Inspiration & Creative Problem-Solving
The snooker scene in Nigeria is alive and buzzing, but it's stuck in the past. We saw a system plagued by the inefficiencies of a cash-only, informal economy. Unreliable mechanical coin systems fail constantly, business owners lose money from unpaid games and have zero data to grow, and players are inconvenienced by the need for cash and frustrating delays. Our challenge was to create a solution that was not only technologically advanced but also practical for the African context. A complete overhaul of existing tables was too expensive. This constraint led to our most elegant solution: a modular, smart electronic controller that retrofits onto any existing snooker table. This makes digital adoption affordable and scalable. Our novel approach was to treat the table not as a dumb piece of furniture, but as an IoT-enabled endpoint.
How We Built It & Technical Implementation
Our development process was a journey of iteration and learning, guided by the principles of efficiency and user experience. The Core Hardware (SECU): We started by designing the Smart Electronic Control Unit (SECU), a custom, low-power controller that serves as the brain of the table. We engineered it to run for weeks on lithium-ion batteries, addressing the challenge of unreliable power in many venues. This demonstrates an application of first principles in electronics to solve a real-world constraint. Initial Payment System: Our first version used a web app to generate a one-time token that players would enter on a keypad. This solved the cashless problem and automated revenue collection for merchants.
Iteration and Enhancement (BLE Integration): We quickly realised we could make the user experience even more seamless. We integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) functionality into the SECU. Now, players can pair their smartphone directly with the table and send a secure command from our app to release the balls. This eliminated the keypad step, making gameplay instant and fluid. This integration of complementary technologies (web app, BLE, hardware) shows clear evidence of learning and iteration in our process.
The biggest challenge was the hardware quality and efficiency, specifically, designing a universal ball release mechanism. We went through several prototypes to create a system that was both reliable and easily integrated into the diverse range of snooker tables in the market.
Built with
Hardware: Custom Smart Electronic Control Unit (SECU) built with a low-power microcontroller, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module, lithium-ion battery management system, 1602 LCD, Servo and linear actuator and Keypad interface. Firmware: Efficient C++ code for the SECU, managing sleep cycles, BLE communication, and payment validation. Mobile: A mobile application that communicates with the SECU via BLE for direct game activation. Platform: Web application for merchant account management, analytics dashboard, and payment processing. Backend: A robust backend system for real-time, automated financial settlement and revenue distribution.
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