The Star Wars Jedi Vending Machine
The Challenge
This project was done in response to the prompt Intel's Perceptual Computing Lab gave us. The challenge was to use the Perceptual Computing Camera and create a concept.
We brainstormed different ideas but we had a common focus. We decided to move away from the screen. Most of the concepts made around 3D input sensors are made to do something in the 2 dimensional restricted world of the screen. As a result, we decided to build the Jedi Vending Machine.
The Concept
This is a vending machine from the future which makes you a Jedi. All you need is the force and you can vend items from the vending machine. You can point an item in the vending machine with your hand and then try to grab the item and apply force and the item will come to you.
The vending machine is made using the Intel Perceptual Camera and an Arduino. The camera detects your hand and where it is pointing, and based on its position, it lights up that particular section. As you close your hand for some time, once it is pointing to a section in the vending machine, it shoots the item to you. The camera detects the position of your hand and how open it is, and based on that, the arduino lights up a particular section and triggers the valve of the pneumatic air cannon which releases air at high pressure and shoot the item to you.
This experience of using a natural user interface beyond the screen is more entertaining and creates an out of the box interaction.
We think that a concept like this can be very useful in movie theaters attracting people to vend items and also improving business of the vending machine. For a common person, such an experience will be refreshing and exciting.
What's Inside
The Process
We used several brainstorming techniques to generate ideas which can be done with the 3D camera Intel gave us. Finally we narrowed down on vending machines, car system control and remote surgery. We finally selected Vending Machines
Ideation
Concepting
We generated several concepts of the vending machine and got a general idea on what we have to make and build to make the Jedi vending machine possible and what are the things we need.
Research
We observed people using traditional vending machines and did some exemplar research on some already existing vending machines which were cool.
Prototyping
We built the final prototype with an old shoe rack a custom made light panel and circuit board and a custon built pneumatic air cannon operated using an arduino. The camera side of the programming was done in processing and the communication betwwen Arduino and processing was done using the serial port.
Result
Our team won the first prize for the project form the Intel's Perceptual Computing Lab. Later, Intel bought out working prototype for using it for demonstration purposes in conferences.
My Contribution
I helped ideating the concept and sketching its form. I did all the programing for the vending machine in Processing and Arduino IDE to use the Perceptual Camera to detect the hand position and the using the Arduino to light up specific sections of the vending machine and then triggering the valve of the pneumatic air cannon. I also helped constructing the all the circuits required, pneumatic air cannon, and the exterior of the vending machine giving it its final form.