Fletcher Heisler, known online as 'Everything Is Hacked,' has constructed an electrified chessboard that delivers shocks to players making errors. The device uses a modified TENS unit and integrates the Stockfish engine on a Raspberry Pi. Heisler showcased the invention at a STEM convention after overcoming build and transport challenges.
Fletcher Heisler, the creator behind the YouTube channel 'Everything Is Hacked,' spent months developing an electrified chessboard designed to punish mistakes with electrical jolts similar to a Taser. Drawing from DIY projects like electrified keyboards, Heisler applied a reinforcement principle to chess learning, using a repurposed Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) unit. He amplified its voltage to create a disciplinary effect, transforming a tool meant for therapy into one for gameplay feedback.
The build process involved significant hurdles. Heisler integrated mechanical keyboard switches into each square for electrical conduction and wired the board meticulously, facing repeated accidental shocks. The system's core is a Raspberry Pi running the open-source Stockfish chess engine, which analyzes moves and triggers shocks for errors. Software integration proved straightforward, but hardware synchronization required extensive testing.
The chessboard features four modes. In 'Illegal Mode,' it shocks for rule violations. When playing against Stockfish, 'Blunder Mode' penalizes poor decisions. 'Timed Mode' shocks for delays, and 'Puzzle Mode' uses over a million problems, shocking incorrect solutions displayed on a side screen.
Transport issues arose before a STEM convention debut; the device was damaged twice, requiring rebuilds. Heisler presented it as 'Taser Chess,' calling it 'remorseless.' Despite the effort, he noted no chess improvement. 'I had already been building for months, and if anything, my chess game was getting worse because I spent all my time messing with wires,' Heisler said. He added, 'I shocked myself so much building the board that I hardly noticed anymore,' and admitted losing to casual park players.
This project highlights experimental approaches to learning through technology, though Heisler acknowledged its limitations in enhancing skills.
