10x10 Toggle Switch / LED Matrix Coffee Table Game Board

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I am hoping that someone recognizes the device in my description and can help my absentmindedness. Last week while netsurfing, I came across a very nice project someone made out of wood that sits on a coffee table. It had 100 toggle switches on top with an LED next to each one in a 10x10 arrangement. The wiring of the switches and LEDs was such that flipping various switches would make the rows or columns of LEDs alternate their current state. The object was to try and get all of the LEDs to light, which due to some mathematical principle was impossible. Anyhow, my 3 year old loves LEDs, buttons, and switches so I was going to make something similar for her using a 4x4 matrix of LEDs/Toggle switches inside a 5" square plastic enclosure I have.

Anyone have a clue about what I am referring to? I am all googled out. I even tried sparkfun and instructables.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
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I have been thinking of just coming up with something on my own. Here's my parts list:

16 Alco SPDT ON-OFF-ON Panel Mount Toggle Switches
16 LEDs (some mix of green, red, and yellow)
16 Current limiting resistors for LEDs
1 Polycase RW-45 Black Enclosure
1 9 volt battery

Then just wire the LEDs through the switches in such a way that it creates a puzzle to get them to light.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
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kwinn

Never seen or heard of that specific puzzle, but it should not be too hard to build something if you have a specific idea of how the switches will affect the pattern of lights. Could even get fancy and add some logic gates with inputs connected to more than one gate. I built something like that when my kids were about that age.

WBA Consulting

Apparently, I sent the link to a friend when I found it March 3rd and he was able to pull it back up because he uses Evernote. Here it is:

www.devicedaily.com/gadgets/awesome-wooden-switch-and-bulb-game-resurrects-1960s-idea.html

It's based upon Elwyn Berlekamp's work with Combinational Game Theory.

math.berkeley.edu/~berlek/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combinatorial_game_theory

Now I just have to figure out the circuitry.

kwinn: that was my thought. I was trying to avoid using a microcontroller, but I have to figure out the wiring with logic gates to accomplish that. Time to dig out the boolean algebra cheat sheet.... I think it's in the garage between my slide rule and abacus. (sadly, that's not a joke)

It would be nice to make something like this using capsense pads and reverse mount SMT LEDs. Then I can stick it underneath the glass in the end table.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
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mctrivia

sparkfun has lightable switch grids would work well for the 4x4 project

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Need to make your prop design easier or secure? Get a PropMod has crystal, eeprom, and programing header in a 40 pin dip 0.7" pitch module with uSD reader, and RTC options.

mctrivia

on second thought after reading the description all you need is uController to sellect the initial starting place(that is what the 100 switches were for) and 10 row + 10 column switches and 100 leds.

Could be easily done with no more then 1 propeler if you use a grid display system. 20 pins for leds 11 pins for switches.

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Need to make your prop design easier or secure? Get a PropMod has crystal, eeprom, and programing header in a 40 pin dip 0.7" pitch module with uSD reader, and RTC options.

kwinn

A 4x4 array is not too bad to wire, but I agree with mctrivia that a uc would be simpler, particularly if you want to use capacitive sensing. I do think the end table glass would be too thick for capacitive sensing to work if the sensors are mounted on the bottom. Maybe replace the glass with 2 layers of plastic. A thick piece to mount the cap sense pads and hardware with a thin sheet on top for protection and aesthetics.

As for the slide rule and abacus, I still have my slide rule from university packed away somewhere. Not sad though, nostalgia and fond memories. Never owned an abacus though.

NetHog

This thread got my attention. Microcontroller would be my choice.

I'd probably use a 64-led (8x8 grid) part, and 16 push-buttons. You'd only need 1 input lines for the push-buttons/switches.

Let's say you did this with an SX28, using Port-B for row-strobe and Port-C for column-strobe (presumably with transistors or FET's).
For most optimal configuration, I'd use any 4 of those lines combined with diodes to act as strobes for 4x4 button grid, and the remaining 4 input lines (PA) with internal pull-up resistors to read button states.

Components:
Voltage input/Voltage regulator to 5V
SX28
8 transistors, or LED driver chip or other LED driving mechanism
8x8 LED display
4 diodes
16 push buttons
enclosure.

WBA Consulting

Some very good ideas here. My progress has slowed a bit because I can't decide a route to take. However, I did make a few changes to my original design. The enclosure has been drilled and switches are installed on the top half. I changed to a 3x3 matrix since a 4x4 would not have left a comfortable space for the LEDs. Also, I acquired a dozen or so RGB LEDs and they needed even a little more room. So now, my concept is this:

3x3 matrix of On-Off-On SPDT Toggle Switches
9 RGB LEDs
9 volt battery with regulator

Left to figure out:
1) Hardwire with basic logic circuitry for LED/Switch interactivity.
2) Use an SX to monitor switch states and produce some sort of LED output. (on/off or PWM?)
3) Hardwire with various resistors to simply adjust LED brightness dependent on switch position.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
IT / Web / PCB / Audio