Coding

Our code involved using logic gates to activate and control spatula movement based on different key timings. Using the load cell hooked up to the Arduino, we constantly weigh the chicken as it is cooking in order to monitor the percent weight decrease.

Once the chicken is a certain percent of its initial weight (perfectly cooked on one side), we send signals to the stepper motors to move the spatula forward.

As the spatula moves, the IR sensor moves with it. Once the IR sensor detects the chicken, we send signals to the servo motors to flip the chicken onto its other side. The spatula then returns to its original position.

Once again, we constantly weigh the percent weight decrease of the new side of the chicken until the chicken is fully cooked. Once the weight passes this threshold, the serial monitor prints that the chicken is done.

We utilized the Stepper Motor's ability to count the number of steps it has taken in order to allow the user to place the chicken breast anywhere he wants on the griddle.

The following Arduino code was used to cook the chicken:

#include <Stepper.h>

#include <Servo.h>

#include <C:\Users\Sun\Desktop\FINAL_CODE_ME102B\HX711.h>

HX711 scale(A1, A0); //initialize load cell

const int stepsPerRevolution = 200; //number of steps per revolution for our stepper motor

const int ir_pin = 4; //digital pin number for IR sensor

Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 9, 10, 11, 12); // initialize the stepper library on pins 9 through 12:

Stepper myStepper2(stepsPerRevolution, 2, 7, 8, 13); //initialize second stepper motor

Servo myservo1; //initialize servo motor 1

Servo myservo2; //initialize servo motor 2

int stepCount = 0; // number of steps the motor has taken

int irCount = 0; //number of times IR changes from 1 (no detection) to 0 (detection)

int flipCount = 0; //number of times the spatula flipped

int weightCount; //number of times weight passes a threshold

int sensor1 = 1; //sensor variable starts out as "no detection"

int pos = 0; //servo position variable

long initialWeight; //initial weight of raw chicken breast

void setup()

  Serial.begin(9600);

  pinMode (ir_pin, INPUT); //initialize IR sensor

  myservo1.attach(3); //attach servo1 to pin 6

  myservo2.attach(6); //attach servo2 to pin 3

  myservo1.write(240); //set position of servos

  myservo2.write(0);

  initialWeight = ((scale.get_value())-7774041)/16427.0f*162; //scale the weight on the load cell to grams

  Serial.print("initial weight: ");

  Serial.println(initialWeight);

  weightCount = 0;

void loop()

  if (weightCount == 0) //if the chicken is still raw

    Serial.println(initialWeight); //print the initial weight of the chicken

    Serial.print("current weight: ");

    long  currentWeight = ((scale.get_value())-7774041)/16427.0f*162; //keep updating the current weight of the chicken in grams

    Serial.println(currentWeight);

      if (currentWeight < .8*initialWeight) //when the first side of the chicken is fully cooked

        weightCount++; //update the weight count

  int sensor2 = digitalRead(ir_pin); //continuously read the ir sensor

  if (irCount == 0) //if the ir sensor hasnt detected the end of the chicken yet and the chicken is cooked on one side

    myStepper.step(-1); //move the motor towards the chicken

    myStepper2.step(-1);

    Serial.print("steps:");

    Serial.println(stepCount);

    stepCount++; //keep track of the number of steps taken

    delay(5); //milliseconds between each step

  if (sensor2 != sensor1) //when the current read of the ir sensor has detection

    irCount++; //update the ir count

    sensor1 = sensor2; //set the value of sensor1 to the current read of the ir sensor

  if (irCount == 1) //when the ir sensor passes through the chicken twice

    flipCount++;

    delay(2000);

    for (pos = 0; pos < 300 ; pos++)

      myStepper.step(-1);

      myStepper2.step(-1);

      delay(5);

    for (pos = 0; pos < 180; pos++) //move both servos

      myservo1.write(pos);

      myservo2.write(-pos+180);

      delay(20);

    for (pos = 180; pos > 180; pos--)

      myservo1.write(pos);

      myservo2.write(-pos+180);

      delay(20);

    delay(2000);

    myservo1.detach();

    myservo2.detach();

  if (flipCount == 1) //once the servos are done flipping the chicken

    long newInitialWeight = ((scale.get_value())-7774041)/16427.0f*162; //new weight of the flipped chicken is recorded

    stepCount = stepCount + 300;

    for (pos = 0; pos < stepCount; pos++)

    myStepper.step(1);

    myStepper2.step(1);

    delay(5);

    stepCount = 0;

    irCount = 0;

    flipCount = -1;

    if ((scale.get_value()-7774041)/16427.0f*162 < 0.85*newInitialWeight) //if current weight of flipped chicken is less than 85% of its initial weight

      //make a buzzing noise and/or light up the LED

      Serial.println("your chicken is cooked!");

      irCount = 10; //number of times IR changes from 1 (no detection) to 0 (detection)

      flipCount = 10; //number of times the spatula flipped

      weightCount= 10; //number of times weight passes a threshold

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