POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES 1

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Engineering
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
College of Engineering and Architecture Building
Sta. Mesa, Manila

Arduino-based Rice Vending Machine with GSM Monitoring and Security

System

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering

By

Cristi, Christian Anthony C.

Delgado, Roniel Joshua V.
Oville, Renz Joerel M.
Sim, Richard B.
Talens, Kevin Rae V.
Authors

Engr. Raffy C. Quiones

Engr. Leonel R. Calderon
Advisers

2016
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Chapter 1
The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

Automation changes the future of innovation. Nowadays, almost everything

has become automated - from process to manufacturing, from manufacturing to

selling. Technology has changed the mode of transaction of common products

from water and coffee, to daily expenditures like train cards, power chargers, and

computer rentals. The transaction of money, from paying bills to leisure and

entertainment, has also become automatic rendering convenience. Mechanisms,

such as the Automated Tubig Machine, Coffee Vending Machine, Charging

Station, Pisonet, and similar others, display the importance of automation which

has become beneficial for the everyday living of a Filipino. Eminently, the future

changes through automation.

Automation of vending and selling products is convenient and efficient both to

the vendors and the consumers. It produces a hassle-free and better transaction

of goods compared to manual selling, which may prove to be inconvenient and

even ill-timed.

In this study, the researchers created an arduino-based rice vending machine.

The machine will automate the selling of rice grains; able to operate for up to 24

hours straight, it dispenses a minimum of one half cup with a suitable price for

low-income individuals. Inclusion of special features such as security and alarm

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system, power saving mode, wireless monitoring and others adds to the

convenience and efficiency of the machine.

Background of the Study

Philippines is a third world country which consists of some people who

are so busy and yet have an inadequate income to sustain their familys

everyday needs. One of the ways to solve this problem is through making

money out of something. In other words, a passive income is very

suitable for every Filipinos that are hard-working and for those who are

open to engage a small business

Everyone knows that a Filipino meal will never be the same and

complete without a cup of rice. Rice is a food that plays a big role in every

Filipino meal - from breakfast to dinner. According to Dr. Eufemio Rasco

Jr., PhilRice executive director, an average Filipinos consumption is

three-fourths (75 percent) rice and one-fourth (25 percent) other food

groups. This big quantity of rice in a regular meal, he says, contributes

largely to the big per capita consumption of rice in the country, which is

119 kilograms a year. This, he says, is equivalent to five cups of rice per

person a day for every Filipino. Philippines have a high demand of rice,

which is good source to earn money.

Here in the city, buying rice is by simply just going to your patron

store or marketplace through walking which is hassle-free. This situation

is dissimilar to some secluded and mountainous rural areas just like in

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Barangay San Rafael located at Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal where

people go to the rice stores 10 - 20 minutes away from them which offers

them a very hard and risky purchasing especially during the night when

the road is too dark since there is no streetlights along the way. Because

of unreliability factors of nearest rice store, most people here buys bunch

sack of rice weekly through going to the San Jose town for about 1 to two

hours travel time. The community beside the Wawa Dam is a rural

community which consists of most people whose average income is less

than Php500.00 per day. Each family consists of about 3 to 10 members

inside the house and each consumes for about 1 to 3 kilos of rice per day

(depends on the number of members in a certain household). Since most

of them have physical limitations and some of them are citizen, they

usually hire a man to deliver the sack of rice to their respective houses,

which increases their expenditure.

The researchers also discovered the struggle of the people just going to

the nearest rice store. The challenges are the frail and weak-support

bridges, dark cave, dangerous environments, narrow way, etc. The people

usually buy rice weekly to avoid and to lessen their efforts and struggles

and torment that theyre facing. Also, the place is hard to reach because

of the location of the place and therefore, few retailers of rice are available

there. The researchers consequently propose a solution to these

problems, which is an automation of selling of rice.

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Automation of selling is an innovative way to earn money without the

use of manpower. The Advanced Automated Rice Vending Machine is

suitable for those full-time workers as an additional income. Without the

aid of manpower, the efficiency and effectiveness of selling the rice could

be greater. It can be a good diversion and an additional source of hobby.

Unlike manual selling, automated rice vending machine can run up to 24

hours, providing rice resources anytime.

But because the automated rice vending machine is located at poor

areas and no one is responsible to guard the machine and the money in

the vault, security and safety of the machine is an issue. Also, there are

certain events which must be yet to consider in automation. For example,

the problem of filling the container immediately with a bunch line of

waiting customers especially in rush hour when the owner is not there at

the moment or when the power is shut down or when theres an error in

operation. Thus, maintenance through monitoring is a big issue.

Although automation runs without the aid of manpower, still monitoring

and security is a problem. These two factors are one of the certain

problems for vending automation such as coffee vending machine,

automated tubig machine, etc.; therefore, the researcher added a

security and alarm feature in the system and also a monitoring system

using Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) to comply with

some of the disadvantage of Automation of vending machine.

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The Automated Rice Vending Machine offers a coined-value retailing of

rice, which is very convenient for customers who do not have ample

penny, yet demands a cup of rice. It is reachable since it is closer to home

and very reliable especially when a consumer is in urgent and in

emergency situation, very helpful in times of calamity, and when you have

nothing but a coin. You dont need to do anything - just walk to the

automated rice vending machine, insert a coin then fresh rice is now

yours. Since it is electronically operated, weight cheating is less often and

the machine per se can be trustworthy. Since it is operated 24 hours, it is

approachable and has no closing hours (except maintenance hours). It

offers a good quality of product kept in a well-dry place, secured from

pests and dirt, and it is affordable. It will also help prevent wasting of rice

since it is retailed in such a small amount.

The advanced automated rice vending machine aids the solution for

the problem of both the business enthusiast and for consumers in a

certain community that later helps them to obtain a better living. The

researchers conceptualized this research from an idea of vending

machines in convenience stores. These inspired the researchers to

construct such machine to help the said subjects who cannot afford to

buy kilos of rice. The possibility of making it is of great help to those who

demand to have a side-line business or small "proprietorship". This

machine aims to meet the needs of an individual, community, and the

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economy of the country since the Philippines is one of the largest

producers of rice - which will benefit the latter mentioned aspects.

Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Coin Detector and Counter Automated Rice Selling

Security Lock Alarm Circuit Alarm Sound

Volume Indicator GSM Protocol Message

Alarm System GSM Protocol Message

Power Source GSM Protocol Message

Mechanical Sensor GSM Protocol Message

Figure 1.The Process of identifying the effectiveness and efficiency of Arduino-

based Rice Vending Machine with GSM Monitoring and Security System using

coin slot as the processor of payment.

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The input of the study includes the following features: Coin slot system, rice

capacity indicator using GSM module, and programmable security system. The

study will be automated, similar to existing vending machines like coffee vending

machine and the likes; thus, owners wont have to check upon their machine often

enough, allowing them to have a great amount of time on their hands while still

gaining profit.
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Figure 2. The Block Diagram of Arduino-based Rice Vending Machine

using coin slot as the processor of payment.

Once the whole system is ready to operate, the coin will be the only trigger or

switch for the whole process of the rice vending automation system which is

considered as the main system. If a coin is inserted in the coin detector and

counter, it will produce a signal to arduino and the arduino will trigger a high output

to the solenoid valve. The time span that the solenoid valve remains high is based

on the type of signal that the arduino received from the coin detector and counter.

The signal varies depends on the value of coin inserted. GSM messaging is self-

charging system and sends the data or information gathered from different

branches of the whole machine. The coin vault security system will trigger the

alarm system if an illegal attempt was done and then it will immediately send

information to GSM messaging. Same case at the mechanical sensor, if it is

triggered at the rice container it will also send the information to the alarm system

and the going to GSM messaging once. For monitoring system, the rice indicator

will send information to the GSM messaging if it senses the low level of capacity of

rice in the storage. The power can also be monitored through GSM messaging so

that the owner can notice if the electricity supply is either low or high. In the user

interface, software changes and customize settings can be apply. Here, the owner

can modify the rice price per kilo and which will be automatically computed for per

cup, half kilo, etc.

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Theoretical Framework

In 1845, Michael Faraday discovered that the plane of polarization of linearly

polarized light is rotated when the light rays travel along the magnetic field

direction in the presence of a transparent dielectric, an effect now known as

Faraday rotation. This was the first evidence that light was related to

electromagnetism. In 1846, He speculated that light might be some form of

disturbance propagating along magnetic field lines. In 1847, Faraday proposed

that light was a high-frequency electromagnetic vibration, which could propagate

even in the absence of a medium such as the ether.

Faraday's work inspired James Clerk Maxwell to study electromagnetic radiation

and light. Maxwell discovered that self-propagating electromagnetic waves would

travel through space at a constant speed, which happened to be equal to the

previously measured speed of light. From this, Maxwell concluded that light was a

form of electromagnetic radiation: he first stated this result in 1862 in On Physical

Lines of Force. In 1873, he published A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism,

which contained a full mathematical description of the behavior of electric and

magnetic fields, still known as Maxwell's equations. Soon after, Heinrich Hertz

confirmed Maxwell's theory experimentally by generating and detecting radio

waves in the laboratory, and demonstrating that these waves behaved exactly like

visible light, exhibiting properties such as reflection, refraction, diffraction, and

interference. Maxwell's theory and Hertz's experiments led directly to the

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development of modern radio, radar, television, electromagnetic imaging, and

wireless communications.

From Faradays electromagnetic induction up to Maxwells electromagnetic

radiation leads the creation of wireless radio communication from short range up

to long range communication. One of the disadvantage of this automated system

is the security of the utilities, the products and machine itself from environmental

hazards and from other bad elements such as robbers and wreckers due to lack of

manpower and guard to protect the whole facilities. In order to lessen these

problems regarding to automation of selling, the researchers will provide an alarm

system by sending a message to the authorize personnel if someone will try to

attempt to do something illegal to the vending machine. It will also send

information about the condition of the system such as the quantity of rice in the

storage, power indicator, system report, etc. This will become possible through the

use of GSM network. GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) is a 2nd

generation digital cellular network that is very useful in wireless network

communication. It became possible from the theories of Faraday and Maxwell

about the theory of electromagnetic waves.

Propositional logic, also known as sentential logic and statement logic, is the

branch of logic that studies ways of joining and/or modifying entire propositions,

statements or sentences to form more complicated propositions, statements or

sentences, as well as the logical relationships and properties that are derived from
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these methods of combining or altering statements. In propositional logic, the

simplest statements are considered as indivisible units, and hence, propositional

logic does not study those logical properties and relations that depend upon parts

of statements that are not statements on their own, such as the subject and

predicate of a statement. The most thoroughly researched branch of propositional

logic is classical truth-functional propositional logic, which studies logical operators

and connectives that are used to produce complex statements whose truth-value

depends entirely on the truth-values of the simpler statements making them up,

and in which it is assumed that every statement is either true or false and not both.

However, there are other forms of propositional logic in which other truth-values

are considered, or in which there is consideration of connectives that are used to

produce statements whose truth-values depend not simply on the truth-values of

the parts, but additional things such as their necessity, possibility or relatedness to

one another.

The serious study of logic as an independent discipline began with the work of

Aristotle (384-322 BCE). Generally, however, Aristotle's sophisticated writings on

logic dealt with the logic of categories and quantifiers such as "all", and "some",

which are not treated in propositional logic. However, in his metaphysical writings,

Aristotle espoused two principles of great importance in propositional logic, which

have since come to be called the Law of Excluded Middle and the Law of

Contradiction. Interpreted in propositional logic, the first is the principle that every

statement is either true or false; the second is the principle that no statement is
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both true and false. These are, of course, cornerstones of classical propositional

logic. There is some evidence that Aristotle, or at least his successor at the

Lyceum, Theophrastus (d. 287 BCE), did recognize a need for the development of

a doctrine of "complex" or "hypothetical" propositions, i.e., those involving

conjunctions (statements joined by "and"), disjunctions (statements joined by "or")

and conditionals (statements joined by "if... then..."), but their investigations into

this branch of logic seem to have been very minor.

More serious attempts to study such statement operators such as "and", "or"

and "if... then..." were conducted by the Stoic philosophers in the late 3rd century

BCE. Since most of their original works -- if indeed, many writings were even

produced -- are lost, we cannot make many definite claims about exactly who first

made investigations into what areas of propositional logic, but we do know from

the writings of Sextus Empiricus that Diodorus Cronus and his pupil Philo had

engaged in a protracted debate about whether the truth of a conditional statement

depends entirely on it not being the case that its antecedent (if-clause) is true

while its consequent (then-clause) is false, or whether it requires some sort of

stronger connection between the antecedent and consequent -- a debate that

continues to have relevance for modern discussion of conditionals. The Stoic

philosopher Chrysippus (roughly 280-205 BCE) perhaps did the most in advancing

Stoic propositional logic, by marking out a number of different ways of forming

complex premises for arguments, and for each, listing valid inference schemata.
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Propositional logic is one of the basic thinking skills of every human which a

necessity of every artificial intelligence (AI). Through it, the system can tell the

statement or object whether it is right, wrong, both or neither. With this simple

logic, an innovative lock security system can be applied to the rice vending

machine. To enhance the security of the vault where the money is located, the

researcher will apply the propositional logic through a password lock system. Also,

if the false attempt to crack the code is more often, it will decide to send an alarm

message to the authorize personnel through the use of GSM network.

Propositional logic is very useful to the whole system since it is automated with the

aid of programming from simple rice selection up to security features. Since it is

fully automated, it will require the ability to decide the right decision itself reducing

the aid of manpower.

Statement of the Problem

The study was undertaken to find out the opinion and additional

knowledge of every people in Barangay Rafael in Wawa Dam about the

Arduino-based Rice Vending Machine with GSM Monitoring and Security

System and how it will be maximized and developed its function and

operation. The researchers want to answer the following questions.

1. How effective and efficient is the automation of rice vending dispenser

compared to manual selling in terms of:

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1.1. Expenditure?

1.2. Security?

1.3. Income?

1.4. Energy consumption?

2. How will it benefit the people in the community?

3. What is the impact of GSM Module for monitoring and security?

4. What is the cost of the device that will justify its function and feature?

5. What are the quantitative measures in varying the output?

6. What could be the type of rice to be chosen?

Significance of the Study

The study aims to help people in certain areas who only have the capability to

buy the needed amount of rice below retail standard and those who are far from

rice market. Moreover, the output of this study will let the consumers choose and

buy varieties of quality rice grains which can only be bought per kilo or wholesale.

This will also minimize the work of the market retailers especially the sellers since

it would not require human interaction in selling; it will let the consumers operate

the device by themselves. It is automated and will operate day and night which will

become a helpful remedy in times of necessity, emergency and calamity. During

unexpected events like typhoons, drought or any calamity, the output of this study

will be able to help the people affected by making rice grains available for
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purchase; subsequently the stores in affected areas will surely be closed. It will

benefit the owner since it can be a good source of income, high security and

monitoring. Also, for the consumers it is beneficial since it is less expensive,

reliable and available anytime. It will also help the community economically.

Scope and Limitations

The study is limited only for automation of rice dispensing machine

with coin denominations as credit for payment; also, the design of the

study is limited for one variety of rice which is the commercial rice. The

automated rice dispensing machine has features such as security and

alarm system, power saving mode, volume indicator and GSM messaging.

It only focuses on the automation of vending the rice that reduces the aid

of the manpower. The target marketplaces are those that satisfy the

benefits of the machine. The rice storage has capacity of about 50kg.

Communication signal must be present in the area as much as possible

and there must be a source of electricity with minimum of 220Vac.

Definition of Terms

Automated. The used of a certain control system to make a certain

operational equipment a minimal or reduced human intervention.

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Data Line. A wireless channel used solely for high speed data

communications.

Dispenser. used as a container and as a redstone component which

dispenses items when activated

DTMF tone. Stands for Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency Signaling Tone is an

in-band telecommunication signaling system using the voice-frequency

band over telephone lines between telephone equipment and other

communications devices and switching centers.

Machine. A tool containing one or more parts that uses energy to perform

an intended action.

Robot. A mechanical or virtual artificial agent, usually an electro-

mechanical machine that is guided by a computer program or

electronic circuitry.

Technology. The application of science to invent useful things.

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Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Foreign Literature

The human mind always needs information of interest to control

systems of his/her choice. In the age of electronic system it is important to

be able to control and acquire information from everywhere. Although

many methods to remotely control systems have been devised, the methods

have the problems such as the need for special devices and software to

control the system. The DTMF tone (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) generated

when the user pushes mobile phone keypad buttons or when connected to

a remote mobile system (Ladwa et al, Control of Remote Domestic System

Using DTMF, presented at ICICI-BME 2009 Bandung, Indonesia, 2009.)

The remote control technologies have been used in the fields like

factory automation, space exploration, in places where human access is

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difficult. As this has been achieved in the domestic system partially (Y. C.

Cho and J. W. Jeon, Remote Robot control System based on DTMF of

Mobile Phone, IEEE International Conference INDIN, 2008, July 2008.),

many corporations and laboratories are researching methods which enable

human to control and monitor efficiently and easily in the house or

outdoor. Controlling the domestic system regardless of time and space is

an important challenge. As the mobile phone enables us to contact with the

outside devices via mobile communication network regardless of time and

space, the mobile is a suitable to control domestic systems.

According to the book published by Anderson (2010), the Security

Engineering A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems, 2nd

Edition that many security systems are concerned one way or another

with monitoring or metering some aspect of the environment. He followed

that as the world moves from analog to digital technology, many

monitoring, metering and payment systems redesigned. And he cited also

that these systems may have to deal with numerous mutually suspicious

parties, and must be implemented on the cheapest possible

microcontrollers. But he doubted about it because he emphasized that the

complexity is the real enemy of the security because the distinction

between outsiders and insiders used to simplify the business, but as

everything gets connected up it is disappearing fast. He explained that

protection used to be predicted on a few big ideas and on propositions that

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could be stated accurately, while now the subject is much more diverse

and includes a lot of inexact and heuristic knowledge. So some of the

security engineers applied communication in such system because of the

simplicity using a transmitting-receiving circuit, as Kumar (2015) sampled

in his article that security system with GSM is just as by simply dialing the

number of the mobile phone registered to the triggering system and

sending code after the phone has automatically been answered, puts the

system to either active or state. In case of any attempt, the system will

automatically switch off and an alert SMS will be sent to the personnel who

keeps the mobile phone number registered in the system.

Goeldner (1962) described in his book of Automation: Evolution in

Retailing the different forms of retail automation which includes

automated stores, vending machines, electronic data processing, and

automatic materials handling because as explained by Alley (2011) in his

dissertation that as time progresses, an increasing number of consumer

goods contain microcontrollers. And as stated at the book titled

Introduction to Microcontrollers by Gridling-Weiss (2007) that

microcontrollers save both time and money, which are the key factors in

embedded system. It already contains all the components which allow it to

operate stand-alone, and it has been designed in particular for monitoring

and/or controlled tasks.

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According to the article made by Bellis (2016) about the History of

Vending Machines that the first recorded vending machine comes from the

Greek Mathematician Hero of Alexandria who invented a device that

dispensed holy water inside Egyptian temples. She cited that there are

early samples like small machines made of brass that dispensed tobacco

found in some taverns in England around 1615. And according to her

article, the first commercial coin-operated vending machine was introduced

in London, England and was invented in 1883 by Percival Everitt. These

machines were used in the railway stations and post offices as they were a

convenient way to purchase envelopes, postcards, and notepaper. And also

in her article, that Japan is the Land of Vending Machine which is Japan

has the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world because it

has gained a reputation for having some of the most innovative use of

vending machine where you can buy anything under the necessities and

wants of the people.

Foreign Studies

According to the research conducted by Suganthi et al. (January-

March 2013) which entitled DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

VENDING MACHINE USING VERILOG HDL, Vending machines are used

to dispense small different products, when a coin is inserted. These

machines can be implemented in different ways by using microcontroller

and FPGA board. Here in this paper, they proposed an efficient algorithm
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for implementation of vending machine on FPGA board. Because FPGA

based vending machine give fast response and uses less power than the

microcontroller based vending machine. The FPGA based vending machine

supports four products and three coins. The vending machine accepts

coins as inputs in any sequence and delivers products when required

amount is deposited and gives back the change if entered amount is

greater than the price of product. It also supports cancel feature means a

user can withdraw the request any time and entered money will be

returned back without any product. The proposed algorithm is

implemented in Verilog HDL and simulated using Xilinx ISE simulator tool.

The design is implemented on Xilinx Spartan-3A FPGA development board.

Based on their observation and integrated studies, they conclude that

It was observed through different scenarios, that FPGA based vending

machine give fast response and also show low power consumption and easy

to use by an ordinary person. The results clearly indicate that FPGA based

solution increases the efficiency and accuracy of vending machines. Also

they can monitor the FPGA based vending machine with the main frame

computer. Its algorithm is very flexible and reliable as the vendor can easily

enhance the algorithm for large number of products and coins of different

denominations at low cost as compared to microprocessor based vending

machine.

Local Literature
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There are some disadvantages of automation; one of it is its accuracy.

An article by Manila Times (May 11, 2013) entitled Automated voting: A

world perspective, it states that there are countries such as Germany,

Switzerland and Ireland that had used an automated election system

similar to the one that the Commission on Elections bought from

Smartmatic have reverted back to manual tallying and counting of votes.

This is because just like Philippines, the German Supreme Court also

noted the electronic systems flaws similar to those that Filipino experts

have been warning the Comelec and the public about.

The biggest complaint against electronic ballot casting, reading and

counting systems is their lack of transparency. Nobody sees how the

machines are reading each ballot. Then the machines report results that no

one can verify. Experts from CenPEG, AEStch and other institutions have

been repeating that the problem in Philippine elections is not in the

manual voting and the counting and tabulation that the Comelec officials,

representatives of all parties, people from accredited watchdogs and the

media can witness on blackboards or whiteboards. The cheating is in the

transmission of results and the fraudulent canvass.

Problems of the legality of using these machines as well as the

accuracy and the possibility of wholesale cheating are just some issues

raised by groups such as Automatic Election System (AES) Watch.

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Countries like Germany, which is fully democratic according to EIUs

findings, began having problems with the electronic voting system,

especially in its lack of transparency and public distrust of the system.

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, the German Federal Supreme

Court rejected the system.

The vision of an untainted election cost the Filipinos $160 million in

investment. Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. claims

that his agency is 99.9999999 percent ready, just like the PCOS

machines, they are not 100 percent accurate, but close to it nonetheless.

Local Study

A.Y. Chua et al. (2000) proposed a thesis entitled An active sensing

strategy to solve the problem of uncertainty identification in robotic

contact. Which compromises some robotics maintenance and operation.

This study addresses the problem of solving the uncertainties

present in a robotic contact situation. The uncertainties are errors, in

terms of angles and displacements that inhibit the smooth presentation of

a robotic task. A force sensor is used together with Kalman Filters to solve

the problem of identifying these uncertainties. However, the

straightforward use of a force sensor and the Kalman Filters is found to

be effective in finding only some of the uncertainties. There are

uncertainties that form dependencies and therefore could not be

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estimated in a direct manner. It is also observed that the relationship

between the uncertainties and the forces is non-linear and therefore, an

Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) has been used to find the uncertainties.

This dependency brings about the problem of observability. To solve the

observable uncertainties in contact situations four new active sensing

strategies were tested, namely: random contact strategy, multiple-

excitation strategy, combination-excitation strategy, and the

diagonalization strategy. The active sensing strategy introduces a matrix

into the Kalman filter algorithm to solve for the unobservable robotic

contact uncertainties. The transformation matrix is derived through the

relationship of a new contact situation and the previous contact situation.

The error covariance matrix of the Kalman filter is used to indicate the

directions of dependency and accuracy of the values estimated.

Among the strategies, it was concluded based on this study that the

combination-excitation is the best strategy because it solved all the

uncertainties with the least number of contacts. The combination-

excitation strategy also mimics the actual situation wherein the peg

makes contact with the environment, exciting the uncertainties in

different directions (combination of single or multiple excitation), until all

uncertainties are identified. A two dimensional contact situation is used

to demonstrate the validity of the strategies described above.

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Experimental results are also presented to prove the validity of the

procedure.

A student from STI Cotabato (March 2012) conducted a prototype of

Automatic Rice Vending Machine with single variety which sells per kilo of

rice and uses coin slot for mode of transaction. In this study, she use a

DC motor in the valve and uses a weighing scale to modify the weight of

the rice and coin processing for the coin.

Another conceptual study from Bane Kyamko (published October

2013) about the Automatic Rice Vending Machine. Here, it uses Bluetooth

module for user interface and GSM/GPRS module for mobile phone. The

purpose of these features is to provide customers the ease of operating

and transacting the product in a convenient location. It uses PIC18F4550

microcontroller for main processor of the whole system.

Synthesis of the Reviewed Literature and Studies

In automation and robotics, monitoring and acquiring information

within a distance is essential. In the foreign literature, it emphasizes the

application of wireless technology to monitor, manipulate and to control

the robotic machinery using any wireless telecommunication signaling

module such as DTMF. Similar to automation, using GSM module the

gathered information can be attain to the phone wirelessly.

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There are several ways to implement a certain vending machine by

using different modes of techniques in processing the automation. In the

implementation of vending machine conducted by Suganthi et al using

Verilog hdl, it shows that there are more innovations to come in creating

vending machines. The researchers main objectives are to make the

machine more efficient and more accurate to operate, with low power

consumption and more profit for the owner of the machine. The

disadvantage of using this technology is that it is very unstable, with

some tools supporting some constructs and not others. Furthermore, the

researchers found that Verilog is an advance software for microprocessor,

but seemingly complex and is made to support synthesizable products .

Through using simple substitute, it must be attain a better solution for

some future innovation of the vending machine.

Although in theoretical, everything will be precise from software to

hardware of the device itself, still there are several factors (environmental,

internal, human error, economical, etc.) that will still reduce the accuracy

of operation of the device in practical. Just like in automation of voting

wherein accuracy is required, imperfectness is still present which would

likely affects the output itself. Here in automation of selling of rice,

accuracy is also needed. But the researchers might expected that there

must be not more than 5% in error in terms of timing, product scaling,

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logistics, equipment and other elements to consider in the device.

Therefore, as the machine is being operated still maintenance must be

attainable so that the process will flow smoothly through removing the

obstructions.

Error can be resolve through different strategies which proposed by

A.Y. Chua et al in their privileged thesis. In the rice machine, it can be

attained through the programming section of the whole prototype and

careful selection of materials and components to be use plus the safety

devices such as fuse (example in power supply). Error even in smallest

quantity can be considerable but can be a catalyst of a large failure.

Filters(which is mentioned) can be a good remedy for errors.

The researchers objectives for the proposed thesis is to solve the

problems of every consumers, sellers and even the machine itself and also

one of our objective is to create an innovation that will provide a better

device which is somewhat related to our topic. The problem in the rice

vending machine of the student in STI Cotabato is that it uses manual

scaling which is space and time consuming which is hassle and they sell

only kilos of rice. The researchers also found out that the machine uses a

poor method of dispensing the rice which results in clogging. Another one

is just a conceptual study published by Bane Kyamko which uses

Bluetooth and GSM/GPRS module for the convenience of the consumer.

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In the researchers topic concerning about arduino-based rice vending

machine, it compromises the efficiency and effectiveness for both the

consumer and the seller. Through easy operation, maintenance and

monitoring with low power consumption plus the power saving mode and

fast transaction and operation, high robustness which can be operate 24

hours a day. The machine is highly secured and advanced mode of

monitoring and security so that the businessman can be confident to

operate the machine without his presence at that certain location where

the machine is operating.

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0

Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, it contains the methods of how researchers

develop and build this study and includes a scientific method of research

reports. The readers will see also the method of research used, population,

sample size, sampling technique, description of the respondents, research

instruments, data gathering procedure and statistical treatment of data.

Methods of Research Used

In this research, the researcher used a survey method with

appropriate questions related to arduino-based rice vending machine with

GSM monitoring and security system which gave us concrete information

which we would use in our research study.

The method of research used was a Quasi-Experimental method as it

utilized both experimental and descriptive method. Experimental method

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was used to achieve the objective of this study. It is used to test and

identify the operational accuracy, effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of

the subject. The descriptive study is also be used for collecting information

that will demonstrate the relationship and describe the subject as it exist.

This type of study is often done to know what specific things to manipulate

and is included in an experiment. This method would give a vision of the

respondents to arduino-based rice vending machine with GSM monitoring

and security system. Likewise, it also gave additional information about the

research and its development factors.

Population, Sample Size, and Sampling technique

The respondents were consisted of residents beside the

Barangay San Rafael located at Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal. The

respondents are of different ages and are permanently living in the area.

The sampling technique used by the researcher in the study is an

accidental sampling technique and simple random sampling technique

which means every resident in the community were able to answer the

survey questionnaire. The researchers decided one hundred (100) people

will be participating in the research.

Table 1

Sample Size of the Research Study

Respondents Sample Size

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Residents in Barangay San Rafael 25

Residents in Barangay San Rafael 25

Residents in Barangay San Rafael 25

Residents in Barangay San Rafael 25

Total 100

Description of the Respondents

Residences of Barangay San Rafael in Rodriguez, Rizal were involved

in this study. The respondents who involved must have a healthy mind and

are currently living within that area.

Research Instruments

The researchers prepared survey questionnaires for the collection of

data to identify the opinions and reactions of the respondents about the

arduino-based rice vending machine with GSM monitoring and security

system. The set of questions were based from the statement of the problem.

It was edited first before it was distributed among the respondents.

Data Gathering Procedure

The data were drawn from residents beside the Barangay San Rafael

located at Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal. The researchers must presents

the proposed material then distributed the survey questionnaires randomly

among the people and retrieved the questionnaires right away after the
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respondents were finished answering. The survey was answered according

to their personal thoughts about the topic.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The quantitative part of this study will make use of procedures to

analyze the gathered data. Descriptive Statistics was used to measure the

properties of the research variables. The said statistics is defined as

statistical procedures used in describing the properties of samples or of

population data available.

The formula in finding the percentage is