See me at Maker Faire!

Contraptions and Props

The Elixirator

This is a machine for dispensing drinks with a Steampunk flair. A Picaxe microcontroller is the brain for the machine.

Many of the parts that decorate the box were found at local thrift stores.  A good way to recycle.

I wanted to give the machine a look that it was built during the Victorian Era using advanced technology of the future.

Elixirator won the bronze medal at Robogames 2012 Bartending Robot Competition during the Builders Party.

                                                             



Many of the parts on the outside of the box came from this old lamp.




Near the top is a Plasma Globe (video) and toward the right is a Nixie tube to indicate drink selection.
In the center is a meter with the words "tritium" and the 3 control buttons are toward the right.
The side panels with the illusions are removable for transport.
Both the front panel and top are hinged for access.




Different beverages are stored in four bottles inside the machine.
 Solenoid valves are used to release the contents into a funnel, then into a glass.
Under program control from the Picaxe, different combination of ingredients are delivered.
The bottles are stoppered and have airlines from an aquarium pump to pressurize the bottles.
The various items on the sides serve no purpose except to give the illusion of advanced technology.

  

To give the illusion of flames coming out of a box, a silk "flame" is illuminated with red leds and blown with a fan.

Yellow flicker leds inside the box cast flickering effects on the screen mounted on the front door of the flaming box.

The plastic crystals in the glass tube are illuminated with color-changing RGB leds. Video

A closeup movie of the flame can be seen at my Youtube channel.



Close-up of the "boiler" Color changing leds are mounted inside.




The Picaxe controller and other support electronics for the Elixirator.




The final place were the drink is delivered.



Elixirator at Barbots 2012



Elixirator at the Obtainium Works Grand Opening.



The Elixirator at Maker Faire 2012 (Time-Lapse Video)


Schematic
Drinkbot.pdf

Program
Elixirator4.bas

Links:
    Instructable: Building a Drinkbot, The Elixirator
    Make Magazine
    Flickr, Mayhem's Set
    Flickr, Spaceman Spiffy's Set
    Flickr, Brian Jepson's set
    Doctor Fantastique's Blog on the Elixirator

My Other Contraptions and Props
Steampunk Raygun
"Don't Open Till Doomsday"
Nixie Clock
Mayan Clock with "Predator Numerals"
Medical Scanner
Sparky
Nixie Tube Oil Lamp

     My other Robots and Projects