Wet Pet Food Dispenser

Introduction :

Brief:

The popularity of smart feeders which dispense lower value pet biscuits has the potential to eat into the market share of premium wet food products.

Mars Petcare, the largest global producer of pet food, could create a wet food dispenser to aid the sales of its premium pet food products.

Aims

There are four key aims for the product development:

Make Mars pet food brands stand out in the marketplace
Engage consumers who use grocery subscription services, e.g. Amazon Subscribe and Save
Take advantage of the dropping cost of IOT hardware to engage a new digital generation
Provide a turnkey dispensing solution without requiring any modifications to the production process

Use Specification

The majority of pet owners enjoy the ritual of feeding their pets. They feel it strengthens the bond between them and providing for their pet makes them happy. The product must not present itself as a complete replacement for that human interaction to avoid a potentially hostile reception.

There are three target scenarios which will be presented as acceptable:

Opportunity Absence
Planned Absence
Health Condition

Home Late

Holiday

In Home Assistance

Opportunity Absence

Aim: Ensure pets are fed on time if the user will be back late.

Demographic:

Age 18-30, single, no dependents
Technologically enthusiastic
Often highly social, going out with friends multiple times per week straight from work
Treats their pets

Use Scenario:

Invited for a social event the same evening during the day at work, the dispenser allows the user to not miss out whilst ensuring the welfare of their pet
Unexpectedly delayed at work, the dispenser ensures that feeding time is not missed

Planned Absence

Aim: Manage absences without having to send the pet to a kennel/cattery

Demographic: Age 18 – 70

Use Scenario Cats:

Cats can often be left to their own devices for more than one day unattended, just needing water and regular feeding.
The feeder can deliver value for cat owners by being able to leave their pet without supervision for a long weekend. This would require a capacity for dispensing 12 meals: 8 wet, 4 dry.

Use Scenario Dogs:

Dogs cannot be left to their own devices for a long period as they need to be walked and checked on every day.
The feeder can deliver value for a dog owner by being able to supplement meals delivered by a dog sitter/walker. The device ensures the dog receives meals at the correct time regardless of when visited. This would require a capacity for dispensing 5 meals: 3 wet, 2 dry

Health Conditions

Aim: Aid for people with health conditions who have pets to keep them company

Demographic:

Age : Predominantly Older
Living independently
Health Conditions, e.g. arthritis, dementia, joint pain

Use Scenario:

For patients with dementia it can be difficult to monitor if and when the pet has been fed. The automated feeder can ensure the pet receives the correct amount of food at appropriate times.
For patients with arthritis or joint pain, opening pet food products and putting them on the floor can be challenging and painful. The automated feeder can be simply loaded once per cycle, reducing the physical burden.

Key Specifications

User Experience:

Intuitive to set up, configure and operate
Easy to load
Easy to clean

Functionality:

Reliable
Hygienic
Safe for pets

Commercial:

Present itself as a premium product
Compatible with the brand images of the sub-brands involved
Turnkey solution, compatible with off-the-shelf Mars products
Deliver both dog and cat food brands
Suitable for high volume manufacture
Low cost per unit <£15

Form Factor Selection

Container Form Factor:

There are three common pet food form factors which are carried across the brands.

Pouches 100g/85g
Cans
Perfect Portions Pots (cat only)

Cans

Selected form factor:

Pouches have several distinct advantages:

Contain only a single portion or partial portion, so no refrigeration is required
Pouches cater for both dog and cat food
Compatible with premium brands of Sheba and Cesar
Hygienic opening option (tear) avoiding contamination of internal components

Pouches

Workshop Concepts

Design Workshop

System Workshop

Mechanical Workshop

Mechanical Investigations

Box perforation and pouch dispensing

Dispensing food from the pouch

Next Steps

Mechanical

Evaluate and select the optimal design elements
Produce a more detailed mechanical prototype design incorporating all the best design elements
Design and test prototype subsystems of the device
Design a full device prototype

Electronics and Software

Hold an electronics and software workshop to investigate different hardware for delivering the remote connectivity, power options and motor control
Ensure that the hardware has sufficient specifications for the software team’s needs
Plan the electronics system with all the major components
Plan a software system with the major blocks
Acquire development boards and start writing drivers
Plan the PCB layout of an early stage prototype

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