Project by Jadon75985; IoT Pet Feeder

Jadon75985 just shared a new project: "IoT Pet Feeder"



The objective of this project was to create an Internet of Things (IoT) device that could give pet access to a food bowl when a text message command was sent from a remote location.
I had never done an IoT project before, so I wanted to keep the rest of the build relatively simple. I decided on a box with a sliding lid on top, into which a bowl of pet food could be placed. When the user wished for their pet to be fed, they would be able to send a command from their mobile phone, causing the box’s lid to slide open giving the pet access to the food bowl.
The project consisted of four main parts: The box, the drive assembly, the controller and the client application.
I wanted to the finished product to look nice, so I decided to build the box out of timber. I initially envisioned it having rounded corners and a varnished wood finish, but I ended up having to go with a simple rectangular box due to time constraints.
The drive assembly was another area that I had limited experience with, but I didn’t think it would be overwhelmingly difficult. I was wrong, but the initial design worked well enough. Its function was to move the wooden lid of the box from one side to the other.
The controller was the area that I was most comfortable with, especially considering the simplicity of the program. However, as previously mentioned, giving the project connectivity was new ground for me, and did prove to be the most difficult part of the project. Initially, I tried to use the GSM/LTE connection, but I was unable to get the module to work and ended up using wifi instead.
The client application was an addition to the project due to the need to access a system connected to the internet through a router with local DNS.

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