Speed Chess Revision

Traditional computerized chess models typically land in one of two categories: Physical pieces on a physical board that record every move through a computer, or digital pieces on a digital screen that use a mouse interface. The exceptions would models like the Saitek Kasparov Maestro and Excalibur series of chess computers that feature touch interfaces in travel PDA form.

The idea behind Speed Chess Revision is to make the game smoother and take the focus away from the pieces or the clock and put the focus back on the speed of the game. Revision uses a touch table interface with a digital board and pieces. There are no physical pieces to move, no physical clock interface to press. The idea is that simple touches should be enough to interact with the interface, with limited error.

Figure 1 illustrates several features. Callout 1 simply shows the entire board is a digital screen with touch-sensitivity. Callout 2 points to the digital timer for the white (lighter) user. Callout 3 shows the space where captured pieces appear.

Figure 2a-b show the sequence of touches required for each standard move. First (2a) the user touches on the square of the piece they wish to move. Second (2b) they touch in the space that they want to move the piece to. Should a piece be captured, that piece is moved to the below display board. If at any point between the first touch and the release of the second touch the user decides they wish to move a difference piece, they need only touch the bottom portion of the board to cancel the first touch (Figure 3). The countdown clock transfers to the opposing player on the release of the second touch - there is no need to touch a position outside the board.

Revision is unconventional in its human-computer interaction for it's specific genre of gaming. The comparable touch models tend to be travel size or physical in nature. However, Revision is a full size regulation board in digital form. It is also unconventional because the game play eliminates the physical removal of pieces and the extra swipe of the game clock. Speed chess purists may not be completely happy with the changes, so another configuration of Revision would include the option to touch a clock after each piece has been moved.

Revision is a regulation sized chess board with a half inch base to house the computer and display. The whole top face is touch sensitive, made of a hard, scratch resistant glass - something similar to the surface of the iPhone. Revision is able to be charged through a wall charger, but has a battery life of many hours allowing for portable game play.

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