tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584327372624565191.post4941722459709011567..comments2024-03-27T07:18:35.027+00:00Comments on Nerd Club: A new approach to digital boardgamesChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08274133286396866480noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584327372624565191.post-62361382230479988592013-03-05T22:58:28.037+00:002013-03-05T22:58:28.037+00:00Hi, sorry for the late response. I had a long one ...Hi, sorry for the late response. I had a long one typed up and the laptop crashed. In short, what I was going to suggest was to ignore RFID and engineer a cut-down RF solution where you're in full control of the spec and can use a larger energy storage capacitor in the playing piece so that it can transmit a stronger pulse itself.<br /><br />Alternatively, think about using optical data transmission instead. Using SMT LEDs and photodiodes which I think can be got reasonably cheaply, you could power each piece with a small button or rechargeable cell and as the actual data transmission itself would only take milliseconds you should get good battery life.Kevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984666196193720989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584327372624565191.post-8470651242635902202013-02-25T10:18:40.822+00:002013-02-25T10:18:40.822+00:00Thanks for the idea Kev! I did look at embedding R...Thanks for the idea Kev! I did look at embedding RFID tags or similar into the playing pieces and trying to make and array of RFID readers on the pcb(s). I think the problem I had with my LC circuit, and with any antenna/oscillation-based design is the lack of amplification. As soon as I add amplification (the voltage change in some RFID products are millivolts) I'm adding cost (and complication). <br /><br />So while I'd like to use the cheapest possible construction method, and the cheapest possible components (to keep the overall cost of the final board to a minimum) it turns out that using the more expensive hall-effect sensors means no further extra components (for amplifying a tiny weak signal) are required and so a lower total final parts bill!<br /><br />I still like the radio/LC based idea. I'm just not sure we could make it <br />a) cheaply enough (since amplifiers would be needed)<br />b) robust (just changing the pcb layout alters the capacitance of a circuit which in turn affects the timing of any LC-based signal)<br /><br />If anyone else manages to make something similar using antenna under each square on the board, I'd be really interested to know more!Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08274133286396866480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2584327372624565191.post-26016789276436230332013-02-25T00:52:36.435+00:002013-02-25T00:52:36.435+00:00I've just been catching up with your blog entr...I've just been catching up with your blog entries and wonder if you had thought about printing an array of antennae for the board (either with conductive ink or etching them out of a PCB) and putting the resonant circuit in the player pieces? By driving any individual antenna in the board you could (in theory) charge up the resonant circuit in any piece sitting over it and then change from transmit mode to receive to start listening on the antenna for the response from a piece, if one should be over it.<br /><br />I should state that I've no expertise in that kind of circuit so maybe it's not feasible, but it seems like a cheap enough thing to try out.Kevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984666196193720989noreply@blogger.com