Re: [AllHandsActive] Project Idea: Vending Machine

[Alexander Honkala]

Where good to put? In the "lobby" where the bulky display case is currently hulking?

-X

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Eric Hackenberger <erichack...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello everyone, I have an idea for a project that I think would make a cool addition to the space. 

When I was young and starry eyed an older programmer that I knew told me that in his dorm someone had rigged up a vending machine to an online service that allowed people to buy pops (and set a time delay remotely). He wrote back later telling me that the owner had upgraded it to include a webcam mounted on the top that could monitor the hallway and allowed other people to purchase pop and a tone would play and the webcam would turn on so that they could spectate as hungry college students raced for the free soda. 

I've always wanted to try this idea. Is it okay to bring a vending machine into the space? Does anyone want to help, or have ideas? 

At the board meeting I learned that if you want to do a project you need to find a way to fund it, so for those interested I'd buy the parts myself, I just don't want to before I know it's okay. 

The web interface could be on the AHA site, or I could put it on another site.

Let me know what you think!

Best,

-Eric

[Dana Nelson]

I think that would be a great place to put it!

Does anyone have any skill that would be useful/interested in helping Eric? Here are benefits of taking part in such an awesome endevour:

• your local hackerspace would theoretically make money
• you and Eric could theoretically make money
• We could totally send this project info to places like Make Magazine and other press places that would gain all 3+ parties recognition. 

If I had the skills, I would totally be all up on this like a fat kid on cake, but alas, I do not. 

--
Dana Nelson

All Hands Active

AHAkids Class Coordinator

[Alexander Honkala]

In theory we could also build this and then install it elsewhere for fun, profit, and publicity. I wonder if VoM would want to host it, or if the city would be aight with us putting it on a sidewalk somewhere?

-X

[Ryan Hughes]

Can I make the vending machine capable of accepting bitcoins?

--Ryan

[Michael Shvartsman]

I'm a bit overloaded on projects at the moment, but am up for brainstorming and would like to be kept posted for possible involvement down the line. Here's an example of someone having done it: http://varenhor.st/2010/05/vender-an-internet-controlled-classic-vending-machine/

By the way, if anyone wants to play with machine vision, the dataset you'd get from this kind of webcam setup could be pretty interesting. 

Mike. 

[Eric Hackenberger]

I'd be glad to have some help. I'd like to re-coup my costs on the machine/parts and then take responsibility of stocking it. After that I'd definitely want to give back to AHA.

[Eric Hackenberger]

Agreed, if other places wanted one too, then it would probably be easy to replicate once it has been developed. 

@Ryan I'd definitely want bitocins to be accepted. Once the interface is setup we can set it to accept pretty much anything. I'm particularly interested in bitcoins, not because I think many people will use them but because 1.) I want some and 2.) I want to learn how to do bitcoin transactions for future projects. 

I'll be at the shop around 8 if anyone wants to talk more about it. Thanks for the great responses!

-Eric

[Dana Nelson]

Yup. This kind of sounds like one of those projects that one would just start and people would join as you went. You sound like you're totally ready to go ahead with this. I don't think I could be of any help, but will totally be there to help you carry it down and stock if needed, also if pom poms are needed for moral support.

[Eric Hackenberger]

Haha excellent :p I'm picking the machine up on Wednesday and leaving around Noon if anyone wants to come with. Also if any one has a truck I can borrow that'd be a hell of a lot better than my car. If not, I'll be lugging it down Wednesday evening.

-Eric

[Dana Nelson]

I am only free after 5pm due to summer camp stuff, but if this was facebook, i would like this so hard.

[Thomas Hunter]

semi-related: Bitcoin Vending Machine

[Josh Williams]

Hey Hey Eric,

  Sorry for the late input on this!

1) Liberty St., along with many others are closed for Art Fair starting Tuesday at 6:00am.

 - http://getdowntown.org/resources/Commuting_during_Art_Fair.html

2) You MIGHT be able to swing a delivery significantly outside of normal  (10am to 9pm) Art Fair hours, ie: midnight..... Not sure on that.

3) Do you have dimensions on this beast? If it's not a full sized one, we might be able to carry it in through the alley from Washington St.

 

 - Josh W.

[Eric Hackenberger]

The vending machine is in the shop! Well sort of... it's at the top of the stairs as many of you may have (or will soon) notice. I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone that helped move it off the truck and into the stairs, and I'd like to especially thank Lisa and her son David for making the drive all the way to the west side of the state and back to pick it up, you guys are awesome! I'm going to put an explanatory note on the machine and probably have a project space to track what's happening after my midterm tomorrow. 

If anyone is interested in helping, I'd love to know! 

Thanks again to everyone and there's free Mountain Dew in the fridge for anyone that helped (and the rest can go to AHA/DO). 

Oh yeah, I turned it on and it started to get cold inside, so that's a good sign. 

Best,

-Eric

[Josh Williams]

That was worryingly awesome:)

If this is sticking around for more than a few days, we will have to get it downstairs soon, though it can probably wait till after maker faire. (Not much)

Does anyone have suggestions for wielding a full size vending machine down a tight stairwell?

Kudos on pushing forward on epic project.

- Josh W.

[Alexander Honkala]

Take it down in pieces, reassemble.

-X

[Tyler Worman]

I have a hand cart that is rated to 300lbs. We could potentially strap it to that, put boards on the stairs and slowly lower it down them. I've moved large furniture with it before down stairs.

[Josh Williams]

Hey Hey Ladies & Gents,

 We have maintenance coming over on Tuesday at 10:00am. Which awesomely means we need to get this thing moved out of the stairwell before then : )

Option 1: Disassemble into lighter parts, bring downstairs, reassemble.

Option 2: Acquire a suitable dolly: $20 at A1 Rental, 600+lb weight support & designed for stairwells. Human labor not included : )

Option 3: Search for a stairclimber, supposedly rentable for ~$100 p/day. Haven't found one yet.

Thoughts?

 - Josh W.

[Paul Haas]

Vending machines often have weights in the very bottom of the machine, to make it difficult for vandals to knock them over. Removing those weights will make it much easier to move.

[Josh Williams]

We are going to attempt moving this guy downstairs at Noon today:) If you have an hour of muscle to lend, come on down!

- Josh W.