This project report presents the design and implementation of an Automatic Pet Feeder Food Level Detector, which aims to solve the issue of pet feeders running out of food without notifying the pet owner. The system is an affordable attachment for existing automatic pet feeders that monitors food levels using a sonar sensor and provides visual, audio, and app-based notifications.
Key Components:
- Sonar Sensor: Used to measure the food level in the feeder by emitting ultrasonic sound waves and calculating the distance to the food. Two mounting options (top lid and side wall) were tested to ensure accuracy and ease of use.
- RGB LED: Visual indicator displaying the status of the food level using different colors (green for full, yellow for low, and red for empty).
- Passive Buzzer: Audio alerts for when the food levels are critically low or the feeder is empty.
- NTFY App: Sends notifications to the user’s phone when the food levels are low or empty, enabling remote monitoring.
- Raspberry Pi Pico W: The microcontroller with built-in Wi-Fi that manages the sensors and sends data to the NTFY app.
Functionality:
The system collects food level data every five hours, processes it using a moving average filter to reduce noise, and triggers the appropriate notifications. The system is compact and designed to be easily mounted on the feeder’s lid, making it suitable for most automatic pet feeders.
Results:
- Accuracy: The sonar sensor provides consistent measurements, especially with a cardboard insert to ensure a flat reflection surface for the ultrasonic waves.
- Notifications: Real-time alerts sent via the NTFY app ensure pet owners are informed when the feeder needs to be refilled.
- Cost Efficiency: The system costs under $20, making it a budget-friendly solution compared to other products on the market.
This project demonstrates a successful low-cost solution for improving pet feeder management, providing reliable, real-time monitoring, and alerting systems to ensure pets are regularly fed.