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Team Status Report 03/08

These past 2 weeks, our team focused on finalizing adjustments to our project based on feedback from our design presentation. We refined how each system component interacts to ensure a cohesive user experience. A major area of focus was improving the method for selecting a new puzzle such that its more intuitive to the user. With these refinements in place, we put together and submitted our design report, updating our design ideas.
On the development side, we made some progress with the Pygame interface. The board now supports cell selection, highlighting selected cells, and inputting numbers from 1 – 9. In addition to this, we received our projector this week, which will enable us to display the board external. The next goal is to integrate the projector so the game board is shown through it rather than just being displayed on a monitor screen.
There were some setbacks these past 2 weeks, particularly with the Raspberry Pi setup for the capacitive touch grid. Due to a lack of prior experience with these microcontrollers, we initially overlooked the need for some additional components. After acquiring the necessary hardware, we were able to get the Raspberry Pi operational and began testing with a small 3×3 capacitive touch grid. While we were able to successfully detect row touches, column detection did not work as expected. This is likely due to how we made the capacitive grid which means making some updates to its integrations. Moving forward, we will remake the capacitive grid with improved alignment and proper column wiring to have better results and detection. This is an essential step before scaling up to a 9×9 grid.

Next Steps:
– Integrate the projector into the system to display the game board
– Redesign and properly wire the capacitive touch grid to support full row and column detection
-Begin intersection handling to prepare for the full 9×9 grid implementation
-Continue refining the pygame interface to improve the UI.

Despite the setbacks we are making steady progress, and our next steps will help us continue moving forward and reaching a minimum viable product.

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Moises Status Report 03/08

There were a lot of set backs with regards to making progress on my part this week. Along with interviews that I needed to study for, I was having some issues getting the raspberry pi setup to begin testing the capacitive touch grid. Since I’ve never worked with these microcontrollers, I didn’t take into account extra components we may have needed to get it functioning correctly. After a couple of days I acquired the components and was able to get the raspberry pi working and begin looking at testing the small 3×3 capacitive grid I made. I was able to detect touches for the rows but not for the columns. This can most likely be attributed to how I connected the wires for the columns and may require me to remake the grid to get proper testing completed.  So moving forward, I will remake a grid with more accurate alignment along with proper wiring for the columns and attempt to get intersection handling completed as soon as possible so I can begin working on creating the larger 9×9 grid.

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Winstone’s Status Report 03/08

This week, I spent most of my time on working with my team to make final adjustments to our project design using feedback from the design presentation. We went more into detail on how each piece of the system will work as a whole. We focused on details such as the method of selecting a new puzzle with an intuitive user experience. Then, we wrote up our design report with our new design idea thought out. I created some diagrams to better explain our system processes.

Other than the design changes, I continued working with the Pygame library. Now, I can select cells on my board, which become highlighted, and enter a number from 1 to 9. Our projector finally came in this week, so next week my goal is to make it so that it can project the board instead of it just being on a window on my computer screen.

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Team Status Report 02/22

This week was mainly dedicated to the team’s design presentation, which allowed for review and refinement of the project’s design. Michael took the lead in presenting, ensuring the slides conveyed the team’s progress while preparing for potential questions from faculty. Several design updates have been implemented to improve functionality. System diagrams have been updated for better clarity on which components are being used and how they are connected. The team has also streamlined the design by replacing certain components, including no longer using an FPGA, utilizing capacitive touch sensing instead of a keypad for movement, and removing computer vision since it no longer really fit our goals with the project. While these changes do not significantly increase costs, they require additional testing and validation to make sure everything is functional and integration goes smoothly.

The project has encountered some hardware setbacks, (MPR121 sensors and projector) affecting our ability to test the capacitive touch grid and projection. To address these challenges, the team is conducting some preliminary testing, refining the touch grid design, and developing software ahead of hardware arrival to allows us to integrate quickly and begin validation and testing as soon as possible. Given the delay with the projector, simulations using Pygame have been implemented to continued some development.

In addition to the software development and testing, research was made on feeding continuous real-time data into the Vankyo Burger 101 projector. While direct coding progress was limited due to competing obligations, a bit of research was conducted on communication protocols and data interfaces that could be used for this task. The team took into consideration both wired and wireless methods to ensure a steady stream of high-frequency data, while simulations of different data flow scenarios highlighted potential issues such as latency and data integrity. Although all this does is give us some idea but the hardware may function different. A draft technical document was created to outline possible architecture and API requirements, in order to continue improving projector usage.

The project schedule has been adjusted taking into considerations certain issues, with key milestones such as sensor testing, capacitive grid construction, and system integration experiencing slight delays. The team remains proactive in working around different challenges and is prepared to adapt as required. Recent achievements include a design presentation that refined the project’s approach, an improved touch grid layout, and preliminary projection software development. Moving forward, the team will continue testing and optimizing components as hardware becomes available. If delays continue, work will be focused on software elements such as the Sudoku solver and hint generation that don’t require the missing hardware.

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Michael’s Status Report 02/22

This week was dedicated to our design presentation, and I had to present. I spent a good amount of time preparing the slides, ensuring they were filled with robust about our project’s key ideas and progress. I also anticipated questions from the professor to identify potential weak points that the professors might raise, which pushed me to clarify and strengthen our core concepts. For example, I delved into the specifics of our testing approach for intensity and brightness, researching the use of a lux meter to compare lux values and making sure the ratio is over 3x, which I believe offers a reliable method for our tests. This whole process not only made our presentation more robust but also deepened my understanding of the project’s overall direction. In addition to preparing for our own presentation, I took time to provide thoughtful feedback on other projects via a Google form, further contributing to our collaborative environment.

After the presentation, I shifted my focus to furthering our project work by diving into research on how to feed continuous real-time data into the Vankyo Burger 101 projector. Admittedly, I was not able to make significant progress as far as purely writing code went due to many obligations, but I was able to explore various communication protocols and data interfaces. This included exploring both the realms of wired and wireless to determine the most efficient way to ensure a steady stream of high frequency data. I simulated different data flow scenarios to better understand potential challenges, such as latency and data integrity issues, and began drafting technical documentation to outline a suitable architecture and the necessary API requirements. I believe that this process gave me a further understanding of enhancing the projector’s functionality, and I’m confident that with further refinement, this approach will significantly improve our project’s performance. Overall, it’s been a aptly productive week as far as presentation as well as further exploration on areas of the project that I needed further research on.

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Winstone’s Status Report 02/22

This week was our design presentation week, which Michael volunteered to do. Our initial design changed quite a bit since our first presentation, so we focused on creating new diagrams that would make it clear how all the parts would work together. Class hours were dedicated to listening to other presentations and giving feedback on aspects of their design they can improve on, such as use-case and functionality. Everyone seemed to have taken in the feedback from the first presentation, as their designs were more functional and thought out.

My personal work went into focusing on the projection system. Last week, I had found the Pygame library to be the best option for me to work with, so I began testing some code after downloading the necessary packages. We still do not have the actual projector yet, but I wrote some code creating a new window with a blank Sudoku board on a computer. Based on what I found online, the projector we are looking at, the VANKYO Burger 101 Pico Projector, should work with the packages and Raspberry Pi.

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Moises Status Report 02/22

This week, I focused on determining the appropriate sizing for the capacitive touch grid, including the spacing required for a 9 x 9 grid system. Since our system only needs to detect one input at a time, rather than handling multiple simultaneous touches, I realized we could allow for slightly more spacing between the capacitors without sacrificing functionality.

Based on this, I designed a 12in x 12in grid using 1-inch-wide copper foil strips, with 0.375-inch (3/8-inch) gaps between each strip. This layout results in 1-inch by 1-inch capacitor squares, separated by 0.375-inch gaps.

Additionally, I plan to test different dielectric materials to determine which works best, including parchment paper and packing tape.

I do feel slightly behind schedule, as I had hoped to have the board built and begin testing with the MPR121 sensors by now. However, since the sensors have not yet arrived,  and I had a fairly busy week with multiple projects, exams and assignments I fell behind.

Therefore my next steps will be to:

  • Start writing pseudocode for the Raspberry Pi to prepare for debugging.
  • Build a test grid to begin preliminary experiments as soon as the sensors arrive.
  • If the MPR121 arrive, do testing as soon as possible and possibly begin working on implementing the full 9×9 grid.
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Team Status Report 02/15

For the three-part question: A (public health) was written by Michael, B (social factors) was written by Winstone, C (economic factors) was written by Moises.

This week, our team made a few major changes to our design – a major one is that we decided to remove the use of OpenCV and a camera for Sudoku board detection. Instead of relying on image processing, we will now load the Sudoku board file directly, simplifying our system and reducing unnecessary complexity.

In addition, we have improved the interaction method. Rather than using arrow keys to navigate through 81 cells – which could be tedious – we decided to implement a capacitive touch sensor grid. This involves laying copper foil and dielectric materials to create 81 capacitors, allowing users to interact naturally by selecting cells through touch. The projected Sudoku board will align with this grid to create a real-time interactive experience, where users can select a cell, enter a value, and seamlessly move to another.

Additionally, we had a team meeting on Friday to finalize the project’s direction and establish a more robust and reasonable set of key testing metrics – for example, we decided that the projection system should maintain an accuracy of within 1mm. To ensure that our project timeline reflects the changes we made to our design, we are also in the process of updating our Gantt chart. In terms of parts – we have ordered the Raspberry Pi that will serve as the core processing unit for our design.

Moving forward, our focus will be on implementing the capacitive touch grid system and integrating it with the Raspberry Pi. We will also continue refining the projection system to optimize accuracy and responsiveness. Our software development plan will be adjusted to align with these design modifications, and we will begin testing the board interaction mechanics before moving into full system integration.

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Michael Status Report 02/15

This week, I made several adjustments to the software design in response to our team’s decision to move away from using OpenCV and a camera for board detection.

Since the Sudoku board will now be loaded from a file rather than scanned, I had to modify how the software initializes and manages board data. This required reworking the logic for handling user inputs and ensuring that the projected grid updates dynamically as users interact with it. Additionally, I’ve been considering how to efficiently update and maintain a constantly changing 9×9 grid in real-time as users input values. One possible approach is using Matplotlib for rendering the board updates, but other alternatives such as Pygame, Tkinter Canvas, or drawing functions could also be explored to ensure smooth real-time updates.

Speed optimization is another critical factor, as we need to ensure that changes appear on the projected board with minimal delay. We are currently targeting an update rate of 10 milliseconds, so I will be focusing on implementing a lightweight rendering solution that meets this requirement. I’ve also ordered the projector, and once it arrives, we can begin integrating the hardware with the software and refining the display logic. Another key aspect I’ve been pondering on is the undo/reset functionality, allowing users to revert their actions efficiently. One potential approach is implementing a history stack, where each board state is stored, enabling users to step back to previous configurations.

Health (A):

Our interactive system promotes cognitive health by providing a real-time, projected Sudoku board with capacitive touch functionality and thus offering a more engaging alternative. Mentally stimulating activities like Sudoku can support cognitive well-being and help slow cognitive decline, making our system beneficial for brain capacity and mental health. To ensure safety, we are incorporating proper insulation, minimal exposed wiring, and low-voltage operation to prevent electrical hazards. Additionally, our design enhances welfare by making Sudoku more accessible and intuitive, particularly in educational settings, where it can help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an interactive, hands-on way.

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Moises Status Report 02/15

We identified a few components in our project that were difficult to justify and found better alternatives. One of these was the navigation method for Sudoku board selection. Instead of using four directional buttons (up, down, left, right), I explored different ways to implement a touch-based selection system.

The most promising approach is capacitive touch sensing. This would involve creating a 9×9 grid using a conductive material, such as copper foil tape, with rows and columns separated by a dielectric material. This setup effectively forms 81 capacitors. Each row and column would be connected to an MPR121, an IC capable of detecting changes in capacitance. When a user touches the overlapping region of a row and column (a makeshift capacitor), the capacitance increases, which the MPR121 can detect and process.

This solution is cost-effective, requiring two MPR121 ICs ($8 each) and copper foil tape which is approximately ($8).

Overall, I believe this approach will improve the project by making user interaction more intuitive. However, it also introduces new challenges in setup and integration. My next steps include gaining a deeper understanding of the implementation process and beginning assembly once the necessary components arrive.

Our interactive Sudoku system is designed with economic efficiency in mind, utilizing low-cost materials like MPR121 ICs and copper foil tape to reduce production costs compared to expensive touchscreen alternatives. By leveraging Raspberry Pi and open-source software like Pygame, the system remains affordable, scalable, and easy to distribute, enabling cost-effective replication for educators, developers, and hobbyists. Its modular design allows for widespread adoption in schools and learning centers, while its open-source framework supports a DIY market, fostering innovation without high development costs. Additionally, the system holds commercial potential in the  sector of education technology, where it could be produced and sold as an interactive learning tool that will make cognitive training more accessible while aligning with sustainable production and distribution models.