Arduino hardware hacking: Part 2

“Wiring the game

“This is what you’ll need to build your own Simon:

“The Arduino board
3 x switches
3 x LEDs
3 x 1k Ohm resistors for the switches
3 x 1k Ohm resistors for the LEDs

“We also use the solderless breadboard from the original article
to position all the components and wire them together.

“The first thing we need to do is plug in the switches. These
have four prongs, but you only need to use two on the same side. We
placed our three switches so they bridged the central divide of the
breadboard, and we’ll only connect the two pins on one side of the
divide, and use the space on the other side of the divide to
connect the LEDs.

“You need to give your design a little ergonomic consideration,
because people are going to want to play with your device, but they
won’t want to wrestle with the wires and resistors, which can get
in the way. You also need to bear in mind the way that the LEDs are
going to fit, as these need to line up with the buttons, so that
it’s clear which LED in the sequence corresponds to which
button.

“We weren’t too successful with our layout, and if you share our
lack of Jonathan Ive-style design skills, you may find that you
need to start the whole process again when you understand more
about the implications of where you put the wires and
resistors.”

Complete
Story