Robotic Ticket Scratching via Mobile Interface for Remote Lottery Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals unable to physically purchase or play lottery tickets due to geographical constraints or physical limitations are excluded from participating in lottery games, and existing methods do not provide an equivalent level of engagement while complying with governmental regulations.
Innovation Solution
A network-connected robotic system that allows remote participation in lottery games through a mobile interface, enabling users to select, sign, and virtually scratch tickets using a robotic arm, while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lottery tickets are sold only at physical locations within jurisdiction, then regulatory compliance is maintained, but accessibility for remote players is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A robotic arm serves as an intermediary between the remote player and the physical lottery ticket dispensing machine. The robotic arm is controlled via mobile device to perform actions such as scratching the ticket, enabling remote players to interact with physically-present tickets without being physically present themselves. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by allowing regulatory compliance (physical location requirement) while providing remote accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical scratching action is required to reveal ticket information, then gameplay integrity is maintained, but accessibility for players with physical limitations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical scratching action is replaced with an automated robotic arm that performs the scratching motion. Players with physical limitations can control the robotic arm through a mobile device interface, which translates digital inputs into physical scratching movements. This substitution maintains the integrity of the physical scratching requirement while making it accessible to players who cannot perform the physical action themselves.
3Adaptability or versatility
If one person collects and plays group lottery tickets, then transaction simplicity is maintained, but group engagement and experience sharing are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm system provides multi-functionality by enabling multiple users to interact with the same physical ticket simultaneously through their own mobile devices. Instead of one person collecting and playing tickets for the group, each group member can control the robotic arm to scratch their own tickets remotely, sharing the gameplay experience while maintaining transaction simplicity through centralized robotic control.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller is configured to obtain, from a first video camera in proximity to a ticket dispensing machine, a first video stream; transmit the first video stream to an application server for delivery to a user device; receive, from the application server, a dispense command for the ticket dispensing machine; cause the ticket dispensing machine to dispense, based on the dispense command, a ticket having a scratching area; receive a user-provided scratching command from the application server; and cause a robotic scratching device to scratch the scratching area in accordance with the scratching command.