Introduction: Automatic Chia Seed Machine

By using the ultrasonic sensor, when the user’s had get close to a certain distance, chia seed will be out. In order to prohibit the waste of chia seed. The LED will remind the user if the light had shone, the user can take away the container.

Step 1: Materials Needed

Arduino Leonardo x1

Breadboard x1

LED (any color) x1

Jump wire x11

Servo Motor x1

Servo hardware x1

Ultrasonic sensor x1

Resistance x1

Plastic fork x1

MaleHeaders x7

2 boxes made up of cardboard (20.5x 7x 13.5 cm; 11x 7x 21 cm)

Plastic bottle (height: 15 cm, that can be fit into the box) x1

Construction paper x1

Rubberband x1

Scissor x1 Utility knife x1 Vise x1

Velcro ( hook: 1.5 cm& loops: 2.4 cm)

Glue (hot-melt adhesive, all-purpose adhesive)

Pen

Chia seed 5 teaspoon

Tape& double sided tape

3m hook

Metal string

Sponge (2 x 1cm)

Step 2: Circuit & Code

Step 3: Preparation Beforehand

  1. Take out the servo hardware, and cut it 5632
    • the servo hardware originally has both sides, only one side is needed for this project. Any side is fine!
  2. Take out the plastic fork, and cut it. Only the handle is needed 5634
    • the plastic fork can be replaced by any other object if it is hard and sustainable to stick with the hardware.
  3. Stick the hardware with a fork handle by all-purpose adhesive 5639
  4. Screw the hardware onto the servo motor
    • remember not to screw it too tight
  5. Follow the circuit diagram and plug everything into the relevant coordinate. 5726
  6. Cut a hole in the middle of construction paper (diameter about 0.7 cm), then use the rubber band to tie it onto the opening area of the plastic bottle. 5768
    • the hole can be any shape as long as the chia seeds are able to go through
  7. Cut the first part of the bottle and put it onto the hole. 5853, 5854
    • the bottle mouth in the example had a diameter of 2.5 cm, it is used to concentrate the path of chia seeds
  8. Stick a hook onto the wall and wait until it is stable 5850

Step 4: Boxes

  1. Take out the first box that had prepared, creates a hole (3x 2.5cm) approximately at the middle and the back (2x 2cm). 5904, 5909
  2. Take out the second box that had prepared, creates two parallel holes (3x 2.5cm) approximately at the middle. 5905, 5656, 5657
  3. Stick Arduino board and breadboard on to the second box. 5906, 5655, 5658, 5659
    • to stick these board onto the box, the all-purpose adhesive would be the most stable. however, if you will be taking it down, the double-sided tape would be easier to take it down.
  4. Take out the first box and metal string. Use the utility knife to cut a shape of + and thorn the metal string into the box at 10.5 & 4.5 cm. 5651, 5652, 5653, 5654, 5822
    • this step is to make a shelf for the bottle. thus you can estimate the length of the metal string needed. remember left more string at first, then it would easier to adjust later.
  5. Take out velcro and cut down with measurement of hook: 1.5 cm& loops: 2.4 cm. And stick it on the first box.
    • this is the opener for adding chia seeds into the bottle.
  6. Cut another hole (2x 4.5 cm) for ultrasonic sensor, then pin LED on the top of the hole. 5907, 5740 5741, 5742

Step 5: Combining Everything

  1. Put the plastic bottle in, and estimate it whether it could be fit into the hole, then take it out. 5648, 5849
    • If it can’t, then find the other one that can fit in
    • the bottom would look something in 5823
  2. Use all-purpose adhesive to stick the servo motor to the floor of the second box. 5908
  3. Use all-purpose adhesive to stick two boxes together. The first box is at the top and the second box is at the bottom of 5847
  4. Put the first part of the bottle into the hole that had cut on the second box. 5848
  5. You may decorate the machine to make it look better.

Step 6: Finished Product

After you pour chia seeds into the bottle and plug on the electricity, then you can start your test!