Simply place your cup on any of its five locations and a pre-programmed recipe will begin dispensing.
If you plan on hosting a holiday party in the coming weeks and anticipate a decently-sized turnout, you may want to check out this project from Alex Bucella. The Wake Forest University student has developed an drink-making robot that’s capable of dispensing up to five different cocktails at the same time.
RumBot is equipped with a set of five reflective optical sensors, each represented by a different drink. Whenever a cup is placed on one of these sensors, the machine is triggered and a pre-programmed recipe begins dispensing the beverage of choice into your mug in as little as three seconds.
Drink selection is handled by an Arduino Uno (ATmega328), which communicates via simple digital I/O with an all-in-one servo motor. This moves the nozzle into place, and then controls the on-time of five pumps to begin pouring the cocktail. RumBot’s frame is comprised of wood and several 3D-printed plastic parts.
One of its most notable features, however, is the strength knob in the top righthand corner. This old-fashioned interface allows you to select the alcohol level of a particular drink — from “virgin” (none) to “lightweight” to “problem” (you’ll probably need a DD). Any recipe can be accommodated, too.
The source code is written to dispense a variety of mixes, including a Hurricane, a Daiquiri, a Bolo Lemon, a Bolo Lime and Bucella’s special concoction. Impressively, the Maker estimates that this nifty device could keep a party of 100-plus people going without anyone having to wait in line.
Intrigued? Head over to the 2014 Hackaday Prize quarterfinalist’s page here, or watch the Maker provide an overview of the project below.
Atmel | Bits & Pieces 