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Serv O'Beer with iPhone for the Perfect Pour

intro
step 1
step 2
step 3
step 4
step 5
step 6
step 7
 

introServ O'Beer with iPhone for the Perfect Pour

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).


Serv OBeer with iPhone for the Perfect Pour
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step 1Construct Contrux Platform

Using Construx, create a platform that will hold the weight of a bottle of beer (soda works, but does not have the same aftereffect).


step 2Enclose Servo

Enclose servo to keep the servo from turning as it torques the beer holder.


step 3Perform "Dry" Run

While near the kitchen sink perform a "dry" run with water (no beer was harmed during the testing) and find the pivot points.


step 4Connect and Calibrate Servos

Connect the servo to the ioBridge servo module. Calibrate using the module page to find the positions of the servo for the start of the pour and the end of the pour. You wi…


step 5Setup HTML and JavaScript

On an empty HTML file, copy the servo widgets into the file. Add the orientation code from ioBridge's iTurn library to allow the iPhone to cause the widgets to execute depe…


step 6Perform Calibration of Servo Positions and Speed

Under the full weight of a bottle of "water" (no beer wasting is my credo) recalibrate the positions and servo speed. Go ahead and do a test pour. I had some towels handy, …


step 7Pour Beer (It's go time)

It's time for the perfect pour. Load up a new bottle of beer (or another tasty beverage of your choosing). Make sure to enjoy the perfect pour with Serv O'Beer after turnin…


26 comments
Apr 14, 2009. 5:09 PMPyroManiac96 says:
Lol i saw this in my popular science magazine, gotta make one of these :P
Mar 15, 2009. 2:12 PMdknutson says:
Great! I saw your story in PopSci, and had to see this. Im going to try this with my iPod touch 2G..
Jan 11, 2009. 4:22 PMt0mbutler says:
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
Jan 19, 2009. 7:51 PMpolymythic (author) says:
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.
Jan 19, 2009. 3:53 AMeranox says:
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.
Jan 19, 2009. 7:49 PMpolymythic (author) says:
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!

Jan 8, 2009. 1:16 PMmytearsrblood says:
pour***lol misspelled XD
Jan 8, 2009. 1:15 PMmytearsrblood says:
i tried to teach my dog to poor my beer! it didn't work at all.... lol
Jan 3, 2009. 5:36 PMyoghurtsniffer says:
Cool yet pointless idea..

But thanks for bring ing my attenttion to the IO Bridge...I think it might be what i am looking for to make my house automated..i'm not sure it looks like a step in the right direction..thanks

Jan 5, 2009. 4:32 PMpolymythic (author) says:
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.
Jan 7, 2009. 12:43 AMyoghurtsniffer says:
yeah i got an arduino and am currently working on making a electric gate opening system with it.

Once i figure it all out i might make an instructable on it. Or i might not...I will see
Jan 3, 2009. 11:44 AMAnarchistAsian says:
Hey, what's with the target in the backround?
Jan 5, 2009. 4:31 PMpolymythic (author) says:
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!
Jan 5, 2009. 6:43 PMAnarchistAsian says:
ha ha, ok i see...
Jan 4, 2009. 5:35 AMSWANKIM says:
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..
Jan 5, 2009. 4:34 PMpolymythic (author) says:
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.
Jan 2, 2009. 1:13 PMwhatsisface says:
Cool stuff! Looks a little foamy though, maybe tilt the glass?
Jan 2, 2009. 1:38 PMbumpus says:
Its got more head than a prostitute.
Jan 3, 2009. 5:25 PMyoghurtsniffer says:
hahaha lol
Jan 3, 2009. 11:43 AMAnarchistAsian says:
tehehehehehehehhehehahahahahahahahahahhaha
Jan 2, 2009. 1:40 PMwhatsisface says:
Oh dear.

That was excellent

Jan 3, 2009. 1:42 PMomnibot says:
*lol*
Has anyone ever told you you have way to much free time?
Jan 3, 2009. 12:25 PMguitarman63mm says:
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?
Jan 3, 2009. 11:02 AMfirefletcher says:
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 !
Jan 2, 2009. 4:07 PMthecapacity says:
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!
Jan 2, 2009. 1:38 PMbumpus says:
I saw this on Hack-a-day!
:D

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