Testing continuity between 2 inputs

[mattzene]

Hello,

I'm working on a project where I'd like to create my own interface for an electronic dartboard. My only hang up is how to detect which number was hit by the dart.

The dartboard I'm using has 2 sheets of copper traces and the combination of traces shorted by the shot determines what was hit. I have a spreadsheet with the layout of combinations, but I'm not sure the best way I can detect this with an Arduino.

One sheet only has 7 traces, so one way I suppose could be to have 7 different voltages and read the other sheet's traces into analog inputs but I feel like there should be some more simple way to accomplish this.

Here is an picture of the combinations to give you a better idea of what I mean. Cell A1 means that if trace 10 of the outer sheet is shorted to trace 2 of the inner sheet, then the single 1 toward the outside of the board was hit. D and T stand for double and triple.

[van_der_decken]

Energize only one outer trace.

Read the inner traces.

Is one of the inner traces energized? If yes, you have your answer.

If no, de-energize the current trace, energize the next one and repeat the read process.

It's the same process you'd go through to read a keypad with columns and rows.