Automated Pancake Machine: M2, Kitchen Challenge

This lecture presents the design and implementation of an automated pancake machine developed by de Durand Paul, Dessons Julia, Linder Samuel, and Saracco Jacopo at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. The team encountered problems related to dough consistency, aesthetics, and flipping, which led to the development of mechanisms for batter dispensing, heating, and flipping. The dispenser mechanism uses a stepper motor controlled by a microcontroller to produce and distribute pancakes efficiently. The heating system ensures uniform plate temperature using nichrome heating resistors and ceramic fiber insulation. The flipping system employs robotic servo motors and an aluminum plate chassis to achieve a flat landing for the pancakes. The lecture concludes with a demonstration of the microcontroller interface and future prototype considerations.