electronic bingo number generator

[gbadger]

hi all
i am looking at trying to make an electronic bingo number generator, i have just started calling the bingo numbers in the uk voluntarily for an oap rest home. they dont get much fun so i am trying to lighten up their lives a bit for them.
my thoughts at the moment is probably basic but i dont know how i can achieve the desired result.
what i thought was to have a board with 90 led`s fixed to it with the numbers under each led so when a ball is pulled out of the bag i can press a button which lights up the correct number led. alternatively i was told to use a pic chip and program code and use a alphanumeric keyboard but that is way over my head.
so if any one got any thoughts it would be much appreciated.
badger

 

[Pommie]

You could do this with a pic chip, keypad and a couple of MAX7219 chips but most OAPs wouldn't be able to distinguish LEDs at any reasonable distance and it sounds like the programming would be a very steep learning curve. You would probably be better using 90 switches with Pygmy lamps to light each number.

Mike.

 

[Boncuk]

Going far enough to use a PIC chip your might as well omit the sack with the 90 balls and use the PIC to draw a (pseudo) random number when a start button is pushed and display the result on a numeric two digit jumbo LED.

When writing the software you just have to take care of removing a once selected number off the list and have the PIC "re-roll" the dice for an unused number.

The winning numbers should be stored separately for the winner's claim.

Boncuk