Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
10 Latte Art Coffee Machine
 Jingyang Cao
Tianheng Wu
Yuhao Shen
Yukang Lin
 Wee-Liat Ong
Our project aims to develop a **Latte Art Coffee Machine** that can automatically print simple latte art patterns on the surface of coffee based on user-uploaded images.

## Problem
Traditional latte art requires significant manual skill and practice, which makes it difficult for ordinary users or small coffee shops to consistently create customized patterns. Existing coffee machines usually focus on brewing quality rather than personalized visual presentation. We want to solve the problem of making latte art more accessible, repeatable, and customizable.

## Solution Overview
Our proposed solution is a coffee machine add-on/system that accepts a user-uploaded image, extracts its simple outline through basic image processing, and converts the outline into motion paths. These motion paths will then drive an **X-Y motion platform** so that the machine can print patterns onto the coffee surface with acceptable accuracy and repeatability.

## Components
The system will be divided into several main components:

- **Image Processing Module**
Processes user-uploaded images and extracts simplified outlines suitable for printing.

- **Path Planning / Control Module**
Converts image outlines into printable motion trajectories and generates control signals.

- **X-Y Motion Platform**
Uses stepper motors and a mechanical positioning system to move the printing head accurately over the coffee surface.

- **Dispensing / Printing Mechanism**
Deposits the latte art material onto the foam surface according to the planned path.

- **Power and System Integration Module**
Provides stable power and coordinates communication among all hardware and software modules.

## Criteria of Success
A successful project should meet the following goals:

1. The system can accept a user-input image and generate a simplified printable outline.
2. The machine can convert the outline into valid motion commands for the X-Y platform.
3. The X-Y platform can move reliably and repeatedly to the desired positions using stepper motors.
4. The final system can print recognizable latte art patterns on the coffee surface.
5. The overall design is feasible, reliable, and safe for demonstration in an engineering project setting.

## Feasibility and Value
This project combines image processing, motion control, embedded systems, and mechanical design in a practical and interesting application. It is challenging enough for a senior design project while still remaining feasible with modular implementation and step-by-step testing.

Clickers for ZJUI Undergraduate

Bowen Li, Yue Qiu, Mu Xie, Qishen Zhou

Featured Project

# TEAM MEMBERS

Bowen Li (bowenli5)

Qishen Zhou (qishenz2)

Yue Qiu (yueq4)

Mu Xie (muxie2)

# PROBLEM

I-clicker is a useful teaching assistant tool used in undergraduate school to satisfy the requirement of course digitization and efficiency. Nowadays, most of the i-clickers used on campus have the following problems: inconsistency, high response delay, poor signal, manual matching. We are committed to making an i-clicker for our ZJUI Campus, which is economical, using 2.4G Wi-Fi signal connection, and on the computer to achieve matching. At the same time, it has to deal with the drawbacks as mentioned above.

# SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Compared with wired machines and mobile phone software, wireless i-clickers have the following advantages: they are easy to carry, they can accurately match and identify user tags, they are difficult to cheat and would not distract students. A wireless voting system consists of a wireless i-clicker, a wireless receiver on the administrator side, and a corresponding software program. In order to solve the problem of signal reception which is common in schools, we decided to use 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signal for data transmission. In addition, different from other wireless voting devices that carry out identity confirmation and bind identity information on the hardware side, we decided to make an identity binding system on the software side, and at the same time return it in the hardware unit for customer confirmation.

# SOLUTION COMPONENTS

A mature i-clicker should have a hardware part and a software part. The hardware part needs economical and effective hardware logic design. These include the storage and transportation of user key signals through a single chip computer program, a simple LCD1602 display to provide immediate feedback, a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi transmit-receive device for many-to-one wireless signal transmission, and a beautiful shell design. While the software component includes the conversion of hardware signals to software signals, a mature voting system, authentication of device owners, and signal return to hardware systems.

## SCM HARDWARE LOGIC SYSTEM:

Use SCM to compile the LCD module, return user input value. STC89C52RC can easily do this. Pass data to the NRF wireless transmission module.

## WIRELESS 2.4G SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM:

A wireless signal detector should be a many-to-one signal transmission system. Bluetooth is one-to-one and Radio frequency is expensive. So, Wi-Fi signal transmission is the best choice. Each detector should load a transmitter and a receiver to transmit data to the administrator and get the data transmitted by the software.

## HARDWARE-TO-SOFTWARE SIGNAL TRANSFER SYSTEM:

A Hard-to-Soft system is necessary in any similar design. We should write a driver to process data.

## SOFTWARE DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM:

Software ought to process the data signal accurately and generate feedback to each i-clicker. Specifically, a software is needed in our design. The administrator can get user data and display it visually through statistical charts. This system should also have the function to associate user information to their answer. This is designed to score. A return signal should also be designed here. Users can receive feedback on their detector screen.

## USER IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM ON SOFTWARE:

Give an internal ID number to each i-clicker. Bind identity information (such as NetID, Student number) to i-clicker internal ID number on the software. Users can get their binding information on their screen by pushing a specific button. This data will be reset when a new packet is returned by the administrator.

## 3D PRINT SHELL:

A beautiful shell that fits the hardware system is needed. The shell should not be too large and the buttons must fit into the hardware.

# CRITERION FOR SUCCESS

Stability: Signal should be received easily. Signal loss inside a room shouldn’t occur, especially when there is a gap of two chairs.

Affordability: I-clickers should have a low cost. This facilitates mass production and popularization on campus.

Efficiency: The process from keystroke to signal collection and transmission shouldn’t have a high delay.

Beauty: Shell design should be accepted widely and be accessible to 3D printing.

Feedback: Users should get the feedback from the administrator easily. This is useful in arousing study enthusiasm of students.

Concurrency: The system should handle signals from a great deal of students in a short period correctly.

# DISTRIBUTION OF WORK

Qishen Zhou: Software data processing system and user information identification system.

Bowen Li: Hardware-to-software data transfer system and SCM hardware logic system.

Yue Qiu: Wireless signal transmission system and processing the data returned from the administrator.

Mu Xie: 3D print shell design and physical setup for the hardware part.