Personal Accomplishments

• • Built the circuitry for the electronic solenoid valve and programmed it to iteratively turn on and off
    • Link to video showing valve turning on and off (sound) and circuitry:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYyzbUCx6jC4d_3jghCyST_yZ1O_LXlZ/view?usp=drive_link
  • Drilled holes and attached the tubes to sample bottles to determine appropriate containers to hold our liquids
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  • Mapped Arduino pins to ingredients on the website (fixed for now) so we can scale out and control different valves for different drinks.
    • Link to function where communication between arduino and website occurs: https://github.com/aakinci32/barbelt/blob/dbc9e541826464d9527ecb484b8c9c31bc788d3a/BarBelt/arduino.py#L4
    • Link to mappings: https://github.com/aakinci32/barbelt/blob/dbc9e541826464d9527ecb484b8c9c31bc788d3a/BarBelt/constants.py#L1
  • Tested/Demo flow rate for 1/4 inch diameter tubing (deemed appropriate) to control precise volume of liquid
    • Link to Video showing demo of water flowing in increments through valve:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1URmfodUijLGzlicqquvTk_xCvq1XVxGO/view?usp=drive_link

 

Next Week Deliverables

• Scale out to about 5 or 6 drinks using solenoid valves and the appropriate tubing and bottles.
• Figure out how to elevate the wheel holding the bottles to ensure downward flow while ensuring the electronic circuitry is secure
• Map out and experiment time valve is open to volume of liquid dispensed in order to program amount in mL user wants to time valve should stay open

Status Report: On Schedule

Personal Accomplishments

Personal Accomplishments

• Reviewed and edited the Design Document with the appropriate schematics of valve attachement and connection to arduino
• Designed the circuitry for the connection between the Arduino and the solenoid valves
• Built the initial setup of tubing connection to appropriate solenoid valves and began planning out types of drinks and bottle sizes
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Next Week Deliverables

• Gather all of the parts needed for the circuit (including potentiometer, capacitors, motor driver) and begin testing different values for them respectively
• Buy appropriate drink containers and attach tubing to them
• Begin testing electronic valve openings and liquid control flow for different values

Status Report: On Schedule

Personal Accomplishments

• Completed construction of robotic arm and experimented with its functionality to be independently controlled
• Helped go over the design report document submission
• Helped with verifying circuit designs of the components
• Begin writing Arduino control code for 12V valve control

Next Week Deliverables

• Construct stirring mechanism
• Finish and test control code for the valves and robotic arm to begin testing individual parts and prepare for system integration.

Status Report: On Schedule

This week our team completed some major milestones in our project. We got the robot fully assembled and got some movement out of it established from the computer. We also got the garnish wheel mechanism connected to the motor for it and assembled the parts for the solenoid valve pipes. We also completed the 11 page Design Review Document. For the garnish wheel selection and the solenoid valves, we have the circuit drawn out for it so all we have to do is receive all of the parts to actually test and assemble it.

There were no changes to the initial plan from this past week as we are still working through the assembly phase. As we plan ahead of the actually integration of the parts, we believe that it is best to each take on our own part and then integrate it afterwards. Howard will be working on the robotic arm, Arda will be working on the garnish wheel and Rohan will be working on the solenoid valves.

Given our progress on this week, we have set ourselves up to make the individual circuits, established by the Arduino. This will lead us to integrate the individual parts soon.

Currently, we believe we are on schedule. We had to make a slight deviation in our plans considering some of our parts didn’t arrive in time and. That being said we accomplished some later goals (such as the Facial Recognition) to even us out.

 

Free Response

Part A (Written by Arda):

The Bar Belt system addresses a global need for automated beverage precision. With the increasing demand for automation in home entertainment and hospitality, our project provides a scalable solution that minimizes labor costs and optimizes each drink’s efficiency. Since it is a cloud based infrastructure, this will allow for easy updates and remote operation, which makes it adaptable to various markets beyond Pittsburgh, including urban centers, homes and any hospitality venue.

This project can be generalized to anyone who has access to internet. Since the project will be entirely automated, the user won’t have to do anything except input the drink that they would like to drink. The WebApp interface will be intuitive and clear so that anyone will be able to use it, engaging users with any level of computer expertise. By being scalable, sustainable, and accessible, Bar Belt is made to serve for a global market.

Part B (Written by Howard):

Our project is designed to be able to adapt to different cultural and social drinking traditions. For instance, while some cultures may emphasize the base ingredients used, some others may be more focused on getting a good ratio. To accommodate to these different approaches, our system allows for customized drink recipes, ingredient selections, and precise volume mixing, ensuring users can recreate drinks consistently that suit whichever cultural custom they have.

Additionally, our system can be expanded to non-alcoholic beverages and ingredients, expanding the scope for the amount of drinks that could be created and reaching a wider range of users who may not want alcoholic contents. By integrating a flexible recipe database and ingredient selection process, users can enjoy a variety of mixed drinks with ingredients that they are able to pick themselves. Our approach ensures that the system is not only functional but also culturally adaptable, making it suitable for a diverse range of social settings.

Part C: (Written by Rohan)

Our project is designed with environmental sustainability in mind by minimizing waste, conserving resources, and promoting eco-friendly practices. By precisely controlling liquid dispensing through solenoid valves, the system reduces spills and ingredient waste, ensuring efficient use of beverages and garnishes. The automated mixing mechanism eliminates the need for disposable stirrers, reducing plastic waste.

Personal Accomplishments

• Wrote the entire Design Document with the appropriate figures attached
• Built the parts for the garnish wheel selector with the motor attached
• Designed the circuit involving the motor

Next Week Deliverables

• Gather all of the parts needed for the circuit (including potentiometer, capacitors, motor driver)
• Have the circuit working with the motor moving

Status Report: On Schedule

This week, our team completed and presented during the design review, gathering feedback to refine our project further. We will be focusing on hardware integration, software communication, and system feasibility testing as we prepare for full assembly in the upcoming time.

On the hardware side, we finalized tubing size analysis and placed updated orders to ensure proper fluid flow. The robotic arm was assembled in preparation for integration, and we are beginning to plan the circuitry for solenoid valve control, and map connections for embedded system implementation. In parallel, we began researching how to integrate and power the various components properly and establish a smooth communication.

On the software side, we enhanced the Django WebApp, allowing users to select ingredients and mix drinks. We also established a communication channel between Python and Arduino to allow for result printing and system debugging.

As we prepare for assembly, a key challenge remains ensuring precise fluid control through the solenoid valves. To mitigate this, we compared several tubing sizes and materials and adaptors. Additionally, synchronizing the robotic arm with posing to grab the desired garnish could prove to be a hurdle, so we are working on its system control and integration  in parallel.

Next week, we will begin assembling a physical prototype, testing core components individually before automating the system. We will also finalize our circuit layout for embedded integration and complete the design review report for documentation. With these, we remain on schedule for software development, only slightly behind on physical system integration from the initial schedule due to receiving parts rather late.