Office M&M Dispenser Maze - Short Version

Peanut M&M Dispenser Maze

Compared to the longer version, I have removed some repeated scenes and eliminated the future outlook section in favor of brevity. The video provides shorter overview of my M&M dispenser project, which was made to compete with other candy dispensers around our office (M&M, mint, and jellybeans). My goal was to make a dispenser that was somewhat more entertaining than reaching into a jar, but also reduces the large M&M flux caused by greedy handfuls.

The dispenser maze requires the prospect candy-eater to tilt the maze table and guide the M&M through the sequence to the Win Bucket. There are a number of open wall segments on the maze, beyond which lie the fail ramps that roll the M&M down to the fail bucket. While the M&Ms are still accessible in the fail bucket, candy-eaters must face public scorn and shunning from colleagues if they eat from there.

The maze is made up mostly of thin plywood glued together. The actual M&M dispenser is commercially available, with the only necessary modification being the servo-actuated arm.

Control of the maze is provided by a hand-held controller, which uses 8-bit Nintendo POWER/RESET buttons for M&M dropping, and an analog Playstation joystick for table tilting. An ATTiny 861 microcontroller reads the analog position of the joystick and generates PWM commands to drive the pitch and roll tilt servos, which are connected to the table and provide roughly +/- 10 deg tilt angle.

The maze is similar to the board game "Labyrinth".

The longer version of the video ends with a brief discussion of ongoing efforts, which could include:
- Additional/Swappable Levels
- Dynamic Maze Elements
- Turbulent Disturbances
- Autonomous Maze Navigation

Sources for the main components are:
- Playstation Joystick: Sparkfun.com
- 8-bit NES buttons and Box: All Electronics
- $3 Servos: Hobby King
- Dispenser: eBay (used)
- ATTiny MCU: Shifted Dynamics

Music Credits:
- Shinrog: Flying Away [Remix] - F-777
- Skymarshall - Forever Gamer

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• m&m
• candy
• maze
• office
• dispenser
• microcontroller
• sparkfun
• science

[HelloNewYorkCity]

awesome, but with gay music

[StudioJooj]

Well said, thanks.

[AJollyGoodFelon]

So you just print the m's on the gumballs? And how's the office work going? Get much done there in the office? lol.

[StudioJooj]

I assume you've seen the rest of our office antics. Mini Z racing, helicopter obstacle course, and now this. Productivity is at an all-time high this year.

[deitysteve]

How long did it take to find a round M&M? Looks more like a gumball.

[StudioJooj]

It definitely takes a small search committee. You can find about 10 round M&Ms per large bag and several more mildly eccentric ones (as opposed to the majorly eccentric office workers here).

The maze still works with an oblong M&M, but takes a lot more servo coaxing to move through the narrow corridors. Incidentally, gumballs work really well in the maze.

[WilltheGamer]

where the hell did you get round M&Ms?

[lordpreston8]

this is awesome, i would pay to play this once

[Tojehusiza]

this is sexy and I want it

[sneezesneeze1f]

You've inspired us to make our own autonomous version for a class project (sans m and m man)

[ControlCardPin]

M&M FTW

[HelloNewYorkCity]

@DarSlayerr You suck in a bad way for one reason

1. THIS IS A WRONG VIDEO IDIOT

[jkenn184]

@ben111401 Check the description, genius. The very fact that you need to ask is mind-blowing.

[godofdeath25]

it has the M logo on it though... idk