Computer Controlled Coffee Machine

[Garethp]

Hey guys. I'm 17 and haven't taken a electronics course, so I'm a little unsure where to start on this. Basically I want to make a machine that connects to my PC which I can control through software. It's purpose will be to make coffee. Instant coffee. IE: Pour x amount of coffee powder into cup, then x amount of sugar, then x amount of water, then x amount of milk. When talking to my dad, he suggested some kind of motorized mechanism that I could control by regulating the output of power from a port on the PC. I was told that a serial port would be easiest, but I was thinking of using USB seeing as how it's more common (I'm not entirely sure that my PC has a serial port, if it has, I've never used it)

 

On another forum, I got this reply

 

The protocol is actually very simple, and even very simple microcontrollers can communicate on it - provided you know how to program a microcontroller.

 

For a drip coffee machine, all you need to control is a water heater. A simple DPST relay would suffice. Controlling one with a cheap microcontroller would be very simple. All drip coffee makers are built with a simple heat pipe - it pumps merely by heating water to boiling. The built-in electronics can be repurposed.

 

For a pressure machine (like an espresso or pod machine), controls are more complex, but for an automatic machine, you'd only need to hook into its main switch panel.

 

You could use a simple emulated serial port on (for example) an Arduino, or an ethernet adapter, to implement the already-existing RFC-2324 (HTCPCP) spec. (And, actually, if you do do this, it'll probably be the first actual implementation of HTCPCP.)

 

So I was wondering if you guys could help me by giving me links to resources that would help a newbie understand a few concepts, such as what a microcontroller is and how to program it, what a DPST relay is, what an Arduino is and how I could implement any of this (I'm a bit confused). I hope I'm not asking too much. It would just really help me if someone could point me in the right direction

[zq29]

So I was wondering if you guys could help me by giving me links to resources that would help a newbie understand a few concepts, such as what a microcontroller is and how to program it, what a DPST relay is, what an Arduino is and how I could implement any of this (I'm a bit confused). I hope I'm not asking too much. It would just really help me if someone could point me in the right direction

 

Sounds to me like you'd get better help on the forum that the above reply came from, or join an electronics forum. The questions you have asked can be answered with simple Google searches (What is a microcontroller?, What is a DPST relay? What is an Arduino?)

 

Though, I know enough about electronics to answer your basic questions: A microcontroller is generally a single IC that can be programmed to carry out specific instructions. A relay is basically an electronic switch that allows one circuit to control another, DPST stands for Double Pole Single Throw, which is pretty much two switches in one. An Arduino is a branded product used for prototyping.

[Mchl]

As far as Serial (RS-232) against USB choice - RS-232 is easier to program. An important factor if you have little experience with such things.

[oni-kun]

I'd be holy to watch this thread if I didn't enjoy instant coffee more than brewed, Maybe it's a good curse.

 

The project is fairly generic to others, It should be fun to do.

[Lamez]

Look up the Arduino. I used it to make a Rock, Paper, Scissors game. I have also seen it used to do what you are trying to do, on YouTube.