https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSE1X3inybETFW6bcxJyrkRjBECvuXUSWEriFJHz58BMzkm-Ny_3w0cbavtWdUfDjhPFHPW-Zip6t80/pub

AWANA Electronic Quizzing System Interface

A custom Arduino Mega + web application interface for the AWANA Electronic Quizzing System (EQS). The system captures buzzer presses, records reaction times, ranks contestants, and displays results on both a browser-based scoreboard and an OLED display.

Features

• Supports up to 10 buzzers by default
• Expandable to 20 buzzers
• Real-time ranking and reaction timing
• Browser-based scoreboard (no server required)
• OLED display showing winner and rankings
• Simple USB serial communication
• Compatible with Arduino Mega 2560

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Hardware

Required Components

• Arduino Mega 2560 (or compatible clone)
• SSD1306 128x64 I2C OLED Display
• AWANA Electronic Quizzing System
• DB25 Y-Splitter Cable
• DB25 Breakout Board
• USB-B Cable
• Jumper Wires

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Wiring

Buzzers (Port 1)

DB25 Pin	Arduino Pin	Buzzer
1	22	1
2	23	2
3	24	3
4	25	4
5	26	5
6	27	6
7	28	7
8	29	8
9	30	9
10	31	10
GND	GND	Ground

All buzzer inputs use INPUT_PULLUP, meaning pins normally read HIGH and become LOW when pressed.

OLED Display

OLED Pin	Arduino Mega
VCC	5V
GND	GND
SDA	20
SCL	21

Default I2C address: 0x3C

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Software

Arduino

Install the following libraries:

• Adafruit GFX
• Adafruit SSD1306

Default configuration:

const int NUM_BUZZERS = 10;
const int MAX_RANKED = 5;

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Serial Protocol

Browser → Arduino

Command	Description
R	Reset round
Q	Start question

Arduino → Browser

Message	Description
BUZZ	Buzzer pressed
LOCKED	Maximum rankings reached
QUESTION_TIME	Time from question start to first buzz
RESET	Round reset

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Web Interface

Setup

1. Open index.html in Chrome or Edge.
2. Click Connect.
3. Select the Arduino COM port.
4. Enter participant names (optional).
5. Click Start Question.
6. Contestants buzz in.
7. Click Reset Round for the next question.

Notes

• Names are stored locally in the browser.
• No internet connection or server is required.
• Firefox does not support Web Serial and is not compatible.

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OLED Display

The OLED shows:

• First-place buzzer number
• Winner reaction time
• Top 5 rankings

The display updates automatically after each buzz and reset.

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Expansion to 20 Buzzers

The EQS provides two DB25 ports (1–10 and 11–20).

Add:

• Second DB25 breakout board
• Second DB25 Y-splitter

Update the Arduino configuration:

const int NUM_BUZZERS = 20;

const int buzzerPins[NUM_BUZZERS] = {
  22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,
  32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41
};

Add buzzer name fields 11–20 to the HTML interface. No JavaScript changes are required.

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Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Cannot connect	Verify USB cable, drivers, and use Chrome/Edge
OLED not detected	Check SDA/SCL wiring and try address 0x3D
Buzzers not registering	Verify GND connection and pin mapping
Incorrect names displayed	Check HTML data-buzzer values
Random buzz on startup	Ensure EQS is powered before connecting USB

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Usage

Button	Function
Connect	Connect browser to Arduino
Start Question	Begin timing and enable buzzing
Stop Timer	Stop timer without clearing results
Reset Round	Clear results and prepare next question

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Future Improvements

• Team scoring
• Tournament mode
• Export results to CSV
• Wireless buzzer support
• Multiple display layouts

This project was designed to modernize the AWANA Electronic Quizzing System while preserving compatibility with existing hardware.