Breadboard Computer Project

1 August 2024

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Members: Dilan Gandhi and Rithvik Madiraju

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Project Advisors: Dr. Richard Howard and Dr. Richard Martin

Team Introduction

Dilan Gandhi ‘25 - Rising Senior at Manalapan High School

• Manalapan, New Jersey

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Rithvik Madiraju ‘26 - Rising Junior at Francis Parker High School

• San Diego, California

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Project Objective

• Building a 8-bit computer from scratch on breadboards
• Using different electrical components Integrated Circuits, Logic Gates, Registers, etc.
• To document the step-by-step process
• Using schematics, notes, and images
• Aim to help others replicate the creation

Progress

• Rebuilt A and B Register
• Finished building Program Counter
• Finished building most of RAM
• Completed Clock Module (finally)
• Tested RAM and ALU through Clock Module
• Continued Instruction Manual

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Clock Module

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• Fixed Connection issues in all three uses of 555 Chip
• Switch, Button, Flicker
• 3 Logic Gates to connect to clock signal
• NOT Gate: Inverts input signal
• NAND Gate: Controls clock signal
• AND Gate: Combines signals
• Tested with RAM, ALU, and Program Counter

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Program Counter

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• Counts in binary to know which instruction the computer is executing
• JK flip-flop
• Storage elements that counts binary numbers
• Connected to Clock Module to test input of counter

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RAM

• Random-access memory
• Connected and tested with to Clock Module
• Dip Switch
• set the address lines manually.
• The LEDs light up to show the data output from address lines

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Goals for next week

• Finish making Final Presentation poster for Open House next week
• Finish Instruction Manual
• Using EEPROM to create a output register
• Build and code an Arduino EEPROM
• Hopefully connect everything together

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Thank you!

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Questions?