Fill 'n' Win (Reward Jar)

DESCRIPTION

Introducing Fill 'n' Win:

An interactive automated tool designed to reward good behaviour by visually showing progress to a prize. The jar is slowly filled as users press the button which further reinforces their good behaviour as they connect pressing the machine's button to good behaviour. Once the jar is filled the ultrasonic sensor is triggered and the mystery box opens and reveals their prizes.

Personal Reason:

I personally thought of this idea since my mom rewards the kids in her dayhome with good behaviour with small toys or stickers. Using Fill 'n' Win she can further reinforce their good behaviour and make it more organized. They can visually see how close they are to a prize which is very helpful since these kids are under the age of 5. This will be super helpful as they often ask her if they are going to get a sticker so instead they can visually see if they are getting one or are close. Additionally the automatic filling of the jar also results in less mess than handing a toddler a scoop of the material which in my case is black chickpeas. It will also reduce a task my mom has to focus on which will help decrease her stress as running a dayhome has many tasks she needs to complete!

This can be used as a single jar for one person or a collective jar for a classroom/other group. In my mom's case she prefers the jar to be collective as they are younger and this works more effective then singling out a specific child for a prize.

Why Fill 'n' Win?

Visual and interactive motivation
Reinforce positive behaviour
Easy for the caregiver, provider, teacher, etc. to utilize
Focuses on teamwork to get to a goal
can be modified for individuals or other use cases (see below)

Other possible applications not personal to me:

Individual applications:

- toilet training for an individual child

- task motivator for university students and other's completing a series of tasks

- screen time jail (can place phone in box until you fill the jar either by passing time or doing tasks.

Joint Applications:

- fundraising goals

- group work

- sports team motivation for winning games

Concept Development + Final Artifact

Materials Used:

Components

- Arduino Uno

- Resistors and jumper wires

- servo motors

- Ultrasonic sensor

- joystick

- power supply module

- Breadboards

Other Supplies Used

- canvas

- cardstock paper

- hot glue

- tape

- dollarama wooden box

- plastic bottle

- toothbrush holder for jar

- cardboard box

- popsicle sticks

- wooden containers

- rocks for weight

- cardboard

- wooden board

How It Works:

1. Place the material to be poured in the top bottle.

2. children press the large button (joystick) to release the chickpeas into the jar

3. As they continue to fill the jar, the ultrasonic sensor checks the distance. Once the distance indicated the jar is filled the surprise box is opened automatically revealing the prize for filling the jar!

I chose the joystick as it allowed for a larger button which would be easier for the age group in my mom's dayhome rather than the small buttons I had available.

A look underneath enclosure

at the squid

Rocks for stability inside of

the boxes

I experimented with different materials and shapes, etc. for the sweeping attachment. Some were good but too flimsy so after a while they would become messy (I initially started with cardstock which was working great until it bent and made a huge mess. I settled on the one in the video as it was no longer messy and strong enough while also releasing a good amount of chickpeas into the jar

I enclosed the wires away but also made it so that I could still change them since I had to go on the bus and I needed to be able to check my connection

I had initially had the whole bottle minus the top however the materials (which I also experimented with going from salt to beads to sand to chickpeas!) keep on getting stuck and you would have to tap the bottle.

Solution: I cut of the spout of the bottle. However now my servo was too low and I had already attached it pretty good. I used a lot of washi tape while prototyping and had 2 empty rolls so I shaved them to the correct size and attached them. I no longer had the stuck problem as I had before as the spout was no longer very narrow!

A glimpse inside the surprise box! You can add stickers or other prizes as well.

Unfortuently while securing the servos I dropped a metal screwdriver on my phone :( but at least my project worked!

I initially purchased an IR sensor but found it was not the right sensor I needed something with more range and settled on the ultrasonic sensor instead. I also used a joystick in place of a small button to make it easier to push for children.