This is a puzzle game focused on visually impaired people as end users. Each piece has a different pattern of copper tape on it that will only complete the circuit and thus give a sound response when placed in the correct location. In this prototype, we assigned each piece a letter and programmed the website to read it out to help teach the recognition of print letters. This method is simple to make, but is limited by the number of input pins.

Materials Required:

Hardwares:

Makey Makey
Laser cutter
Acrylic sheet(for Puzzle,base board,frame)
Wires
Copper tape
Solder and Solder iron
Multimeter(to check for connections)
Glue

Softwares:

Adobe illustrator(or any other software like Rhino,Inskape)

Step 1: Design a Puzzle in Adobe Illustrator

Create a puzzle in Adobe Illustrator with any 16 alphabets etched on to it. You can use any software you like Inkscape or Rhino. We need to reprogram the Makey Makey for these letters.

Step 2: Laser Cut the Puzzle Pieces

Laser cut the puzzle pieces. Also we had some small handles to hold the puzzle pieces. These handles were also laser-cutted ones. We glued these handles to the puzzle pieces.

Step 3: Create a Base Board and a Frame

Make a board which serves as the base for the puzzle pieces and connections using Adobe illustrator. Also design a frame to cover all the wires and the connections.

Step 4: How to Design the Base Board ?

The base board was etched for the copper tapes which connected each and every puzzle piece to a pin in Makey Makey. We also drilled holes to wire at the back of the board.The board was also laser cut for the Makey Makey pins to pass through and also for USB connection. We also connected each puzzle piece to the ground pin in Makey Makey to complete the circuit.

Step 5: Make Connections

Each puzzle piece had a different pattern such that if we place a particular puzzle piece in a wrong place, the circuit will not be complete. These patterns must be unique for each and every puzzle piece. Each piece when it placed on the base board, it will be connected to a pin and ground in Makey Makey.

Step 6: Reprogramming Makey Makey

Step 7: Design a Website

A basic interactive website was also developed using javascript. We used flocking js to enable sounds on the website. When a puzzle piece is placed on the correct position on the base board, the circuit will be complete and the corresponding pin in Makey Makey will be enabled which simulates the key press event on the keyboard.

Website : Link to Makey Makey Puzzle Website

Step 8: Playing Around !

Say, for example, when ‘z’ puzzle is placed at the correct position(Row 1, Column 1) on the base board, pin A5 on the Makey Makey will be enabled which has been reprogrammed to key ‘z’ on the keyboard. A sound saying ‘z’ will be played which inturn help the visually impaired people to check whether they are placing the puzzle at the right place or not. The sound part was implemented using flocking js.

Finally, if all the puzzle pieces are placed at the correct positions, then the entire puzzle will be solved and a final sound will be played to indicate that the user won the game !

Link to source code: Source Code