Stop, Drop, and Pose

Inspiration

We were inspired by the Polaroid walls in people’s apartments—when guests walk in, they snap a photo and add it to the wall. We thought: what if this idea could be reimagined digitally and automatically? That’s how Stop, Drop, and Pose was born.

What it does

Stop, Drop, and Pose is like a Ring camera, but instead of recording video, it captures fun, candid snapshots of your guests as they arrive. These photos are stored and displayed as a digital, aesthetic guest book—turning everyday hangouts into lasting memories.

How we built it

Arduino + Raspberry Pi integration: the Arduino handled input triggers from distance sensors while the Raspberry Pi processed the camera capture and photo storage. Laser cutting: we designed and cut a custom stop sign to invite guests to “Stop, Drop, and Pose.”

Challenges we ran into

Synchronization between the Arduino and Raspberry Pi—timing was tricky when managing button presses and photo capture. Hardware bugs, like sensor misreads and wiring issues, which required a lot of debugging. Balancing prototype speed vs. polished design, and learning when to prioritize functionality over form.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Building a functional prototype that actually captures photos. Designing an interactive and aesthetic system that feels polished, thanks to laser-cut fabrication. Creating something that makes social spaces more fun, memorable, and connected.

What we learned

How to set up and program a Raspberry Pi camera module. How to interface microcontrollers (Arduino ↔ Raspberry Pi). The value of iterative prototyping—starting messy, then polishing.

What's next for Stop, Drop, and Pose

Adding live photo display on a small screen right at the entryway. Expanding the system to auto-generate printable Polaroid-style keepsakes. Building a mobile app or cloud sync so guests can download their photos after visiting. Exploring fun add-ons, like filters, GIFs, etc.

Built With

• acrylic
• arduino
• laser-cutting
• paint
• python
• raspberry-pi