Cash-Caching Automaton

Creator: tylercrumpton Status: Brainstorming Born On: 23:34, 18 October 2012 (CDT) Last Updated: 23:34, 18 October 2012 (CDT)

Overview

The Cash-Caching Automaton, or "CasCA", is a machine designed to dispense coins to Makers for use with the drink, candy, and snack machines. Many people don't carry around cash or change, but the vending machines at the shop currently only accept coins or dollar bills. This machine will make use of personal accounts assigned to Makers that may be funded by PayPal, Bitcoin, and other manual forms of payment, like checks or cash. Below is the current list of desired features:

• The machine should be able to reliably dispense a user-selectable number of quarters (not too few, or too many)
• It should be able to offer multiple forms of user-authentication:
  • Username + password
  • Makers door-authentication thumbdrive (plus optional pin number/password)
  • (Possible) Smartphone authentication via QR displayed on screen
  • (Possible) Other smartphone authentication: NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi?
  • (Possible) RFID tag
• Accounts should be automatically fund-able at the machine via PayPal or Bitcoin
• Accounts may be manually funded via check or cash
• Can show account balance on screen
• MUST have secure connection to a secure database for transactions
• Easy to physically refill with quarters
• Automatic email notification when low on quarters
• Display a message on a screen when low on quarters
• Able to dispense coins without an account when using PayPal or Bitcoin

Ideas

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Materials

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Electronics

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Cost Analysis

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Progress Log

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Design Files

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