This past week, I finished the schematic and layout for the 8×8 PCB matrix. The layout took a lot of time because this was my first project in Fusion in about two years, so I spent time relearning the tools and wiring rules.
Here are the final schematic and the 3D layout:
Our progress is slightly behind schedule. I decided not to send out the PCB before fall break, which technically set us back a full week. The PCB total came to about $364.50 (not including shipping), and we also need $25 for a stencil. That leaves roughly $30 in the budget for the NeoPixels, board materials, and chess pieces. While reviewing the order, we noticed a large $228.60 charge that came purely from the board’s size. We therefore decided to reduce the board from 2.5 x 2.5 inches per square to 1.1 x 1.1 inches per square. This lowers our cost and also helps our users, as a smaller board means less space for a visually impaired player to cover with their hands.
Over break, I have been shrinking the board and redoing the entire layout. To catch up, I rearranged some tasks. Instead of integrating the PCB next week, I will work on the front end of the website and on ordering and wiring the NeoPixels. By Monday, I hope to have the orders for the PCB and NeoPixels confirmed. For the rest of the week, I will figure out how the NeoPixels will work with the Jetson and begin work on the website.