Our team was tasked with creating a custom vending machine for Penn State’s makerspace, The Learning Factory. The objective of the vending machine is to increase student participation by incentivizing visits to The Learning Factory. Considering that students are required to swipe their cards to register to be able to work in the makerspace, our team got the idea that the students would be able to earn points which could be used to purchase items in the vending machine. The points system is seamlessly integrated with PSU id+ cards, while our custom software efficiently monitors points accumulation and manages transactions through the vending machine’s POS terminal.
- Design Team:
- Oversaw the overall functionality, aesthetics, and usability of the vending machine.
- Conducted user testing to refine the outward appearance and ensure a user-friendly experience.
- Developed the GUI (Graphical User Interface) for the vending machine.
- Considered environmental design and adherence to regulations, ensuring a safe and compliant machine.
- Hardware Team (The team I worked):
- Performed physical modifications on the vending machine to accommodate the new features.
- Managed item placement and dispensing mechanisms to ensure smooth and reliable operations.
- Collaborated with the design team to integrate components effectively.
- Electrical Team:
- Created the electrical system for the vending machine.
- Utilized custom Arduino setups to wire the motors and other components.
- Integrated the electrical system with a Raspberry Pi, which handled communications using custom software.
- Software Team:
- Developed the custom software that powers the vending machine.
- Enabled the GUI to work with PSU id+ cards for user identification.
- Established a communication protocol with the website that tracks point accumulation and transactions.
- Programmed the interface to communicate with the motors for item dispensing.
