It didn’t make it in the final design, but I still want to add this later.Īfter some feedback, Jim refined his sketch into a more concrete blueprint I could start basing my dimensions on. I also had an idea that I’d have an animatronic head that looked at customers as they approached to give them a sense of an added layer of security they had to overcome. I told him my concept, and some technical details like the number of pumps (7 at the time), the size of the screen, and the rough dimensions I’d be working with. For this machine, I did this right out the outset, and it was invaluable in helping to guide design choices every step along the way. If you want to stand out at an event like this, outsource some help to define how your project should look. If a project is both beautiful and well-engineered, it’s most often the result of a group effort where at least one person was tasked with making sure the end result would photograph well. Having attended many of these events (and more Maker Faires than I can count) I don't think it's controversial to say that many engineers have a blindspot for aesthetics. If popularity is a factor in winning the competition, I needed a better looking machine, and I needed help to make that happen. The other thing I learned from my first cocktail machine is that no matter how great your drink tastes, what people remember most is how your machine looked and the experience of using it. But once I got used to its quirks and limitations, I stuck with it because it was familiar. In hindsight, I’m not sure I would recommend it for others. When I learned about the Raspberry Pi-based Hello Drinkbot project by Rich Gibson, I jumped in with both feet. For another spin on a 1-pump machine, check out Anouk Wipprecht’s Cocktail Dress.Īfter creating my 1-pump machine for my first year competing in the Grand Challenge, I knew I wanted to move up to a multi-pump system so that I could offer more drink options and let the machine do all the mixing work. For something more challenging, there are plenty of instructions for multi-pump systems to try on online, including the PiMixMakr, and Arduino Uno Drinkbot Bartender by Ted Kinsman. My first machine was based on this 1-pump design by John Park. With a little code to determine how long the motors run, along with some buttons for the user to press, and some creative design, you’ve got yourself a cocktail machine. You pair up your pumps with a micro-controller of some kind (Arduino typically) and some kind of motor breakout board to help drive the 12v motors when they get directions from the micro-controller. ![]() 12v peristaltic pumps like the one shown here are common and affordable option, though I’ve also seen people use submersible pumps like these for quickly moving juices or thicker, chunkier stuff you don’t want getting clogged in a tube (though I can’t vouch for them being “food grade”). Typically, the most reliable way to move fluid is a pump. If you’re crazy or stupid enough to remake this particular cocktail machine, here’s what you’ll need:Īll you need to build a cocktail machine is a way to automatically move fluid from one location (bottle or mix) into another (a cup, or sometimes right into someone’s mouth). I figured, at least it’ll make a good Instructable! So here we are. But by the time I heard about the cancellation, I was too deep into this build to give up. ![]() ![]() Sadly, this year it was canceled for COVID. It’s like a Maker Faire without the kids, where every exhibit dispenses alcohol. This machine was my second entry into the Cocktail Robotics Grand Challenge, an annual event in San Francisco where machines are judged on their ingenuity, popularity, and the quality of their drinks. That’s the concept behind the VK-01 off-world bartender, my Blade Runner-inspired cocktail machine. If you can make it past its security system, you’ll be drinking like an outer space aristocrat. Lucky for you, one of those robot bartenders never made it off-world. ![]() People say the best drinks are made in the off-world colonies, by robot bartenders programmed only to serve the elite. The year is 2040, and you could use a good drink.
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