Headshot

Main Control Board with Receiver
Cup
Laser Board
Full Setup

Inspiration

Things have been falling from the sky since time immemorial. It’s about time that humans take control of that fact. We built Headshot as a way to control the things that can be delivered to us from the sky, something that we see as a pivotal step toward developing a more connected and more seamless world.

What it does

Headshot detects anyone who walks through a doorway, and proceeds to dump the contents of a cup on the person below. The cup may be filled with any object and/or substance, as long as its volume is constrained to that of a standard red Solo cup.

How we built it

Headshot utilizes two Particle.io Argon development boards as its base. The first simply maintains the laser in an on position, aimed at the sensor on the second board. The second board has a photoresistor sensing the laser light, which when the beam is obstructed, signals the board of this interruption. The board then triggers the servo motor to dump its contents below, before returning to its original upright position.

Challenges we ran into

We struggled at times getting the motor component to properly respond to our code, as well as issues with the network communication between Particle’s web platform and the development boards.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Our hack is fully functional and does exactly what we imagined from it. Once we actually started using it, we recognized the full breadth of its capabilities and began experimenting with it as such. It can be used to pull hilarious pranks, keep us hydrated, or help us remember to bring oft forgotten items.

What we learned

We learned a tremendous amount from this Hackathon. We now understand how to avail the Internet of Things to create technology that can be used in our everyday lives. We honed in on our ability to connect wires and develop schematics. We also developed great design skills, as at each step along the way, we detailed to each other our specifications and success criteria for moving forward with the project. Our learnings in project management proved to be an invaluable part of our Hackathon experience! We also made lifelong friends.

What's next for Headshot

Expanding what humans previously thought it was possible to dump on each other’s head in a doorway. In the future, we will try to use other mediums, other than cups—perhaps bowls—for pouring substances or objects. We would also like to try mounting the delivery system in different locations, but we were limited by the space available in our dorm rooms.