Everyone was at our group meeting this week. The meeting lasted around 3 hours.

/*note: The servo tends to vibrate when at the
extreme positions of 0 and 180 degrees*/

#include<Wire.h>  //motor libraries
#include <Adafruit_MotorShield.h>
#include "utility/Adafruit_PWMServoDriver.h"

#include<Servo.h>  //servo library
Servo serv;  //defines "serv" object
Adafruit_MotorShield motor = Adafruit_MotorShield();  //defines motor object

int servpin=9;  //defines servo pin
int buttonpin=2; //defines button pin
Adafruit_DCMotor *myMotor = motor.getMotor(1);  //attaches motor to motor pins 1

int gate_seconds=5;  //defines the gate delay
int gate_mseconds=gate_seconds*1000;

int drop_seconds=2;  //defines the drop delay
int drop_mseconds=drop_seconds*1000;

int lift_seconds=4;  //defines the lift delay
int lift_mseconds=lift_seconds*1000;

void setup()
{
  motor.begin();
  
  serv.attach(servpin);  //attaches serv to servpin
  
 pinMode(buttonpin,INPUT_PULLUP);  //initializes button pin
}

void loop()
{
  
  myMotor->run(RELEASE);  //sets motor to initially be still
  serv.write(33);  //states the initial position of the servo
  
  int button=digitalRead(buttonpin);  //defines the button input variable
  
  if (button==LOW)
  {
  serv.write(160);  //opens the gate
  delay(gate_mseconds);  //holds the gate open
  serv.write(33);  //closes the gate
  
  myMotor->setSpeed(150);  //drops weight
  myMotor->run(FORWARD);
  delay(drop_mseconds);
  
  myMotor->setSpeed(150);  //lifts weight
  myMotor->run(BACKWARD);
  delay(lift_mseconds);  

  myMotor->run(RELEASE);    //holds weight stationary
  }
}

This is an updated code for our nutcracker. We needed to update our code because we needed to use a shield in order for our motor to work. The motor did not work because it requires 12 volts. We burnt out our arduinos and had to replace them by borrowing one from Daniel Sullivan. We also borrowed the shield from him.

We acquired a dumbbell and cut it into an appropriate shape for our nutcracker. We cut the dumbbell with a hacksaw. The dumbbell was too wide so we cut off one of the ends of the dumbbell and cut off a portion of the other end.

This video is a motion study