Concept:
Brief
Create a motorized giant slot machine, that’s triggered by people walking past it.
Client
Them Design
Materials + Tech
Aluminium, Acrylic, BLDC Motors, Pir sensor, Arduino Controlled
Location
SuperGroup, London
Year
2025
Slot Machine
We were tasked with a complex mechanical challenge: to design and develop an oversized slot machine featuring three spinning wheels that activate via a PIR sensor and stop accurately on indexed graphics in sequence.
We built a robust framework using aluminium extrusion, which provided an excellent base for mounting the motors. We used BLDC motors to ensure extremely quiet operation suitable for an office environment. Each motor contained embedded magnets that triggered Hall-effect sensors, allowing us to determine wheel position, count revolutions, and measure rotational speed. These sensors also controlled the stopping point, once the spin-down sequence began, the system slowed the motor and counted a set number of magnet detections before stopping precisely on the required position.
To complete the build, we constructed a rigid outer skin from Dibond. A lightweight internal framework allowed the casing to slide over the entire mechanical assembly, providing the final aesthetic finish.
