Spray It, Don’t Say It
The Babble BLASTER is an Arduino-powered device that detects when someone has blabbed on for too long before blasting them with water.
We all know someone that just has to dominate every conversation, as if what they have to say is all that really matters. When you can’t get a word in edgewise, it can be very frustrating. But what is the best way to handle these situations? Telling someone that they talk too much might be seen as rude, yet allowing them to blabber on unchecked might lead to you avoiding them altogether, damaging the relationship all the same. What might be really useful in these difficult situations is an impartial third party that can objectively determine when someone is talking too much and remind them to back off for a bit.
That is where the Babble BLASTER comes in. This device is the brainchild of a trio of students at the University of Stuttgart, and you know it is really exciting because the second word of the name is in all caps. Admittedly a tongue-in-cheek solution, the Babble BLASTER is an Arduino-powered system that listens to conversations, and when it detects that one individual has rambled on a bit too long, it will audibly remind them to shut their trap. And just in case they cannot hear the reminder over their own blabbing, it will also spray them with water for good measure.
The Babble BLASTER is housed in a 3D-printed case that looks something like an air freshener, with googly eyes attached to lessen the likelihood that an offender punches it in retaliation for the spritz of water they receive. Inside the case, an Arduino UNO development board serves as the brains. A pair of sound sensor modules listen for anyone that is running their mouth excessively, and if a certain time threshold is exceeded, the difference in the time between when sound reaches the pair of sensors is used to hone in on the location of the offender.
From there, a stepper motor is used to spin the Babble BLASTER and point the business end of a PVC hose connected to a mini pump that draws water from an onboard reservoir at the blabber. Finally, a sassy message stored in an audio file on an SD card is played via a speaker module as the pump blasts a stream of water to silence the excessive chatter.
The sensing technology that this device relies on is cutting-edge. Or at least it was several decades ago. So you should expect hilariously bad results if you decide to build your own Babble BLASTER. But it will be hard to resist the temptation to make one anyway — after all, who among us can honestly say that they have not long dreamed of owning a voice-activated Super Soaker?
Lots more details, including the 3D model files, Arduino code, and schematics, can be found in the project write-up. It relies on mainly off-the-shelf modules, so assembly should be a snap. And even if you do not have a 3D printer, it should be possible to jury-rig something to make it work, so this looks like a good project for anyone from beginner to advanced hobbyists.