Summary of Arduino Plays Piano Tiles
This article describes a DIY project where an Arduino circuit automates playing Piano Tiles on a smartphone. The system uses Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs) to detect tile colors, an Arduino microcontroller to process data and generate touch timing, and relays with a coin to simulate capacitive screen touches by grounding the display.
Parts used in Piano Tiles Automator:
- Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs)
- Relays
- Arduino Microcontroller
- Cardboard
- Coin
- Voltage divider circuit components
Ever wondered if your phone can play games by itself. Yes, it is possible. You can build a circuit to play Piano tiles on your smartphone.
The video shows the demonstration of the project.
Step 1: Components Required
And the circuit can be built with simple components like Light sensors, Relays and Arduino.
Three main functions of the circuit are :
Sensing color of the tile (Black or White)Processing the color information and generating timing for the touch (Arduino)Simulating capacitive touch (Relays)
Step 2: Sensing
We use light dependent resistors (LDRs) to sense if the tiles are white or black. Four LDRs are positioned over the screen each facing one tile. The LDRs have been connected to the back of the cardboard like this.
The LDR resistance changes with the intensity of Light. Higher the intensity of light, lesser the resistance. LDR is placed in a Voltage divider circuit to produce a voltage proportional to its resistance. The LDRs are connected to the analog input pins of the Arduino as shown.
Practically, this is how you would connect the circuit. You can check the test_ldr code to see if the LDRs are working fine. When you run the code, you will get a high value from the LDR if it’s sensing black, else you get a low value.
Step 3: Processing
Arduino reads the voltage drop across the LDR. Observe the voltage voltages for Black and White tiles, choose a suitable threshold voltage say Vt. If (V
Step 4: Simulating Touch
For this we have to understand how capacitive touch screens work. The electrodes apply a low voltage to the conductive layer creating a uniform electrostatic field. When a finger hits the screen a tiny electrical charge is transferred to the finger to complete the circuit creating a voltage drop at that point on the screen. The location of this voltage drop is recorded by the controller and this is how a capacitive touch screen works.
We are going to use this concept, except that in the place of a finger, we use the ground pin on the Arduino to transfer the charge on the screen. To have more surface area on the display of the screen, we use a coin.
Relays are directly connected to the output pin of the Arduino. It is equivalent to a touch if the voltage given is high as there is a path for the current to flow to the ground. It is equivalent to not touching if the voltage given is low.
Read more: Arduino Plays Piano Tiles
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How does the circuit sense the color of the tiles?
It uses four Light Dependent Resistors positioned over the screen to detect black or white tiles based on light intensity. -
What happens to LDR resistance when light intensity increases?
The resistance decreases as the intensity of light increases. -
How is the Arduino involved in processing the game?
The Arduino reads voltage drops from the LDRs, compares them to a threshold, and generates timing for the touch. -
What component simulates the capacitive touch on the screen?
Relays connected to the Arduino output pins simulate the touch by completing a circuit to the ground. -
Why is a coin used in this project?
A coin is used to provide more surface area on the display screen when transferring charge to the ground. -
Does a high voltage on the relay pin count as a touch?
Yes, a high voltage creates a path for current to flow to the ground, which is equivalent to a touch. -
Can a phone play games by itself using this method?
Yes, it is possible to build a circuit that allows a phone to play games like Piano Tiles automatically.
