Re: Looking for serious collaborators for Coffee Machine project

[Sameer]

Have you seen Blossom?

http://www.blossomcoffee.com/

On Wednesday, August 15, 2012 1:04:58 PM UTC-4, Anthony Ortiz wrote:

Hello everyone!

I am looking for serious collaborators on a project that promises to do to the Coffee Machine industry what Steve Jobs did to the smartphone industry. The coffee industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but the current crop of machines are grossly overpriced and/or ecologically irresponsible. A barista machine capable of delivering a fine cup of coffee costs a whopping $11,000 and up, while less-expensive consumer-level devices deliver mediocre quality and use disposable coffee containers that add to our planets' waste management problems. Add to this the fact that our coffee machines aren't smart enough to have a cup of joe ready for us when we wake up in the morning, or unable to brew a cup at my command to my exact specifications as one would see in Star Trek. We have the ability to do all this, we just haven't bothered to put all the technology together to make it happen!

My idea is to form a group of serious equal-minded people who as a whole have the skillset necessary to create a Coffee Machine that has the following capabilities :

Basic components
================

1) Heat water to an exact temperature via a PID (proportional integral derivative) controller.
2) Precisely control "dwell-time" (ie. how long coffee grounds are in contact with water)
3) Separate the grounds from the water via a French-press, Vacuum Pot, or hybrid method.
4) Pour coffee into (non-disposable) cup.

Additional components
=====================

1) A miniature steam-pressure washer component that can clean a cup; just like you see done in restaurants, a quick blast of high-pressure steam will clean any cup.
2) Carousel in which you can place a dirty cup and have it feed the washer; preferably non-mechanical (eg. gravity based).
3) Mechanism to feed a cup from available clean-cup-resevoir for pouring (again, preference for non-mechanical method).
4) Micro-controller + programming to make this all happen.
5) API for full-automation/remote-control capabilities.
6) WiFi for remote-control operation (via web browser, phone, etc...)

Optional (but worth-while if we've going this far)
==================================================
1) Miniature milk refrigeration unit.
2) Feeds that can supply milk/water from external source.
3) Pressurized-steam adapter (ie. able to make use of existing steam-pressure component used for washing) + wand for frothing the milk [expresso]
4) Tea support.
5) Sugar dispenser.
6) Lemon-juice dispenser.

I'm sure I've missed something, but this is enough to give you an idea of what I'm proposing. Now while this project may seem grandiose to some, what I've proposed isn't by any stretch of the imagination based on cutting edge technology; each individual component in and of itself is tried and true and used every single day without any thought given to it. It is the *integration* of all these pieces into a fool-proof consumer-ready device that's the challenge, just like the iPhone was an integration of components that were already readily available. There's nothing like this available ladies and gentlemen; we can be the first in revolutionzing cofee-making as we know it.

I am truly serious about this project and I'm willing to pay for any/all components necessary to make it happen. As a programmer I am able to contribute any/all programming needed plus any other assistance necessary. We would need electronics gurus to help on the electronics/microcontroller end as well as machinists/mechanically-inclined people to work on the mechanical/physical components. A designer is also needed who can fill our "Jonathan Ive" role.

The end goal is to deliver a consumer-friendly device that will revolutionize the coffee-making industry and serve as a stepping-stone to revolutionizing other appliances/gadgets. It is a given that everyone involved will share in the success of this project.

If you know of anyone who has the skill-set necessary for this project, please forward this to them.

Warm Regards,

Anthony

[Darcy Whyte]

You mean make really expensive coffee machines that drop calls? :)

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[Paul Strohmeier]

I have no idea of coffee making (I brew mine russian style...)

but I have recently gained quite some experience in PCB design and lower level programming.

As of October I could contribute to such a project on the electrical design. (I am located in Europe most of the time though - but almost all my projects are long distance collaborations, so I dont see a problem.)

check out fkeel.blogspot.com to see some of my work.

Cheers

p.

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[jpbar...@aol.com]

Hi Anthony,

I've been developing process controls (PCB design/layout, embedded microcontroller code, GUI code) for systems such as fuel cells and hydrogen generation.  The designs involved monitoring current, temperatures, pressures, flow, etc. and controlling compressors, pumps, fans, solenoid valves, heaters.  The systems have fairly complex startup, shutdown, and operating logic including closed loop PID control.

I developed a graphical front-end (for both Windows and Mac) described at www.LabRecon.com and some of the boards I've designed are shown on this page  www.labrecon.com/Custom_Hardware.html

I also have a site dedicated to my controls specific to fuel cell applications at www.fuelcellhelp.com

Best regards,

Joe

Hello everyone!

I am looking for serious collaborators on a project that promises to do to the 
Coffee Machine industry what Steve Jobs did to the smartphone industry. The 
coffee industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but the current crop of 
machines are grossly overpriced and/or ecologically irresponsible. A barista 
machine capable of delivering a fine cup of coffee costs a whopping $11,000 and 
up, while less-expensive consumer-level devices deliver mediocre quality and use 
disposable coffee containers that add to our planets' waste management problems. 
Add to this the fact that our coffee machines aren't smart enough to have a cup 
of joe ready for us when we wake up in the morning, or unable to brew a cup at 
my command to my exact specifications as one would see in Star Trek. We have the 
ability to do all this, we just haven't bothered to put all the technology 
together to make it happen!

My idea is to form a group of serious equal-minded people who as a whole have 
the skillset necessary to create a Coffee Machine that has the following 
capabilities :

Basic components
================

1) Heat water to an exact temperature via a PID (proportional integral 
derivative) controller.
2) Precisely control "dwell-time" (ie. how long coffee grounds are in contact 
with water)
3) Separate the grounds from the water via a French-press, Vacuum Pot, or hybrid 
method.
4) Pour coffee into (non-disposable) cup.

Additional components
=====================

1) A miniature steam-pressure washer component that can clean a cup; just like 
you see done in restaurants, a quick blast of high-pressure steam will clean any 
cup.
2) Carousel in which you can place a dirty cup and have it feed the washer; 
preferably non-mechanical (eg. gravity based).
3) Mechanism to feed a cup from available clean-cup-resevoir for pouring (again, 
preference for non-mechanical method).
4) Micro-controller + programming to make this all happen.
5) API for full-automation/remote-control capabilities.
6) WiFi for remote-control operation (via web browser, phone, etc...)

Optional (but worth-while if we've going this far)
==================================================
1) Miniature milk refrigeration unit.
2) Feeds that can supply milk/water from external source.
3) Pressurized-steam adapter (ie. able to make use of existing steam-pressure 
component used for washing) + wand for frothing the milk [expresso]
4) Tea support.
5) Sugar dispenser.
6) Lemon-juice dispenser.

I'm sure I've missed something, but this is enough to give you an idea of what 
I'm proposing. Now while this project may seem grandiose to some, what I've 
proposed isn't by any stretch of the imagination based on cutting edge 
technology; each individual component in and of itself is tried and true and 
used every single day without any thought given to it. It is the *integration* 
of all these pieces into a fool-proof consumer-ready device that's the 
challenge, just like the iPhone was an integration of components that were 
already readily available. There's nothing like this available ladies and 
gentlemen; we can be the first in revolutionzing cofee-making as we know it.

I am truly serious about this project and I'm willing to pay for any/all 
components necessary to make it happen. As a programmer I am able to contribute 
any/all programming needed plus any other assistance necessary. We would need 
electronics gurus to help on the electronics/microcontroller end as well as 
machinists/mechanically-inclined people to work on the mechanical/physical 
components. A designer is also needed who can fill our "Jonathan Ive" role.

The end goal is to deliver a consumer-friendly device that will revolutionize 
the coffee-making industry and serve as a stepping-stone to revolutionizing 
other appliances/gadgets. It is a given that everyone involved will share in the 
success of this project.

If you know of anyone who has the skill-set necessary for this project, please 
forward this to them.

Warm Regards,

Anthony

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[Mark Harris]

hey group,

Been a lurker for a long time, now starting my first project. Might need to hire someone to build out some arduino boxes and trying to get a handle on what I should expect to pay.

I think what I want is fairly simple (famous last words).

The idea is that this box will play MP3 questions through headphones, and the user will press one of two buttons to answer. That answer will then be used to select the next question MP3 for the user, from a sort of dialog tree. And so on. At the end of a session, an LED will flash one color or another based on answers (or maybe random). I can write the C code to program it ( software architect by profession ), but I will likely need some guidance and help on the hardware. Both for the sake of time and to make sure I get the right stuff. Of course, if you really really want to program it too, it will save me more time.

This box is mostly theater. Meaning a lot of what it will do might be arbitrary, allowing the users to read into it what they will. that's part of the point of the experience.

These are the parts I think I need so far:
Arduino UNO w/ power src: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11224
MP3Shield w SD slot and headphone jack: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10628
Enclosure: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11350
Red Button: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9181
Green Button: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11275
LED: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10236

Need 3 of them built.

Any thoughts on time / labor to hire someone to help with this?

M

[Chris Clearfield]

Hey,
This reminds me of a slightly simpler version of this make project
http://makeprojects.com/Project/Charlie-s-RFID-Teddy-Bear/1411/1#.UC6igt1lSnw

Could offer some guidance. I wouldn't be too intimidated by the
arduino/too willing to farm out the work.
--
C

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[Andy Leviss]

On Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 1:04 PM, Anthony Ortiz <anthon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am looking for serious collaborators on a project that promises to do to the Coffee Machine industry what Steve Jobs did to the smartphone industry. The coffee industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but the current crop of machines are grossly overpriced and/or ecologically irresponsible. A barista machine capable of delivering a fine cup of coffee costs a whopping $11,000 and up, while less-expensive consumer-level devices deliver mediocre quality and use disposable coffee containers that add to our planets' waste management problems. Add to this the fact that our coffee machines aren't smart enough to have a cup of joe ready for us when we wake up in the morning, or unable to brew a cup at my command to my exact specifications as one would see in Star Trek. We have the ability to do all this, we just haven't bothered to put all the technology together to make it happen!

Anthony, I'm very intrigued in working on this, as I've lately
developed a bit of a following as a hardcore coffee brewing nerd on
Twitter and elsewhere, but did want to see if you've seen the Bunn
Trifecta (both $3000 commercial version and pared down $500 home
version) and the about-to-ship Behmor Brazen. These do quite a lot of
what you're looking to do. If only to compare to see what's already
out there that you may not be aware of.

Then, there's also the now-in-testing Steampunk brewer, similar to the
Trifecta in certain respects.

Feel free to ping me offlist re: this project!

--Andy

[Luke Schantz]

Yeah if you can code it and your using an mp3 shield (vs building it from bits). You probably could just pull it off yourself and get help if you encounter a snag. Or bring the parts to Craft night.  What is your enclosure plan?

Luke

[Mark Harris]

This is the enclosure I think I want, though I am pretty flexible on that:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11350

Looking into bits for the drill press at my wife's art studio, Gowanus Studios. Hole for the light, holes for the wires and headphones.  Attached a graphic of what it's going to basically look like.

Am I missing any major parts in the list below?

M

[Dan Lavin]

Where is the power supply (or battery)?

[Mark Harris]

the board has a power supply input. So I'll drill a hole for that and have adapters to plugs. In a future iteration, I might do batteries, but for the first step, I'll keep it simple and use the onboard power jack.

M

[Anthony Ortiz]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for responding to the challenge! So far we have myself and four other brave souls committed to changing coffee-making as we know it. I will be sending out an email to each of our fellow collaborators in order to prepare for our first meetup which I hope to have sometime this week if everyone's schedule permits. 

Regards,

Anthony

[Luke Schantz]

You might want to keep the actual power plug inside the enclosure and not have it unplug-able by the user/audience.  

[Tal Gluck]

Hi Robert,

See below for the original email.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anthony Ortiz <anthon...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Subject: [NYCR:Microcontrollers] Looking for serious collaborators for Coffee Machine project

To: nycresistormi...@googlegroups.com


Hello everyone!

I am looking for serious collaborators on a project that promises to do to the Coffee Machine industry what Steve Jobs did to the smartphone industry. The coffee industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but the current crop of machines are grossly overpriced and/or ecologically irresponsible. A barista machine capable of delivering a fine cup of coffee costs a whopping $11,000 and up, while less-expensive consumer-level devices deliver mediocre quality and use disposable coffee containers that add to our planets' waste management problems. Add to this the fact that our coffee machines aren't smart enough to have a cup of joe ready for us when we wake up in the morning, or unable to brew a cup at my command to my exact specifications as one would see in Star Trek. We have the ability to do all this, we just haven't bothered to put all the technology together to make it happen!

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