Beverage Monitor
We created a wireless device to affix to the bottom of a pitcher that alerts the wait staff when the pitcher is empty.
We used the a priori knowledge that when a pitcher is empty the pitcher’s bottom is perpendicular to the ground. By affixing an accelerometer to the bottom of a pitcher we can detect the angle of the bottom in relation to the ground. There is a direct correlation between the maximum angle the pitcher has reached and the volume still in the pitcher. We use this fact to monitor the pitcher’s volume through a wireless connection. The signal from the accelerometer is transmitted at 433MHz directly from the pitcher to the server station. The server station consists of an LCD and an array of control buttons that reset the meter, change the table number, and reset the pitcher count.
High Level Design
Our decision to create the beverage monitor for our project was due to a combination of factors. The stroke of genius came when Erin remembered hearing about a bar in Japan that implemented a system that alerted the wait staff of when an individual’s drink was empty. This appealed to us for 2 main reasons. Matt recalls many nights frequenting a local bar, The Royal Palms. All too often he was unable to locate a waitress and place an order before last call. His frustration along with Erin’s desire to create a potentially marketable and original project gave birth to the implementation of the beverage monitor.
Link: http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/e...rageMonitor.htm
We created a wireless device to affix to the bottom of a pitcher that alerts the wait staff when the pitcher is empty.
We used the a priori knowledge that when a pitcher is empty the pitcher’s bottom is perpendicular to the ground. By affixing an accelerometer to the bottom of a pitcher we can detect the angle of the bottom in relation to the ground. There is a direct correlation between the maximum angle the pitcher has reached and the volume still in the pitcher. We use this fact to monitor the pitcher’s volume through a wireless connection. The signal from the accelerometer is transmitted at 433MHz directly from the pitcher to the server station. The server station consists of an LCD and an array of control buttons that reset the meter, change the table number, and reset the pitcher count.
High Level Design
Our decision to create the beverage monitor for our project was due to a combination of factors. The stroke of genius came when Erin remembered hearing about a bar in Japan that implemented a system that alerted the wait staff of when an individual’s drink was empty. This appealed to us for 2 main reasons. Matt recalls many nights frequenting a local bar, The Royal Palms. All too often he was unable to locate a waitress and place an order before last call. His frustration along with Erin’s desire to create a potentially marketable and original project gave birth to the implementation of the beverage monitor.
Link: http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/e...rageMonitor.htm