Serv O'Beer with iPhone for the Perfect Pour

 by polymythic
Featured
IMG_7368.JPG
With New Years fast approaching, I wanted to make a project that allows for the perfect pour and take out all of that physical work. Using Construx as the mechanical platform, a servo driving the action, and ioBridge controlling the system, I was able to achieve the perfect pour controlled with the turning of my iPhone (using the accelerometer feedback).


 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Construct Contrux Platform

IMG_7350.JPG
Using Construx, create a platform that will hold the weight of a bottle of beer (soda works, but does not have the same aftereffect).
tjfagan says: Feb 4, 2010. 1:18 PM

Great Project!

I have a few questions. I would like to control a robot with an IPhone. I know very little about robots or iphone apps. Is this possible using the IO bridge, and if so can you shead some light onto how I can achieve this?

Thanks in advance,

Terence

PyroManiac96 says: Apr 14, 2009. 5:09 PM
Lol i saw this in my popular science magazine, gotta make one of these :P
dknutson says: Mar 15, 2009. 2:12 PM
Great! I saw your story in PopSci, and had to see this. Im going to try this with my iPod touch 2G..
t0mbutler says: Jan 11, 2009. 4:22 PM
good stuff, you should build a stand to angle the empty glass, that way you wont have a glass of foam but a real beer instead
polymythic (author) in reply to t0mbutlerJan 19, 2009. 7:51 PM
A great suggestion, and again the "perfect pour" it is not. A bit tongue-in-cheek there. Once my other servos get freed up from other projects, I just may have to implement that scheme and virtually pour you a cold one.
eranox says: Jan 19, 2009. 3:53 AM
Irrelevant to the project, but thank you for drinking real beer. Anyway, this is awesome. I'm sure Steve Jobs and Tim Wozniak are in a basement in an undisclosed location weeping softly. If I ever perfect my Lego Mindstorms get-me-a-beer-o-tron 6000, we're going to have to compare notes.
polymythic (author) in reply to eranoxJan 19, 2009. 7:49 PM
I think you'll be able to do a great job with Legos. I saw another post with a very smooth pouring rig. I have also done some more tinkering to get mine improved a bit. Perhaps you can up the ante with a 40 oz. pouring machine? Yes, we'll have to pour a little out too. Good luck!
mytearsrblood says: Jan 8, 2009. 1:16 PM
pour***lol misspelled XD
mytearsrblood says: Jan 8, 2009. 1:15 PM
i tried to teach my dog to poor my beer! it didn't work at all.... lol
AnarchistAsian says: Jan 3, 2009. 11:44 AM
Hey, what's with the target in the backround?
polymythic (author) in reply to AnarchistAsianJan 5, 2009. 4:31 PM
Another Construx project I am working on at the moment. Just trying to make good use of a giant bin I had as a kid!
AnarchistAsian in reply to polymythicJan 5, 2009. 6:43 PM
ha ha, ok i see...
SWANKIM says: Jan 4, 2009. 5:35 AM
I'd say that this is a very very creative project that i cant wait to try..Do u have any expertise in robotics coz i am quite fascinated by Physics but at the moment lack some expertise in several fields..
polymythic (author) in reply to SWANKIMJan 5, 2009. 4:34 PM
I took a robotics course in college, but playing with Construx as a kid was the real classroom. With mechanical, like anything else, just guess and test. Had to with the weight of the bottle as well.
DELETED_yoghurtsniffer says: Jan 3, 2009. 5:36 PM
(removed by author or community request)
polymythic (author) in reply to DELETED_yoghurtsnifferJan 5, 2009. 4:32 PM
Yeah, I have a couple arduinos (which are cool if you don't have one you should check 'em out) and an IO Bridge. Lots of cool stuff you can do. Good luck and I'll look forward to your posts.
omnibot says: Jan 3, 2009. 1:42 PM
*lol* Has anyone ever told you you have way to much free time?
guitarman63mm says: Jan 3, 2009. 12:25 PM
Quite a bit of head on that! I would definitely find a way to tilt the glass, maybe make the mechanism closer to minimize the amount of air introduced?
whatsisface says: Jan 2, 2009. 1:13 PM
Cool stuff! Looks a little foamy though, maybe tilt the glass?
bumpus in reply to whatsisfaceJan 2, 2009. 1:38 PM
Its got more head than a prostitute.
AnarchistAsian in reply to bumpusJan 3, 2009. 11:43 AM
tehehehehehehehhehehahahahahahahahahahhaha
whatsisface in reply to bumpusJan 2, 2009. 1:40 PM
Oh dear.

That was excellent
firefletcher says: Jan 3, 2009. 11:02 AM
great! but maybe you could make it more sensitive so that it will give you less of a head. the accelorometers in the iphone are very sensitive so that is not a problem it is just the servo has to work quite hard. keep trying thought i bet you can crack it !
thecapacity says: Jan 2, 2009. 4:07 PM
I agree with whatsisface, and it seems like two servos could be fairly easily coordinated to do a "tipping pour". I'd also imagine that the volume could be due to the IPA. They're usually strong boddied and generally served warm (they survived the boat ride to India after all). Maybe with a different beer or a little tuning on the mechanics and you wouldn't even have to worry about it!
bumpus says: Jan 2, 2009. 1:38 PM
I saw this on Hack-a-day! :D
Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

PDF Downloads
As a Pro member, you will gain access to download any Instructable in the PDF format. You also have the ability to customize your PDF download.

Upgrade to Pro today!