I'm a complete newbie - in basic electronics, arduino, coding, all. but am currently taking a class and would like to get some general advice. I'm specifically looking for components I may need, things I should know/read, where to start etc. My ultimate goal is to finish this class project and I have about 5-6 weeks.
My idea is to make a smart coaster to measure the weight of a glass of wine, then store the data. If the weight goes below the threshold, sends it to the bottle it was poured from (expected to tie a receiver of some sort to get the signal). This will be the barebone version. What I think I also need is a reset button on the coaster. I'm also thinking of a way to capture fingers tap as an input. The receiving end can be an LED or sound output.
A stretch goal is to use LCDs as well. Either on the bottle where it displays which glass is sending the signal (say, the glasses are numbered), or on the coaster itself. If it is on the coaster, another wild idea is to eventually make this a drinking game device where two smart coasters can communicate with each other and play a simple game.
I might be too far ahead of myself, but appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!
yellowcurry:
I'm a complete newbie - in basic electronics, arduino, coding, all. but am currently taking a class and would like to get some general advice. I'm specifically looking for components I may need, things I should know/read, where to start etc. My ultimate goal is to finish this class project and I have about 5-6 weeks.
Depending on the time (hours) available to you, I believe this may be too ambitious.
My idea is to make a smart coaster to measure the weight of a glass of wine, then store the data. If the weight goes below the threshold,
That will happen every time the drinker picks up the glass to drink from it.
sends it to the bottle it was poured from (expected to tie a receiver of some sort to get the signal).
Sends what? The glass, the coaster or the weight? How will the coaster know which bottle the glass was filled from?
This will be the barebone version. What I think I also need is a reset button on the coaster.
You'll also need some way of knowing if the glass has been picked up.
I'm also thinking of a way to capture fingers tap as an input.
To do what?
What is the purpose of the smart coaster? An attentive wine waiter will know when a refill is needed.
I think you need to thoroughly think this through before going any further.
"That will happen every time the drinker picks up the glass to drink from it."
can i not send it just the first time it weights under 50%? assuming it will first store the value of 4oz, and if it remains, no action. if it goes to 2oz or less, send a beep to the receiving end and light up the LED on the bottle (expecting a little belt to wrap around it).
"Sends what? The glass, the coaster or the weight?
sends a signal to the receiving end so the LED on the bottle will light up
"How will the coaster know which bottle the glass was filled from?"
it won't. assumption is that once the wine is poured, the user sets up the coaster by hitting a button (or pairing it if it can be that sophisticated).
"What is the purpose of the smart coaster? An attentive wine waiter will know when a refill is needed."
the use case is at home between a host and guests.
Hi, if you know the mass of an empty glass, then you can program in limits, only transmit that the glass needs refilling if the coaster detects a mass between and empty glass and a 1/4 full (optimist) glass.
If measured mass is less than empty glass, then the glass must have been picked up, so don't panic and call a waiter the glass will be back.
This would be good to measure how much someone has drunk.
We have liquor laws in Australia that makes it illegal to sell alcohol to a drunk person, but it happens.
This way the waiter will know how much has been drunk in any period and know when the customer is drunk.
Hang on that won't work, the hotel association will boycott it because it means they will sell less alcohol.
TomGeorge:
Hi, if you know the mass of an empty glass, then you can program in limits, only transmit that the glass needs refilling if the coaster detects a mass between and empty glass and a 1/4 full (optimist) glass.
If measured mass is less than empty glass, then the glass must have been picked up, so don't panic and call a waiter the glass will be back.
This would be good to measure how much someone has drunk.
We have liquor laws in Australia that makes it illegal to sell alcohol to a drunk person, but it happens.
This way the waiter will know how much has been drunk in any period and know when the customer is drunk.
Only if there are also scales on the chair. A 7 stone [98lbs] woman and a 20 stone [280lbs] man can consume vastly different amounts of alcohol before they're inebriateddrunk pissed as newts!
Also, how would the waiter know, from the coaster, if they've each drunk half a bottle of vodka before entering the establishment?
It reminds me of the idiocy of speed cameras. Yes, they reduce speed as claimed, but only for 50 yards before and 50 yards after the camera.
This would be good to measure how much someone has drunk
I agree there are lots human variables involved.
Roger I agree that size of the coaster and ID of the glass/drinker is a problem
Yellow you might have to integrate the scales with an RFID system into the top of the table, an area recessed into the table, and to be able to fit standard cardboard coasters on for advertising.
The idea will probably work in a restaurant type environment which would be more controlled than a pub or winebar type environment.
I think its doable for whatever reason you'd want to. I think you should try some nrf2401 modules there easy to use and may even run with an attiny44 or such. And u can use an uno on the server side with an I2c display they usually have a button pad to set bottle and coaster even guess at the user weight and more info about the alcohol even keeping a tab. SD can be used to log stuff.
This would be good to measure how much someone has drunk
You claimed that the waiter would know when the customer is drunk. I'm saying that that isn't possible, from the coaster alone. The waiter would still have to use their judgement, as they do now, to tell if the customer is drunk. I, therefore, see little advantage in the coaster for that purpose. There may be other purposes that the OP has in mind for it.
I agree there are lots human variables involved.
Variables that make it impossible for the waiter to tell, from the coaster alone, whether the customer is drunk.
It would be easier to have the coasters and bottles numbered, read data from coasters (some kind of pressure sensor..), then display data on a lcd placed near the bottles. This is do-able in the time frame you have.
but am currently taking a class and would like to get some general advice. I'm specifically looking for components I may need, things I should know/read, where to start etc. My ultimate goal is to finish this class project and I have about 5-6 weeks.
and more info about the alcohol even keeping a tab. SD can be used to log stuff.