch from red to green, the yellow LEDs around the board will blink, the clock will blink the total accumulated score, and the buzzer will chime a short song. The clock will then resume displaying the time since the game started and the motor will continue on its spinning schedule. If the ball goes through the central checkpoint again after its first initial pass, the white and blue LEDs next to the checkpoint will display a short lightshow to provide some additional feedback. If the ball falls through the winning hole, the RGB LED will flash different colors, the clock will blink the total score, the buzzer will play a "winning" song, the clock will blink the total elapsed time, and each LED will sequentially light up and turn back off. Likewise, if the ball falls through any of the other holes, it will break the beam of the hidden sensor near the base of the board and cause the white LEDs to flash, the clock will blink the total score, the buzzer will play the "losing" song, and the clock will display the total elapsed time. The maze would then reset itself for a new game.