Microcontroller-Powered Lunchbox Makes Printed Versions of QR Code Menus
Some restaurants have switched to digital menus which can be accessed only by scanning a code QR. Guy Dupont has created a project for those who prefer to read a physical menu. Dupont created a portable Lunchbox printer This creates a menu using the data from the URL that is scanned by the QR code.
It was hoped that restaurants would use the device to scan QR codes and print the menus. In this instance, Dupont has an ESP32 connected to a thermal printer. This module is able to connect to the Internet, which is required to retrieve the menu information.
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Dupont breaks the process down into five segments. The device has to first scan the QR Code and access the URL. The device then captures a screenshot using Microsoft’s Playwright software library. If the website is a PDF, it’s downloaded. The screenshot image will be scanned for any text.
The text is sent to ChatGPT. A request is made for the summary and formatting of the menu text. The response from ChatGPT will then be printed on the thermal printer. This allowed you access to the menu in real time without having to visit the website. All you need to have is an internet connection.
Dupon confirmed this device is powered by a Seeed Studio Xiao ESP32S3 microcontroller. The software used for the project is available at GitHub Anyone can explore. Hackaday will soon be publishing a detailed account on the project.
Check out the full video of Dupont on YouTube.