SB Automation - Investigating Interest

Hello - I have a background in engineering and interest in BDSM. For the past few months I've been brainstorming on the idea of putting those together to make a sort of modular SoC PC that would serve as a sort of virtual Dom or assistant for those into the hobby. Over time it'd get more sophisticated but I'd start simple with the promise that if I saw demand that I'd ensure it became more robust over time and likely be built in a way where you could get a couple pieces to start and then grow the system and upgrade the software over time without having to chuck the whole thing for the new model each year.

So I'd rather not give away the recipe but here are a couple of my ideas so you can get an idea what I'm thinking of the final product being like. I am prototyping a little so you may see some photos of my test rig along with breadboards and bare parts I'm developing this thing with. The final product would certainly be more of the custom PCB & screws&glues where today it's cardboard & cross-connects.

Right now I've built it on a Raspberry Pi 4 SoC using the RPi linux and code written in python. It would be in a custom case and the sides would be dotted with various ports/jacks where pieces you got later would plug in to add functionality to the system. In this way you could affordably grow its features over time instead of having to start with a huge price tag and you could just get the pieces that had interest to you as opposed to having bells and whistles you wouldn't miss.

So first off, you'd run a pre-built software load which would take over the normal interface - think an app in full-screen or kiosk mode on your PC. As features were developed, you'd just get a new memory card for it and gain the new functionality. Although it would start as a simple "would you like to do 1, 2, or 3?" Eventually I envision something of a collection of events which you could organize into any order you want and possibly have some flow-like control available so you could start with a module that makes the user stand silently for 30 minutes and would either move on to the next task if they succeeded or would punish them if they failed... but if they succeeded but only with several almost-over-the-limit-noises, the next task may be required to be completed in the dark?

To begin, the releases would consist of things like
1) a maglock holding someone from moving 
2) a spool of string that lowers keys when it's time
3) an actuator that opens the lid to a box holding the key that has no apparent other means of opening 

So what kind of tasks could be available to the user? 

1) Suck 100 meters of cock
User restrains their hands and then must deep throat a dildo. There is a distance rangefinder at the base of the cock that measures where they start and stop with each try. It adds the length from each attempt and adds it until it reaches a total of 100 meters. 
2) Learn your place
User wears a collar that is fixed to a point. There is a camera pointed at their face. A monitor is seen in front of them. The monitor shows them a close up of their face. At random intervals words appear on the screen and they have to say them out loud or be punished. After they have done this 50 times, the screen goes to a still image of them and then they get to hear their words played back to them over speakers - all 50 phrases - and bask in the humility of it before being released.
3) Invisible Cage
A set of blocks are set in a square shape around the user. When they are told it's enabled, if they cross between any two blocks, they'll get punished through a TENS unit. They must stay within the boarders of their prison of whatever size until the time runs out. If they make a noise, 5 minutes gets added to the duration.

I imagine a wide variety of future pieces. Something that turns on a pinspot (like a spotlight) and they must sit in the spotlight until it turns off every time it comes on for hours? White noise played on earbuds while restrained. Then sounds like a door opening are barely heard, leading to anxiety to an unaware user? Push these buttons in the right order (think the old Simon Says game) or else....

So here's the bad part. I'm human. You'll need to include a backup each time cause who knows when a bug might keep something from working right? And updates will take awhile until I get some help. And it's a little complicated. I'm sure it can get easier over time but these things usually start with a bit of a learning curve. And finally building them by hand isn't cheap. Eventually they'd get there but the first few wouldn't be cheap.  I'm thinking they'd start around $350-450. Maybe in 3 years they'd be $100 and then $50 for addons? Just off the top of my head... 

So the question is.. if I built a few. And sold them with the stipulation that I'd update them provided I got feedback on how they worked, didn't work, or could be better on the first handful to go out. Am I living in a pipe dream or am I on to something here?

TECH BITS for those who understand them-
So far I've built prototype pieces using these core devices
5mp camera
couple geared motors
vibrating motors, 3 sizes
Stepper Motors (sm)
220lb capable 6" linear actuator
5" reciprocal actuator (the fucker)
25kg/cm servos
2gal/min water pump
40lb solenoid pull 1"
45lb maglock (small)
75lb maglock (medium sized)
160lb maglock (~5"x1")
H bridge, motor driver IC
RFID reader, RFID wristbands
ultrasonic rangefinder
RealTimeClock for Pi

I have Breadboarded stuff all the time. Mostly for arcades and some versions of robotics. Robot is not a thing that walks and talks and garbage like that.

Here is an example:
Tv used in an arcade game. When you turn on the game, the monitor turns on and if it sees a video signal ( RGB, VGA/CGA or HDMI ), it switches over.
No problem with that. But other tvs, will not turn on or if they do, it’s usually just goes into the stand by mode until you press the power on button. That’s where my robots come in to play.
So, my robot is sleeping. When the power comes on, my robot wakes up, makes a pot of coffee, takes a few sips and then walks over to the remote and presses the power on button. After that, it sits back and watches people put money in the game until the arcade closes and the power is turned off. Then it goes back to sleep until the power is comes back on.
Then the robot wakes up and starts the process again.
And that’s all it does.

I thought it might help everyone if I posted what some of this stuff looks like.
   
The famous "mag lock". It's an electromagnet that does nothing laying there but put power through it, and it becomes a powerful magnet basically keeping many metals attached to it until power is lost
   
I wanted a string that you could put a key on. Then have it retract too far away for you to reach... then have it come back down to you when chosen.   Here I tried using a stepper motor to do it. Stepper motors are like normal ones except that they are very accurate about how they move. If it turns 10 times in 5 seconds pulling up, it'll take 5 seconds to turn 10 times coming back down, guaranteeing where it stops. This one didn't make it. So I replaced it with a normal motor, but one that had a "transmission" attached to it. This does a good job of restricting it to a steady pace, but with more strength than the same motor would have otherwise.
       
This linear actuator is a little like an expanding rod. The motor on it spins to make it longer and then spins the other way to compress it. It lets you move things in a straight line. 
   
Similar, this reciprocating actuator is what they use to make fucking machines generally. The motor runs, turning the arm, which causes the disk on the end of the rod to move back and forth.
   
Finally, this is a servo motor. It has very fine control over its position. You can have it turn 90 degrees clockwise, then 30 degrees counter, then move on. Anyway, you might imagine how these could be used to hold/provide release in many scenarios.

[Like Ra]

I tweaked the post a bit 😉