Recently I worked with another Northeastern University class of buisness students and guided them through the product development process.
The group I worked with this semester wanted to focus on bartending, specifically to solve the problem of over-pouring and simplifying the workload for busy bartenders.
The group I worked with this semester wanted to focus on bartending, specifically to solve the problem of over-pouring and simplifying the workload for busy bartenders.
This is not a device designed to replace bartenders, instead it helps to alleviate some of the stress and make the more popular, simple drinks.
After a lot of research, I found that peristaltic pumps provide the best mix of accuracy and speed. The machine would use a traveling dispenser head and can be loaded with a maximum of 6 bottles. It would be able to serve upwards of 10 pre-determined mixed drinks a minute and can control the amount poured to a sub-mililiter accuracy.
A (damaged) 3D printed mini of the prototype
The machine would be targeted towards nicer establishments and busy nightclubs, so the design needed to be somewhat sleek, but still be utilitarian.