A

I call this invention the automatic drawer opener (ADO). The ADO can help you open a drawer when you go near it. It will sense your hand nearing a drawer of your choice and open it for you. This was made with a Lego Mindstorms EV3 kit. I hope you enjoy learning how to make an automatic drawer opener!!

1. EV3 set
2. tape
3. drawer

You might need other things, but these are absolutely necessary.

I've included a Lego Digital Designer (LDD) file so that you can have instructions for building your own machine! All you have to do is:

1. download the LDD file below
2. download LDD here: http://ldd.lego.com/en-us/download
3. run LDD and click Mindstorms->Open another file
4. select the LDD file and click open
5. click Tool Box->Generate building guide
6. build the robot with the generated instructions

The dimensions of the part that will push the drawer open don't matter (the big L shaped part with the infrared sensor). You can tweak this part as much as you want so that it will work with your drawer!

You will program the EV3 Brick in this step!

1. Download the Mindstorm program editor from here: http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/downloads/dow...
2. Download the file at the bottom of this step
3. Run the editor. Then, click on File->Open Project. Pick the file you just downloaded and press Open.
4. Turn on and connect your Mindstorm Brick to your computer.
5. Once it shows your Brick as connected, press the arrow pointing down.
6. In the brick, move to the settings tab and set the time it sleeps to never.

The numbers in the program for moving can be changed around! Tweak them so they fit your robot and drawer!

To use the ADO, place it on top of a flat surface above the drawer so that it can push the drawer open. put the part that pushes the drawer open into the drawer. You might also need a small cloth so that the ADO can have traction. Tape the part in the drawer to the drawer very strongly. It helps to tape that part to a bigger flat surface that is taped to the drawer. You might also need a small object that can keep the drawer from going too far back. On the EV3 Brick, select the file shaped icons. Move to the folder that says AUTOMATIC DRAWER OPENER. Press the center button and then move to the file that appears. Then, press the center button again. If the Infrared sensor senses something moving in front of it, it will make the robot move forward, causing the drawer to be moved forward as well.

If you have the rechargeable EV3 piece for the battery, use it! This will save you a lot of time because this robot uses a ton of energy!

If you can hook it up to an electrical outlet (without the rechargeable battery piece), please make an instructable of how you did it and comment it! I don't have the rechargeable battery piece so I have to replace the batteries often. I hope you had fun making an automatic drawer opener!