Introduction: Untie Your Shoes - Rube Goldberg Machine With CPX

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Our final project presents an "easy" solution to the everyday problem of being unable to untie one's shoes upon arrival at home. Fortunately, our application serves as a savior in this predicament.

To use it, simply launch the app on your mobile device, connect the clips to your shoelace, and press the "Untie My Shoes" button.

The CPX will then be activated with a distinctive sound and a servo movement, initiating a chain reaction of events in the style of a Rube Goldberg machine.

During the sequence, a calendar event will be generated on Google Calendar, and email notifications will be dispatched to your friends to notify them of your progress in untying your shoes.

Furthermore, one of the events entails the dispensing of a treat for the dog, a phone notification will be sent to your family members to inform them if your dog has consumed his treat.

Once the events have been completed, your shoelaces will be untied, relieving your feet from the restriction of their footwear."

**No animals were harmed

**Attached below this section is the workflow for the project run.

Attachments

Supplies

General:

  • Make.com Account
  • Blynk.cloud Account
  • Arduino Software
  • Integromat Mobile App

Hardware:

  • CPX (Adafruit Playground Express)
  • ESP8266 (Wi-Fi microchip)
  • Power supply
  • 3 colored wires
  • Micro Servo 9g - SG90
  • Spray straw

Possible:

  • Speaker + 2 wires

Rube Goldberg machine:

  • Domino pieces
  • Various boxes
  • Duct tape
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Aluminum Foil ball (or other small ball)
  • Tennis ball
  • Scissors
  • Dog Treats
  • Rope
  • A dog (or a very well trained cat)

Step 1: Connect the CPX to ESP8266

The ESP8266 is an low-cost microchip that provides Wi-Fi connectivity and includes built-in TCP/IP networking software. By connecting the CPX as shown in the picture above, the CPX can now connect to Wi-Fi. This capability allows for wireless communication and the exchange of data between devices.

Step 2: Connect the Servo

1. Attach the spray straw to extend the servo leverage

2. Connect the servo to the CPX

One side:

Connect 3 wires to the servo :

  • Brown to black
  • Red to red
  • Orange to Yellow

Second side:

Connect the CPX to a power supply and connect the 3 wires from the servo

  • Black to GND pin
  • Red to 3.3V pin
  • Yellow to A2 pin

Step 3: Connect Your Speaker

Connect your speaker to enhance the clarity of the output sound

Connect 2 wires:

  • Aux SLEEVE to A0
  • Aux RING to GND

Step 4: Write the Code and Connect to Blynk App

In the following code, several functionalities were incorporated:

  • The servo movement was activated through the Blynk application
  • The CPX 10 NeoPixels exhibit fading green light until a button is pressed in the app
  • The CPX emitted sound based on the Blynk app's commands
  • The Blynk app was connected to Make (formerly known as Integromat) functions using webhooks.

To initiate the process of untying one's shoes, simply press the button within the app. Upon activation, a command is transmitted to the CPX:

  • The CPX, who is connected to JBL speaker, outputs the sound "READY! 3... 2... 1... START!"
  • The servo commences movement, initiating the sequential operations of the Rube Goldberg machine
  • The integration between the application and the system allows for the creation of a calendar event on Google Calendar, which records the current time at which you untied your shoes
  • A email notification is dispatched to inform your associates that you are in the process of untying your shoes." "”I am going to untie my shoelaces!!! HURRAY!!!”

Attachments

Step 5: Add Additional CPX to the Chain of Events

Subsequently, a subsequent event in the sequence involves the dispensing of a treat for Luka the dog. Upon completion of the procedure, a treat will be deposited into Luka's bed. As Luka retrieves the treat, he will obscure the Light sensor of the CPX, triggering the Make hock to send a phone notification to inform the family members of his activity of eating.

Step 6: Creating the Rube Goldberg Machine

We wanted to use physics and gravity rules in order to help us reach our final goal - to untie the shoelace!

First, we placed the servo on top of the stairs. Then, after it is initialized, it will knock the tennis ball down.

Then we used the boxes, duct tape, aluminum foil and domino pieces and placed them in positions such that in the end - the dog's treat will fall right into the dog's bed -> so that the final chain reaction will take place. We encourage you to try and find out how to use your current space to your advantage in creating the perfect Rube Goldberg machine for you!

Once the treat falls into the dog bed - Luca, the dog, do as all dog does and run towards it to eat it. What Luca doesn't know is that when he moves - he pulls the rope which we tied one side of it to him - and the other side to our shoelace - and then he opens the shoelace for us!

Step 7: Post Untying

After the machine is ending and the shoelace is untied - we send a notification that the dog has eaten, and we also get to notified people (whoever we wish) via email that we were successful and untied our shoes!

Furthermore, of course we added the shoelace untying to our google calendar - it is a very important event!


We hope your friends will be as happy to hear that as ours are!