Internet-Enabled Cat Feeder

[MJN]

Thought I'd help get the new sub-forum off the ground and mention my Internet-enabled cat feeder:

It has been in regular use for over 5 years now without a single hitch and whilst reliability was important I never thought I'd get this far without any issues!

Further design/development details can be found here.

 

[gman76]

That is freakin' excellent!

 

[muggles]

Good work

 

[Dextraneous]

It has to be said that you're a genius but utterly, and lovably, bonkers

By the way, the reason why your cats don't drink from the designated bowl is because it's in the same room as the food. If you put it in another room or outside the back door, then they'll happily use it. Strange, but true.

 

[MJN]

Yes, they do seem to prefer water from elsewhere. Of course given that we are talking about cats here there could be an element of them simply not doing what you want them to (and indeed them doing what you don't)!!

 

[JohnW2]

... my Internet-enabled cat feeder:

Assuming your cats get fed at regular times (that's what they usually want/demand!!), would it not have been much simpler (and non-reliant on a human being remembering to activate it!) to have the same bit of electro-mechanical kit controlled by a local timer of some sort (one that the cats could not interfere with!)?

Kind Regards, John

 

[MJN]

Simpler, but not nearly as much of a challenge!

In all seriousness, there is the element of reliability and I didn't want a fully automated solution that I would just leave and assume to be working. Remote viewing was therefore pretty much essential as a feedback loop and so if I'm going that far then adding on remote control as well requires only a couple of extra steps on top.

Of course with complexity comes potential reliability issues and so I originally implemented a belt-and-braces solution that would mean the feeder would self-activate if it hadn't been done remotely each AM/PM but I ended up removing this because not only was it never called upon I figured that for most causes of such a situation occurring I'd rather give the neighbours a call and get them to take over.

 

[JohnW2]

Simpler, but not nearly as much of a challenge!

I suspect that's the basis of an awful lot of 'home automation'!

In all seriousness, there is the element of reliability and I didn't want a fully automated solution that I would just leave and assume to be working. Remote viewing was therefore pretty much essential as a feedback loop and so if I'm going that far then adding on remote control as well requires only a couple of extra steps on top.

Fair enough.

Of course with complexity comes potential reliability issues ...

That was a lot of the basis for my comment. However, if you have got remote viewing and a reasonably good memory, I guess that is more-or-less taken care of!

Kind Regards, John

 

[MJN]

I suspect that's the basis of an awful lot of 'home automation'!

Absolutely. And we must recognise that just because you can connect something to the Internet doesn't mean you should! (And yes, I am arguably as guilty as anyone for breaking that rule!)

 

[JohnW2]

I suspect that's the basis of an awful lot of 'home automation'!

Absolutely. And we must recognise that just because you can connect something to the Internet doesn't mean you should! (And yes, I am arguably as guilty as anyone for breaking that rule!)

Indeed. I'm personally rarely guilty of "connecting things to the internet", but I certainly am very guilty of creating 'systems' of one sort of another more because their creation is a 'challenge' than because there is any true need for them

Kind Regards, John

 

[MJN]

I like to think it's the sign of a true engineer!

 

[mattylad]

We strive to find something new to create a system that can be net enabled - because no one else has done it and it will be a new thing

Me - I just don't bother doing it but just dream of doing it someday lol