Published February 1, 2022 © GPL3+

Lane Tech HS- PCL- Lazy Susan

An alexa-automated surface that turns on command

IntermediateFull instructions provided5 hours51

Things used in this project

Hardware components

MAKERFACTORY Robot Servo MF-06

Jumper wires (generic)

Particle Argon

Breadboard (generic)

Software apps and online services

Particle Build Web IDE

IFTTT Amazon Alexa service

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Hot glue gun (generic)

Scissor, Electrician

Story

I like eating, so I wanted to automate a culinary part of my life. Passing food around a table can be rude, uncomfortable, and annoying. This is why I wanted something that eliminates those problems; say hello to my little friend, the voice-operated Lazy Susan! When placed at the center of your dining surface and loaded with your favorite foods and beverages, you can easily and efficiently pass them around simply by using your voice!

I was inspired first of all by my love of food and gathering with friends and family. In these times of gathering, why not make passing around food less of a nuisance? Luckily, there is already an automated food-passer in existence, with this being “conveyor belt sushi”. This is an automated rotating method of serving dishes of sushi common in restaurants. I wanted to incorporate something like this into my household.

Conveyor belt sushi

I first shaped two pieces of cardboard into circles each with approximately one foot in diameter.

Cardboard circle

I then glued them together, as this would increase the durability. After this, I attached six evenly spread out ping-pong balls to the bottom of the surface as a means of support.

Ping-Pong ball

I then attached a motor to center of the bottom of the surface, which would be used to turn the surface in order to rotate whatever is put on top.

Motor

Next, I connected the motor to the particle argon and made the code to operate the motor.

Particle argon+breadboard+wires

By using the service “IFTTT”(If This Then That), I was able to incorporate Amazon Alexa into my project, which would be triggered by voice-commands to turn the motor in certain ways.

Amazon echo (which I didn't end up using)

The motor starts at an original position, and can turn the surface 170°, 90°, 45°, and return to the original position with commands “Alexa, trigger full turn/turn/half turn/turn back” respectively.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wmNDbBq_MwI

(FOR ABOVE VIDEO) Order of turns is: full turn, turn back, turn, half turn

Code

Lazy Susan code

Servo myServo;

bool isturned;
int count = 0;
void setup()
{
    myServo.attach(2);
    myServo.write(10);
    delay(500);
    Particle.function("homeauto", homeautoServo);
    Particle.function("turnBack", turnBack);
    Particle.function("turnfull", turnfull);
    Particle.function("turnhalf", turnhalf);
}

void loop()
{
    // do nothing
}

int homeautoServo (String param)
{
    myServo.write(90);
    delay(200);
    
    return -1;
}

int turnBack (String param)
{
    myServo.write(10);
    delay(200);
    
    return-1;
}

int turnfull (String param)
{
    myServo.write(170);
    delay(200);
    
    return -1;
}

int turnhalf (String param)
{
    myServo.write(45);
    delay(200);
    
    return -1;
}
/*
void loop()
{
    if (isturned==false)
    {
        myServo.write(170);
         delay(500);
    }
    if(isturned==true)
    {
        myServo.write(15);
        delay(500);
    }
}

int homeautoServo (String param) {
    
    if(count == 0)
    {
        isturned=false;
        count=1;
    }
    else if(count==1)
    {
        isturned=true;
        count=0;
    }
    return 0;
}

*/

Credits

Paul Niculescu

1 project • 0 followers

Lane Tech HS- PCL- Lazy Susan

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Project plan

Code

Lazy Susan code

Credits

Paul Niculescu

Comments

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Lane Tech HS- PCL- Lazy Susan

Lane Tech HS- PCL- Lazy Susan

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Schematics

Project plan

Code

Lazy Susan code

Credits

Paul Niculescu

Comments

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