Course Project

Pet Feeding Robot Project

Overview

The Pet Feeding Robot is an automated system designed to make feeding pets convenient and efficient. It leverages an ESP32 microcontroller and Arduino IDE to control a servo motor for dispensing food and a conveyor belt system for tray movement. This ensures food is delivered to your pet accurately and on time.

Objectives

1. Automate the pet feeding process with precision and reliability.

2. Integrate a servo motor for controlled food dispensing.

3. Enable tray movement using a conveyor belt system to ensure food is accessible to the pet.

4. Build a cost-effective solution for pet owners.

Key Features

• Servo Motor Food Dispensing: Opens and closes a flap below the storage box, allowing the right amount of food to fall onto the tray.

• Conveyor Belt Tray Movement: Moves the tray forward to make the food accessible to the pet.

• Customizable Feeding Schedule: The feeding schedule can be programmed in the ESP32 using the Arduino IDE.

• Low-Cost Design: Uses readily available components for affordability and scalability.

Components Used

1. ESP32 Microcontroller: For controlling the servo motor and conveyor belt.

2. Servo Motor: To open and close the flap under the food storage box.

3. Conveyor Belt Mechanism: To move the tray forward after food is dispensed.

4. Power Supply: To power the ESP32 and motors.

5. Storage Box: To store and dispense pet food.

6. Tray: To hold the food after dispensing.

Working Principle

1. Food Dispensing Mechanism:
   
   

   • The servo motor is attached to a flap under the storage box.

   • When the feeding time arrives, the ESP32 sends a signal to the servo motor to rotate and open the flap.

   • Food falls onto the tray beneath the storage box.

2. Tray Movement Mechanism:
   
   

   • After dispensing the food, the ESP32 activates the conveyor belt.

   • The tray moves forward, positioning the food for the pet.

3. Programming:
   
   

   • The ESP32 is programmed using Arduino IDE to control the motor movements and feeding schedule.

   • The feeding schedule is pre-configured in the code, ensuring precise timing.

Block Diagram

• Input: Feeding time schedule (pre-programmed in ESP32).

• Control Unit: ESP32 microcontroller.

• Output: Servo motor opens the food flap, and the conveyor belt moves the tray forward.

Code Snippet

Here’s a simplified example of the Arduino IDE code for controlling the servo motor and conveyor belt:

// Define pins

const int irSensorPin = 23;   // IR sensor signal pin

const int motorPin1 = 25;     // Motor driver IN1

const int motorPin2 = 26;     // Motor driver IN2

// Motor state tracking

bool objectDetected = false;   // Tracks if an object is detected

bool motorRunning = false;     // Prevents repeated triggering

void setup() {

  // Set up motor driver pins

  pinMode(motorPin1, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(motorPin2, OUTPUT);

  // Set up IR sensor pin

  pinMode(irSensorPin, INPUT);

  // Initialize serial communication

  Serial.begin(115200);

  Serial.println("System ready. Waiting for object detection...");

}

void loop() {

  // Read the IR sensor state

  int irState = digitalRead(irSensorPin);

  // If the IR sensor detects an object

  if (irState == LOW && !objectDetected) {

    Serial.println("Object detected! Rotating motor clockwise...");

    objectDetected = true;

    motorRunning = true;

    // Rotate motor clockwise

    digitalWrite(motorPin1, HIGH);

    digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);

    // Wait for 4 seconds

    delay(4000);

    // Stop the motor

    digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);

    digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);

    Serial.println("Motor stopped.");

    motorRunning = false;

  }

  // If the object is removed

  else if (irState == HIGH && objectDetected && !motorRunning) {

    Serial.println("Object removed! Rotating motor anticlockwise...");

    objectDetected = false;

    motorRunning = true;

    // Rotate motor anticlockwise

    digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);

    digitalWrite(motorPin2, HIGH);

    // Wait for 4 seconds

    delay(4000);

    // Stop the motor

    digitalWrite(motorPin1, LOW);

    digitalWrite(motorPin2, LOW);

    Serial.println("Motor stopped.");

    motorRunning = false;

  }

  // Add a small delay to reduce CPU usage

  delay(100);

}

Servo Motor Code

#include <ESP32Servo.h> // Include the ESP32Servo library

Servo myServo;          // Create a servo object

void setup() {

  Serial.begin(9600);             // Start serial communication

  myServo.attach(19);             // Attach the servo to GPIO pin 13 (change as needed)

  Serial.println("Servo Test: Enter an angle between 0 and 180");

}

void loop() {

  if (Serial.available()) {       // Check if data is available in the Serial Monitor

    String input = Serial.readStringUntil('\n'); // Read the input string

    int angle = input.toInt();    // Convert input to integer

    if (angle >= 0 && angle <= 180) {

      myServo.write(angle);       // Set the servo to the specified angle

      Serial.print("Servo moved to: ");

      Serial.println(angle);

    } else {

      Serial.println("Invalid input. Enter a value between 0 and 180.");

    }

  }

}

Applications

• Ideal for feeding pets like cats, dogs, or even birds.

• Useful for pet owners with busy schedules or those who travel frequently.

Future Enhancements

1. Add Wi-Fi connectivity for remote control using a mobile app or web interface.

2. Include sensors to monitor food levels in the storage box.

3. Integrate a camera for real-time monitoring of the pet.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how automation can simplify daily tasks like pet feeding. Using the ESP32 and Arduino IDE, the Pet Feeding Robot provides a cost-effective and efficient solution for pet owners.