<p>I'm building a cat feeder (that can also work on small dogs but as I'm a Cat Lady, cats go first ! :D).</p>
<p>This cat feeder consist in a "cat-shaped tower", which will have most of the electronics parts, and a bucket with lid where you can put the cat's food.</p>
<p>The eyes of the "cat-shaped tower" will be a distance sensor. This sensor will detect the cat (or human slave hand) approaching and turn on the servo-motor that will open the bucket lid to let the cat eat its food (or the human slave to put some new food in it).</p>
<p>In the bucket you'll have a metallic bowl to put the food. It's easier to clean, more food friendly and also easier to fill (let's help the human slave a bit ! ;) ).</p>
<p>Between the bucket and the bowl there will be a force sensing resistor to measure the quantity of food in the bowl.</p>
<p>If the bowl is full, Led lights, that are in the "cat-shaped tower" 's ears will turn green.</p>
<p>If half of the bowl is empty/full (for the cat it will certainly be EMPTY!), the ears will turn orange.</p>
<p>Finally, if the bowl is empty (FO REAL!), the ears will be red.</p>
<h4>Goal and purpose of the project</h4>
<h5>Purpose</h5>
<h6>Force Sensing Resistor</h6>
<p>The purpose of the Force Sensing Resistor is to help the human slave to serve the right amount of food per day to its Cat's Majesty. For example I will talk about my sister's cats that overweight and for whom she has to give different quantity of food per day to help them loose some weight.</p>
<h6>Lid with Servo Motor</h6>
<p>The lid will help to keep the food secure against room temperature and humidity and keep its texture and taste as it should be.</p>
<p>But also, as part of a future upgrade, it will keep the food from being eaten by the other cats. For that, I will switch the distance sensor with another one that would read the cat's ID chip or collar chip that I'll have to provide with the feeder.</p>
<h6>3 colors LED Lights</h6>
<p>The LED lights will visually help the human slave to know if the cat really needs some food if it's gently asking for some.</p>
<p>In another upgrade, I'd like to have this alert on the human slave's smartphone by adding an application which will include the quantity of food remaining, an alert when the cat eats some and maybe more.</p>
<h5>Goal</h5>
<p>With this project I'd like to work on electronics mostly but also 3D printing with the "cat-shaped tower" part and maybe the bucket.</p>
<p>I love to work with wood and the laser cutter but as I already used it before I'd like to try out the CNC and shape the bucket with it.</p>
