Connect 4

The purpose of the project was to build a custom PCB to play tic-tac-toe. I decided to go beyond the scope of the project and build a Connect 4 game, complete with a case and game logic, to demonstrate my skills relating to Mechanical, Electrical, and Computer Science Engineering. The circuit was designed using KiCad, and the PCB was printed using a Voltera V-One. Then I soldered the surface-mounted and through-hole components to the PCB. Finally, I tested the connections and repaired the PCB where needed. Once the PCB was working, I began developing the game logic. I used an Arduino for the microcontroller, so I designed the code using Arduino IDE. I had to troubleshoot the code but eventually got it working, so it was time to move on to the case. The PCB on its own is very delicate, and if the PCB flexes too much it could cause the surface-mounted components to break away from the board. I designed the case to hold the battery and the PCB, and to have a cutout to see the 42 LED's that made up the game board. I also designed larger buttons to fit over the button components and make them easier to press down. The entire project helped me further develop my engineering skills while giving me practice with design iteration and troubleshooting. In the end, I successfully made a working handheld Connect 4 game.