crafted in solid walnut and maple, phantom is the world's first robotic chessboard

"Phantom Chess features a hidden, silent drive system that allows pieces to move autonomously, while its exterior remains pure walnut and maple, eliminating the visible motors and toy‑like aesthetic that have defined automated chess until now. Drawing on precision sensor grids and ultra‑quiet linear actuators, Phantom turns the board itself into an intelligent interface, creating an entirely new category of connected chess experience."

"Unlike conventional electronic boards, Phantom Chessboard uses a patented layered architecture that conceals all technology beneath a veneer of natural wood. The playing surface is a matrix of magnetic sensors that detect piece movement, while an array of sub‑18dB linear actuators provides autonomous motion with no audible mechanical noise. The system requires only a single Bluetooth‑pairing step, after which the board operates as a silent physical terminal for digital chess."

"In addition to its mechanical innovation, Phantom integrates seamlessly with the digital chess ecosystem. Through its companion app, the board syncs in real time with Lichess and Chess.com, allowing online matches to be played out physically move‑for‑move. It also hosts adaptive AI opponents, from the tactical precision of Stockfish to the human‑like intuition of the Maia neural network, and features a Sculpture Mode that autonomously replays historic games or personal analyses."

Phantom is a self-playing heirloom chessboard handcrafted from solid walnut and maple that conceals all robotics beneath a natural wood veneer. A patented layered architecture houses a matrix of magnetic sensors under the playing surface and an array of sub-18dB linear actuators that provide autonomous, inaudible piece motion. The system pairs via Bluetooth and functions as a silent physical terminal for digital chess while syncing in real time with Lichess and Chess.com. A companion app enables online matches, adaptive AI opponents (including Stockfish and the Maia neural network), and a Sculpture Mode for autonomous replay of historic games and analyses.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine