Treat Dispenser and Web App

This is a dog treat dispenser that dispenses treats based off of input from a progressive web app, time intervals, and or feeding schedule. The dispenser, itself, is based loosely off of this model.

Note: This previously used Auth0 for user authentication and metadata storage. Since re-uploading this app, Auth0 deprecated the authorization process used and quite a bit of work is required to get it back. On the current live site, this uses Basic Authentication. Some of the old Auth0 code is still in app.js for easier transitioning into the up-to-date auth process.

TreatDispenser.ino

This is the code executed on a Particle Photon (similar to an Arduino--uses C/C++).

Features

• Dispense treat on command
• Dispense treat on customizable intervals
• Dispense treat on customizable schedule
• Dispense treats or meals in customizable sizes/amounts
• Optionally play an audible "warning tone" of customizable frequency before dispensing
  • When I first used this, my dog was scared of the sound of the servo. Adding the "warning" tone helped
• Track how often your dog barks so that you can not dispense a treat if they are barking too much
  • You need something else to track the barks and send the command to the Photon. I used a webcam that executed a bark tracking script on my PC
• All settings can be tracked and changed in a web app

How it Works

1. Command for dispensing treat is sent to Photon based off of user input, interval, or schedule
2. Photon receives command over its Wi-Fi connection
3. Photon optionally plays "warning" tone so dog isn't scared of servo starting up
4. Photon spins servo (motor) to push treats out of the dispensing hole
   • The amount it spins is time-based and can be customized
5. Dispensing is complete and web app is notified

Hardware

1. Breadboard - Connects all of the hardware pieces together
2. Particle Photon - Executes all code
3. Power Adapter - Additional power had to be applied because I used a servo with greater-than-standard torque. Otherwise, the Photon can be powered via USB
4. Capacitors - Provides cleaner power to the servo and helps prevent mechanical bugs
5. Resistor - Decreases power sent to speaker, so the "warning" tone is quieter
6. Piezo Speaker - Plays "warning" tone
7. Servo - Turns the auger, which dispenses treats

public (folder)

This is the progressive web app. See the README.md inside it for details

auger*.stl

These are the 3D-printed parts for the auger, which is used to dispense the treats.

Limitations

• Currently only works with small treats
  • This can be fixed by using a larger auger
• Treats can easily become jammed or not dispense at all
  • A gravity-fed system would work better than this, which pushes horizontally
• Particle Photon has limited memory, which decreases:
  • Number of web variables - It would be nice to be able to track more.
    • I mostly overcame this limitation by rolling multiple variables into single char pointers
  • Number of features - More efficient code might allow for more
• Photon variables reset to defaults on power reset
  • This can be mitigated by storing them in the web database and having the Photon request them on startup

To-Do

• Comment the web app code
• Host the web app again -- I took it down and deleted Auth0 account after no longer using it
• Re-write Photon code -- They updated their JS API to use OOP
• Re-write the app in Angular -- Removing Auth0 makes a re-write pretty much necessary anyway
• Replace basic authentication with own user authentication database -- I removed authentication because auth0 no longer supports the legacy auth0 authentication the app was using
• Simplify the Photon code. Scheduling features aren't really necessary.

Needs to be done, but won't be unless I pick the project back up

• 3D print a gravity-fed system
• Store variable values in web database and have Photon request them at startup