Hi everyone,

I am doing an embedded systems project, precisely, an electronic chessboard. Currently, I am doing research and trying to prepare the list of electronic components which I will need and to get the general picture of what should I do and where to start from. The project has three main subsections which are

1. design of some PCB's, with sensors, LED's, multiplexers, Raspberry Pi, LCD screen and other components incorporated. These PCB's are interconnected, data exchange happens between modules build onto each PCB. They make up the skeleton of the electronic board.


2. software design (not from scratch, but aimed to be highly improved), in particular, taken some Chess Engine, I have to program a few new capabilities which electronic chessboard will perform later on as a working prototype. Also, I have to design an UI, since a user will have to interact with buttons while analyzing stuff on the LCD screen. In a word, very similar to what one can see on the screen while playing chess online, but much much improved version of that.

3. design of the chessboard itself (product design).

Below I wrote down a few questions I am concerned about, I would be very thankful if you can shed some lights on all or some of them, in the same order I indicated:

Question 1: Electronics, Software and Product Design are all interconnected subsections, one should carefully design each section so that everything performs properly. But I am not sure which part should I start from? Should I design electronics first, finish with all PCB's, then pass to building software and lastly design the board? Or another way around? Confused with an order.

Question 2: I have little experience in electronics and design, and no experience in software engineering at all. Should I start from some general tutorials on Embedded Systems, Virtual PCB Prototyping, Software engineering etc,spend a few months on those, and then pass to specific problems I have to solve on my way? Or should I face the specific problem and particularly look for related materials on how to solve them?

Question 3: I received some funding for the project, which only allows me to buy some electronic components. What I am stuck with is whether to Virtually Prototype all PCB's or buy many breadboards and try to build circuits by hands and see how things work in practice? I am not even sure whether I can virtually prototype everything and see the exact simulation I would like to? I have no experience in Virtual PCB Prototyping, but If that's what I have to go on with, I will learn that.

Question 4: Is it possible to finish the project by myself (without a team) in a year or two?

Question 5: Have anyone worked with Chess Engines before? Any idea on whether it's even possible to modify the engine and add a bunch of new properties and functions to it? Or should I build a software from scratch? In the end, the electronic chess board should run the software/engine and perform some tasks.

I highly appreciate your time, thanks in advance!

Best of luck with your developments, looking forward to your replies. Thank You!

 

One big question whose answer influences a lot of things is -- why are you doing this?

 

Why are you contemplating a project in which you have so little experience?

 

WOW, same post in "embedded systems" forum.
I answered in good faith there, now feeling I've been had... (stupid me).
Hoping I wouldn't have to audit my thread responses, Oh Well <<<)))

 

Not sure if this is useful, but I worked on a smart chessboard a while back looks like you're doing the same. Here's what you're getting yourself into and that's not even to a fully working prototype.

I'm going to echo what everyone else has said though, you should have a purpose and a very good reason before attacking a huge project like this. I ended up putting mine on (permanent) hold due to financial and burning out from startup life. Of course, no one here is going to stop you but you'll definitely need to line up the correct resources to make it happen if you can't do it yourself!

 

WOW, same post in "embedded systems" forum.
I answered in good faith there, now feeling I've been had... (stupid me).
Hoping I wouldn't have to audit my thread responses, Oh Well <<<)))

That happens and it is annoying to find that you’re not given a chance to help or wind up in a sea of duplicated effort. Something for the TS to consider: pick your forum and give the members a chance to help. Finding the same post on multiple forums at once is usually an ender for me, too. Nobody likes to waste their time. You can mitigate the problem by googling a few words of the post to find multiples or just stay here on AAC. We’d like that.

Take care.

 

Thanks, John, good idea. It's why I stopped haunting a forum similar to the two mentioned.
Way too much "give me a fish" not enough "teach me to fish".