An arcade influenced basketball game, developed using Microcontrollers and IOTs.

Overview

Components (hardware)

Arduino UNO

• An open source electronics platform
• Utilizes C++ as its native language
• Has a dedicated IDE for writing Arduino code
  

Digital pins

• Used for input(0v) and output (5v) operations
  

Eg:- Controlling and LED

Analog pins

• Uses ADC to convert analog to digital signals (max 5v)
  

Eg:- Converting the readings of a light sensor

Components (hardware)

Infrared (IR) sensors

• electronic devices that can detect infrared radiation
• consist of an IR transmitter and an IR receiver
• Used widely in object detection
  

Transmitter (TX)

• Emits infrared radiation up to a defined distance
  

• Any object within its range deflects the IR rays
  

Receiver (RX)

• Detects the reflected IR radiation.
  

• Emits a signal either HIGH or LOW depending on the state
  

Components (Software)

Arduino IDE

• The environment for writing Arduino code
  

• Used for uploading out code to the Arduino
  

• Serial plotter to visualize Voltage across the Arduino
  

• Serial Monitor acts as a console for debugging
  

Void setup()

• Used for one time configurations
  

Eg: Setting up digital pins

Void loop()

• Code block the executes in perpetuity
  

Eg: Main logic, like listening to IR sensor readings etc...

Components (Software)

Communication protocols

Used to bridge the communication gap between the Arduino and the web Interface in real time with efficacy

Web Sockets

• A communication protocol used for real time communication between clients and servers

• An upgrade from the widely used HTTP protocol

• Allows full duplex communication
  

Serial port

• A communication protocol used to read and write data to serial ports (USB ports )

• Used in conjunction concurrently with web sockets
  

Project design (hardware implementation)

Arduino UNO

For the purposes of this project, the Arduino is connected through the USB and is powered by the computer itself.

USB connection

Infrared (IR) sensor

The infrared sensor has 3 terminals, used in detecting

the ball

IR sensor

• VCC (Voltage common collector):
  

Powers the IR sensor with a max voltage of 5v

• Output
  

This terminal sends either a HIGH(5v) or LOW (0v) signal to the Arduino, and is connected to one of the digital pins.

• Ground
  

This terminal is connected to the ground pin in the Arduino for safety purposes

2 pin Switch

Developing a game Interface on the web (client 1)

Initial steps for the project’s software architecture entails designing a web interface to display the scores, highscores, change timers, etc..

Program the Arduino to detect IR sensor readings and switch presses (client 2)

Since all the hardware components are connected (IR sensor , switch), we program the Arduino to detect the IR sensor readings and also the switch presses.

Create a backend server with Node js using Webscokets and serial port

Here, we create a backend server with Websockets using Node.js that sits in between the web Interface (Client 1) and the Arduino (Client 2) to facilitate full-duplex communication between the two.

Frontend (client 1)

Arduino connection to the backend using serial port

USB Conn

Game interface connection to the backend using Websockets

Server running on the laptop

(HOST)

Arduino (client 2)

IF switch is pressed, send “S” to the computer ELSE do nothing

Game features

• Variable time modes
• Leaderboards
• Audio FX
• Tutorials
  

UI design

• Intuitive and user friendly design
• Animations for an engaged user experience
• Pertains to all age groups
• Easy to navigate
  

Project upscaling

• Higher capital investment
• Relative ease in time constraints
• More advanced IOTs like rasberryPi
• Stand alone displays
  

Commercial use

• Requires project upscaling
• Could be a useful addition to parks and homes and other centers
• Branding
• Commercial production is not a far fetch under ideal circumstances