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Our Pendulum Challenge Kit includes everything you need to make this fun game featured in Make, Volume 26. The object of this deceivingly challenging game is to stop the swinging arc of lights on the green LED at the bottom. At the heart of the system is a pre-programmed PIC microcontroller that controls the game play, monitors the switch inputs and drives the LEDs. The game’s most distinct feature is its array of 15 LEDs (14 red and 1 green), arranged in the shape of an arc to simulate the path of a swinging pendulum. For added sound effects, the game has a piezo buzzer.
Pendulum Challenge Build
- Here are the instructions from the Magazine. There have been some changes with this kit but the instructions are basically the same. Below are the directions for the current game.
Step 1: - Locate and Solder on the LEDs. Orient the LEDs so that the flat side faces up on the PCB and matches the screen printing. The shorter leg of the LED is negative (-) and the longer leg is positive (+). The single green LED goes in the center of the arc, as shown on the picture. Put all of the LEDs in place, spread their legs so that they don't fall our, flip the board over, solder them into place and clip the leads off.
Step 2:- Locate the chip holder. It will be black with silver legs but doesn't look like a computer chip. You'll notice that it has a small notch at one end of it. This notch faces up on the PCB to match the screen printing. Bend a couple of the legs over so that it doesn't fall out, flip the board over, solder it into place and clip.
Step 3:- Locate the Capacitor and Resonator. The resonator is brown, has 3 legs, and goes on the left side of the chip holder. The capacitor is blue, has 2 legs, and goes on the right side of the chip holder. It doesn't matter which direction these get soldered in so bend the legs a little, flip the board, solder them into place and clip.
Step 4:- Solder on the switch and buttons. The power switch goes on the left side of the board. It doesn't matter which way goes in so just put the legs through the holes and solder it in place. The push buttons are the same way. Use the red one for mode and the yellow one for start (but the color really doesn't matter.) These only fit in two ways and the legs are made to snap into the holes. Push them into place until they snap and then solder them in place and clip.
Step 5:- Find the piezo buzzer. It's round and black and has two leads on the bottom. Like the LED it is polarity sensitive so place the long leg through the hole marked with the (+) sign and the shorter leg through the other hole. Bend the legs a bit, flip the board over, solder, and clip.
Step 6:- Strip about 1/4" or so of wire off of the battery leads. Run the wires through the back of the board to the front. The red wire goes to the lower hole marked "red" and the black wire goes to the upper hole marked "black." Solder them into place then clip.
Step 7:- Remove the IC from the anti static foam. You'll notice that one end has a small notch on it. This end gets oriented up so that it matches the notch on the chip holder and the notch on the silk screen. The chip's legs are probably wider than the holder so you'll have to bend them by placing the chip on a table and "rolling" it so that the legs bend a little. Do the same thing on the other side, bending small amounts each time until the chip fits into the chip holder. Push it into place once all the legs line up.
Step 8:- Insert the batteries, turn it on, and play the game!
To make the game more portable, we recommend sticking the battery holder on the back of the circuit board with a bit of foam tape.
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