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MINIMAL TIC TAC TOE BUSINESS CARD

Summary of MINIMAL TIC TAC TOE BUSINESS CARD


This article describes a unique PCB business card designed by Ryan Chan to help electronics engineers stand out. The card features a fully functional Tic-Tac-Toe game, allowing recruiters to play while reviewing contact details. Instead of an expensive OLED or thick LED matrix, the design utilizes 18 LEDs in two colors on a 3×3 grid, controlled by an ATmega328p microcontroller and a single SMD pushbutton. The button handles move selection, confirmation, and toggling between multiplayer and AI modes. Schematics and code are available for others to replicate this minimalist project.

Parts used in theTic-Tac-Toe Business Card:

  • 18 LEDs (9 in each of two colors)
  • ATmega328p with Arduino bootloader
  • SMD pushbutton
  • PCB board

The PCB business card has long been a way for the aspiring electronics engineer to set themself apart from their peers. Handing out a card that is also a two player game is a great way to secure a couple minutes of a recruiter’s time, so [Ryan Chan] designed a business card that, in addition to his contact information, also has a complete Tic-Tac-Toe game built in.

[Ryan] decided that an OLED display was too expensive for something to hand out and an LED matrix too thick, so he decided to keep it simple and use an array of 18 LEDs—9 in each of two colors laid out in a familiar 3×3 grid. An ATmega328p running the Arduino bootloader serves as the brains of the operation. To achieve a truly minimal design [Ryan] uses a single SMD pushbutton for control: a short press moves your selection, a longer press finalizes your move, and a several-second press switches the game to a single-player mode, complete with AI.

 

If you’d like to design a Tic-Tac-Toe business card for yourself, [Ryan] was kind enough to upload the schematics and code for his card. If you’re still pondering what kind of PCB business card best represents you, it’s worth checking out cards with an updatable ePaper display or a tiny Tetris game.

Source: MINIMAL TIC TAC TOE BUSINESS CARD

Quick Solutions to Questions related toTic-Tac-Toe Business Card:

  • Why did the designer choose 18 LEDs over an OLED display?
    An OLED display was considered too expensive for a handout item.
  • How does the user control the game using the single button?
    A short press moves the selection, a longer press finalizes the move, and a several-second press switches to single-player mode.
  • What microcontroller powers the business card?
    The card uses an ATmega328p running the Arduino bootloader.
  • Does the game offer a single-player option?
    Yes, holding the button for several seconds activates a single-player mode complete with AI.
  • Is the design thicker than a standard card?
    No, the designer avoided an LED matrix because it would be too thick.
  • Can others build this specific project?
    Yes, the schematics and code have been uploaded by the designer.
  • What other types of PCB business cards are mentioned as alternatives?
    The article mentions cards with updatable ePaper displays or tiny Tetris games.

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