10 - Matcha Whisk
Team Members:
Poojitha Jonnalagadda, Kaylin Henry, Meera Ravi, Sebastian Rodriguez
Background:
Matcha, a finely ground powder made from green tea leaves, has been consumed for centuries and holds deep significance in Japanese culture. In recent years, matcha has grown rapidly in popularity in the United States. People love it for its distinctive flavor and numerous health benefits. Since matcha is sold as a fine powder, it must be whisked into hot water before being enjoyed as is or mixed with milk to form a latte. The preparation method involves a chasen, a tea whisk made from bamboo, and specific whisking techniques. These unfamiliar tools and procedures can make matcha inaccessible and intimidating for people to enjoy at home. Yet the preparation process plays a crucial role in the final taste and texture of the drink.
Problem Statement:
We aimed to design a mechanism that utilizes a single input motor and a nested slider-crank system to replicate the traditional matcha whisking motion, which a zig-zag path that effectively mixed both the liquid and power effectively. The mechanism must produce coordinated two-axis planar motion at a 1:3 frequency ratio between the horizontal and vertical directions, a profile that can’t be done through a single rotational joint or any simple single degree of freedom mechanism.