Wojtek @suda Siudzinski


Python/Node/Golang/Rust developer, DIY hacker, rookie designer, 3D print junkie. CEO @ Gaia Charge


Spark Core powered automatic pill dispenser

Last weekend @chojnac and I, went to PayPal's Battle Hack 2014 Warsaw. Our hack was a hardware pill dispenser using two servos and a Spark Core.

Construction

Dispenser is made out of 4 plates:

Plates

First plate (from the top)

Glued with four tubes acts as pills storage and feeder. It doesn't move and is attached to upper servo.

Second plate (AKA lock layer)

Mounted thru first plate to servo, allows selecting correct pill while third plate is moving

Third plate (AKA transport layer)

Mounted thru fourth plate to lower servo, moves selected pill to drop position. Its height is slightly more than pill's height to take only one pill. Our design has height for one M&M ;)

Fourth plate

Attached to bottom, has only one hole: in "zero" position, which is on the left of all upper holes and it's where selected pill is dropped.

How does it work

In "zero" position, all moving layers have their holes on the left where are no feeding holes.

When pill is selected their movement is following:

  1. Move lock layer to pill's position
  2. Move transport layer to pill's position
  3. Move transport layer to zero position
  4. Move lock layer to zero position

Software

Code which controlls the dispenser, uses Spark Cloud so it can be remotly tiggered via command line, web interface or dedicated iOS app.

To flash Core with code, use Build tool or Atom plugin for local development.

BOM

3D Printed elements

Materials

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