Project Information
Project launch date: October 2016
Latest Revision: IoT Pet Feeder V1.0 (initial prototype release)
Notable awards: Second Prize, IoT Builders Contest 2016 hosted by Instructables.com, Category Two, Special Award, FAB3D Contest 2016 hosted by Consortium for the Global Society with Planetary Fabbing run by the Keio University SFC
Related links: Thingiverse CAD Files
Description
Tired of waking up early to the meowing of your furry friend begging for food? Or always running late to get home on time to serve the cat or dog waiting for you to get home? Well, my family experienced these situations many times especially the former issue. To solve this problem once and for all, I wanted to see if I could 3D print and program and automated pet feeder connected to the internet.
UPDATE January-2017:
It’s been a while since actually using this device at our home. A few issues listed below have arisen unfortunately. I’m already kinda thinking about making a revised version…
- My cat keeps trying to use her claws to slide open the top lid of the feeder and sometimes succeeds to get the food inside which defeats the whole purpose of course…
- The lid won’t align with the food tray after about three spins due to the accuracy of the servo motor. Next time, I think it would be better to have a feeding system that’s similar to a cereal dispenser we often see at hotels.