This project creates an automatic pet feeder that dispenses food when your pet approaches the feeding station. The system uses a PIR sensor to detect your pet’s presence and a servo motor to open a food hopper. You can also add scheduling features to limit feeding times.<\/p>\n
Difficulty:<\/strong> Intermediate A PIR sensor mounted near the feeding bowl detects your pet’s presence. When motion is detected, the system checks if enough time has passed since the last feeding. If so, it activates a servo motor that opens a food dispenser, releasing a measured amount of food. An optional RTC module can restrict feeding to specific times of day.<\/p>\n This smart pet feeder ensures your pet is fed on a regular schedule without constant manual intervention. The system can be expanded with additional sensors and connectivity to become a comprehensive pet care solution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Project Overview This project creates an automatic pet feeder that dispenses food when your pet approaches the feeding station. The system uses a PIR sensor to detect your pet’s presence and a servo motor to open a food hopper. You can also add scheduling features to limit feeding times. Difficulty: Intermediate Estimated time: 3-4 hours […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-projects"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n
\nEstimated time:<\/strong> 3-4 hours
\nEstimated cost:<\/strong> $30-45<\/p>\nHow It Works<\/h2>\n
Materials Needed<\/h2>\n
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Mechanical Assembly<\/h2>\n
Food Hopper Design<\/h3>\n
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Circuit Diagram<\/h2>\n
Connection Table<\/h3>\n
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\n \nComponent<\/th>\n Pin<\/th>\n Arduino Pin<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n PIR Sensor<\/td>\n VCC<\/td>\n 5V<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n PIR Sensor<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n PIR Sensor<\/td>\n OUT<\/td>\n Digital Pin 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Servo<\/td>\n VCC (red)<\/td>\n 5V<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Servo<\/td>\n GND (brown)<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Servo<\/td>\n Signal (orange)<\/td>\n Digital Pin 9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DS3231 RTC<\/td>\n VCC<\/td>\n 5V<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DS3231 RTC<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DS3231 RTC<\/td>\n SDA<\/td>\n A4 (SDA)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DS3231 RTC<\/td>\n SCL<\/td>\n A5 (SCL)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Push Button<\/td>\n One pin<\/td>\n Digital Pin 3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Push Button<\/td>\n Other pin<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Buzzer<\/td>\n Positive<\/td>\n Digital Pin 8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Buzzer<\/td>\n Negative<\/td>\n GND<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Arduino Code<\/h2>\n
#include <Servo.h>\n#include <Wire.h>\n#include <RTClib.h>\n\n\/\/ Pin definitions\nconst int pirPin = 2;\nconst int servoPin = 9;\nconst int buttonPin = 3;\nconst int buzzerPin = 8;\n\n\/\/ Servo positions (adjust for your mechanism)\nconst int closedPos = 0;\nconst int openPos = 90;\n\n\/\/ Feeding settings\nconst unsigned long feedInterval = 3600000; \/\/ 1 hour between feedings\nconst int feedDuration = 2000; \/\/ Time servo stays open (ms)\nconst int maxFeedingsPerDay = 8; \/\/ Safety limit\n\nServo feederServo;\nRTC_DS3231 rtc;\n\nunsigned long lastFeedTime = 0;\nint feedingsToday = 0;\nint lastDay = 0;\n\nvoid setup() {\n Serial.begin(9600);\n \n \/\/ Initialize pins\n pinMode(pirPin, INPUT);\n pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT_PULLUP);\n pinMode(buzzerPin, OUTPUT);\n \n \/\/ Initialize servo\n feederServo.attach(servoPin);\n feederServo.write(closedPos);\n \n \/\/ Initialize RTC\n if (!rtc.begin()) {\n Serial.println(\"RTC not found!\");\n }\n if (rtc.lostPower()) {\n Serial.println(\"RTC lost power, setting time\");\n rtc.adjust(DateTime(F(__DATE__), F(__TIME__)));\n }\n \n Serial.println(\"Smart Pet Feeder Ready\");\n Serial.println(\"Waiting 60 seconds for PIR warm-up...\");\n delay(60000);\n \n \/\/ Get current day\n DateTime now = rtc.now();\n lastDay = now.day();\n}\n\nvoid dispenseFood() {\n Serial.println(\"Dispensing food...\");\n \n \/\/ Beep before feeding\n tone(buzzerPin, 1000, 500);\n delay(500);\n \n \/\/ Open dispenser\n feederServo.write(openPos);\n delay(feedDuration);\n \n \/\/ Close dispenser\n feederServo.write(closedPos);\n \n \/\/ Beep after feeding\n tone(buzzerPin, 2000, 300);\n delay(300);\n tone(buzzerPin, 2000, 300);\n \n \/\/ Update counters\n lastFeedTime = millis();\n feedingsToday++;\n \n Serial.print(\"Food dispensed. Feedings today: \");\n Serial.println(feedingsToday);\n}\n\nbool canFeed() {\n DateTime now = rtc.now();\n \n \/\/ Check if it's a new day\n if (now.day() != lastDay) {\n feedingsToday = 0;\n lastDay = now.day();\n Serial.println(\"New day - resetting feeding counter\");\n }\n \n \/\/ Check feeding interval\n unsigned long timeSinceLastFeed = millis() - lastFeedTime;\n if (timeSinceLastFeed < feedInterval && lastFeedTime != 0) {\n Serial.print(\"Too soon since last feeding. \");\n Serial.print((feedInterval - timeSinceLastFeed) \/ 1000);\n Serial.println(\" seconds remaining.\");\n return false;\n }\n \n \/\/ Check daily limit\n if (feedingsToday >= maxFeedingsPerDay) {\n Serial.println(\"Daily feeding limit reached\");\n return false;\n }\n \n return true;\n}\n\nvoid loop() {\n bool motionDetected = digitalRead(pirPin) == HIGH;\n bool buttonPressed = digitalRead(buttonPin) == LOW;\n \n if (motionDetected) {\n Serial.println(\"Motion detected\");\n if (canFeed()) {\n dispenseFood();\n } else {\n \/\/ Friendly beep to indicate food not available\n tone(buzzerPin, 500, 200);\n delay(200);\n tone(buzzerPin, 500, 200);\n }\n }\n \n if (buttonPressed) {\n Serial.println(\"Button pressed - manual feed\");\n \/\/ Debounce\n delay(50);\n if (digitalRead(buttonPin) == LOW) {\n if (canFeed()) {\n dispenseFood();\n } else {\n tone(buzzerPin, 500, 200);\n }\n while (digitalRead(buttonPin) == LOW) {\n delay(10);\n }\n }\n }\n \n delay(100);\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\nInstallation Steps<\/h2>\n
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Troubleshooting<\/h2>\n
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Project Extensions<\/h2>\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n