Funny contraption

[Cardoso]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLOj-TylGg

[bob]

sort of like the old Fidelity "phantom". Used exactly the same concept, just MANY years ago (somewhere in the early 80's if I recall). Was certainly amusing to watch it play, and particularly to watch it reset the board at the end of the game.

[IanO]

I'm even more impressed by this design for self-moving pieces: https://regiumchess.com/

Honestly, once I saw how it was implemented (a 3x3 grid of small, strong electromagnets under each square and captured piece area), I was amazed that nobody had tried it before. The mechanism is practically solid-state. For anyone who has dealt with the flaky and slow mechanical x/y armatures or above-board mechanical arm, it seems well nigh miraculous! Especially the fact that it can move multiple pieces at once, making captures much more fluid.

[mwyoung]

I'm even more impressed by this design for self-moving pieces: https://regiumchess.com/

Honestly, once I saw how it was implemented (a 3x3 grid of small, strong electromagnets under each square and captured piece area), I was amazed that nobody had tried it before. The mechanism is practically solid-state. For anyone who has dealt with the flaky and slow mechanical x/y armatures or above-board mechanical arm, it seems well nigh miraculous! Especially the fact that it can move multiple pieces at once, making captures much more fluid.

Now that is what I have been waiting for in a auto chessboard. Fast, accurate, and silent. I looked at square off and it is a piece of junk. My old phantom was better then Square off.