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Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

(OP)
I know this is out there but I am helping my girlfriend's middle school kid on a project. He is trying to build a sensor in a Pez candy dispenser to know how many candies are left as it dispenses. He wants to put in blue tooth and app it to his phone. Any suggestions for the Pez end? It is just a spring loaded slide that moves up as you remove more candy. For those who are not familiar with a Pez candy, the image is below.

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

What's the budget? If unlimited, an LVDT could suffice. Highly unlikely however that he will want to spend hundreds of dollars to find out something that can be ascertained by simply looking at it instead of his smart phone...


"You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals" -- Booker T. Washington

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

(OP)
I want something fairy inexpensive but this is just an experiment for his class for the internet of things. Just wondering what could be modified for a sensor.

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Long travel linear pot and an A/D converter. Deal with the rest in software.

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

(OP)
I would attached it on the side and thus the base plate would travel up and record position? What about a spring base tension reader at the base?

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Use a V shaped piece of foil running up the side and a metal slug at the bottom. Use the CPU to measure the capacitance of the foil. As the slug rises it will vary in a linear manner.

Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

(OP)
What about a tension sensor at the bottom of the shaft that can be calibrated depending on how much candy is loaded?

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Quote (itsmoked)

Use a V shaped piece of foil running up the side and a metal slug at the bottom. Use the CPU to measure the capacitance of the foil. As the slug rises it will vary in a linear manner.
Elegant, simple, cheap, I like it!

Geg250,
If anything ever comes of that, you need to make sure to cut Keith in on a piece of the action.


"You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals" -- Booker T. Washington

RE: Blue tooth sensor for Pez Dispenser

Counter?

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

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