Project Overview:

"Social Distancing Chess" is a pair of chess boards that are able to interface with your phone in order to facilitate long-distance play. Each player uses an app on their phone to connect to their board via Bluetooth. They are then able to make their own move, and send it to the other player. The movement of their piece is registered via hall effect sensors, which detect magnets within the physical pieces. The two sides have different magnet polarities, allowing ambiguities when capturing pieces to be detected. This movement is condensed down to chess board notation in software, and sent via the app to the other player’s board. A connected LCD screen assists the player with making moves and informs the player of their opponent's moves. The app handles internet communications, starting games, and confirming turn completion. This kind of interaction enables players to interact with both another person, and also the physical components of the game board.

Project Specific Success Criteria:

1. PSSC #1: An ability to monitor movements of pieces on the chess board using magnetic sensors.
2. PSSC #2: An ability to communicate to a paired phone via a Bluetooth connection.
3. PSSC #3: An ability to process and display moves made by an opponent.
4. PSSC #4: An ability to communicate board state information between users via a smartphone App.
5. PSSC #5: An ability to display movement and connection information on a connected LCD display.