PID Coffee Maker

[Matt H.]

I was reading articles online and came across this PID loop controlled coffee machine which is making waves in society. http://www.slate.com/id/2185655/ If I had read this article two years ago I would have no idea what PID stood for let alone how it worked--now thanks to first I know both. Plus I just though to community would enjoy seeming some esoteric applications of programming concepts.

[Protronie]

If I ever hit the Powerball I'll have one in my study/den and of course one in my kitchen!
Till then I'll just suffer with Mr Coffee

[lukevanoort]

That is absolutely nuts. It would be interesting to try to make one... it doesn't really seem that hard, but maybe I'm overlooking something. An inverted French press is pretty simple to make and could be actuated by just a simple little pneumatic ram. The temperature control just seems to require accurate programming and some decent temperature sensors (and a good heater, I guess)... metering waterflow also seems pretty easy to do with some kind of fast solenoid valve and flow sensors. It wouldn't be pretty and it probably wouldn't be quite as reliable, but I imagine a coffee machine with similar capabilities could be built for much, much less than $11,000. I'm happy with a plain French press, but it would make a fun summer project.

[Jimmy Cao]

Talk about overkilling coffee =D

I wish i had an extra 11k to buy one...

[Qbranch]

Here's a video of it running.

Awesome! But... I think i'll stay with Speedway. Cool, but not worth $11,000 in any sense.

PID control of the heating elements is interesting (reminiscent of industrial ovens, wave solderers, and the like of giant hot things) and might make a better cup of coffee... but the standard bang-bang type controllers found in most coffee makers is probably just as good.

Cool looking product though, if one was given to me I'd gladly accept it.

-q