Inspiration
The inspiration for this project was finding an easier way to locate spices in a spice cabinet and develop the evolution of the lazy Susan.
What it does
Nicholas spins the spices around and dispenses the selected spice right out to you. After selecting the spice via user input on a webpage, the order is sent to the server which sends it to Nicholas.
How we built it
The main hardware used was a stepper motor to spin the whole spice rack and a micro servo to push the arm which pushes the spice out. A client-facing UI allows users to pick a spice, and that data is sent to a node.js webserver, which then relays the data to the Arduino, which then controls the required hardware components to dispense the spice.
Challenges we ran into
The main challenge for the hardware was designing the project's main components so that wires wouldn't get tangled while it was spinning around. The main challenge for the software was trying to relay the data from the webserver to the Arduino.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Hardware: designing/3D printing our gear and rack, finding a design so that wires are not in the way
Software: getting the client web app to interact with the Arduino indirectly through the NodeJS server
What we learned
Hardware: CAD, 3D printing, Arduino hardware (stepper motor, servo) Software: Node.js, HTML, Arduino code
What's next for Nonchalant Nicholas
To continue this project, we would add voice activation, seasoning presets, and a manual operation mode. Additionally, we could expand the project's use to dispense other items like snacks, medicine, and drinks.
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