A Smart Pet Door System using Mobile Computing and Context-Aware Devices Andrea Lopez1, Roberto Sebastian Loera1, & Dr. Yu Sun2

1 Citrus College 2 Computer Science Department, Cal Poly Pomona

The purpose of this project was to create a smart pet door prototype that was a cost effective substitution to existing pet doors, with mobile and intelligent capabilities. This was accomplished using a Raspberry Pi, which is a microcomputer, a miniature linear servomotor, which provides linear motion, a wifi dongle, a Bluetooth dongle, an external battery source, and with mobile/cloud programming done in Android and Node.js languages. Once a Bluetooth iBeacon, attached to the pets’ collar, is within a specified distance from the Bluetooth receiver on the Raspberry Pi, located above the pet door, it automatically sends a command to lift the door by retracting the server motor arm and taking a picture, using the attached camera, to be sent to the owner’s mobile phone application. The application gives the owner the option to save and store the picture, or to remotely open the door, should there be collar signal interference.

The objective of this pet door project was to stop pet owners from having to get up or stop what they were doing to let their pet out for a bathroom break; the pet door also needed to address the concern owners had with unwanted entrances. To solve these problems, the group created a cost effective and easy to use smart pet door that opens when the pet, with an iBeacon collar, comes within specific range. A mobile application was also to be created to remotely open the door from a distance should the door not open with the collar due to any interferences. Essentially, the raspberry pi installed in the pet door would receive the Bluetooth signal from the iBeacon collar with a blue tooth dongle, causing the pet door to open through the retraction of an actuator. Simultaneously, the Raspberry pi would automatically take a picture of the pet moments after the door fully opened. This photo would be forwarded to the pet owners mobile application with a selection to save or delete the photo. This project would also be able to be applied to other scenarios where automated switches were needed based on the proximity of people or objects.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

HTTP SERVER •  Allows android application to

access controls through the internet

•  Runs Retract Python Script when iBeacon is within “open” range

•  Runs Extend Pythons Script once when iBeacon out of range

•  Runs code to takes a photo

RESULTS

This research was supported by a U.S. Department of Education Title III grant PR# P031C110019.

Thank you Dr. Yu Sun for your continued support throughout this project. Thank you Dr. Marianne Smith and Professor Barbara Juncosa for making

this research opportunity possible. Thank you Andrew Ferguson for help with the Raspberry pi.

•  Gaddis, Tony, Starting out with Java. Pearson Education, 2016. Paperback

•  Hardy, Brian and Phillips, Bill. Android Programming: Big Nerd Ranch. Big Nerd Ranch, Inc, 2013. Paperback

•  Arduino. 2015. Retrieved from http://www.arduino.cc/ •  Raspberry Pi Foundation. 2015. Retrieved from

https://www.raspberrypi.org/

RESULTS (continued)

REFERENCES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Part 1 : Door Mechanism Step 1 - Research and order equipment that provides the desired motion Step 2 - Wire and test electronics to ensure electronics would power up Step 3- Create and test the arduino code and the python script. Testing

done with minicom program Step 4 - Create and test the HTTP server to handle all desired commands Step 5 - Attach the door panel and encase electronics Part 2 Android Application Step 1 - Create the necessary User Interface Step 2 - Research the proper codes said buttons Step 3 - Grant the internet permissions to the applet Step 4 - Communicate with the server to extend and retract the Actuator

MATERIALS AND METHODS (continued)

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Raspberry Pi 2 B+ Arduino Uno

Battery

Actuator

PWR

GND

CTRL

Camera Camera GND

PWM 9

Door

WIFI

BT

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!!!!!Micro USB !

!!!!!

USB

A

USB

B

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Wall Outlet

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!

PYTHON SCRIPT •  Sends the letter e

to the arduino through serial port

•  Sends the letter r to the arduino through serial port

ARDUINO CODE •  e is received; the arduino

sends a 1 second pulse to actuator, which causes arm extension

•  r is received; the arduino sends a 2 second pulse to actuator, which causes arm retraction

ANDROID APPLICATION •  Allows user to open and close the door •  Allows user to save photo

HARDWARE

PROGRAMMING

Figure 1 (left): Diagram of door mechanism. Figure 2 (right): Code excerpt

Figure 8 (left): Mechanism to be inserted into the pet owners’ door Figure 9 (right): Android application user interface. The buttons command the open and close function on the mechanism. The photo taken will sent from the mechanism to the mobile device and displayed in the location of the blue square.

In conclusion, the group was able to successfully construct the mechanism that would open and close the Smart Pet Door, by sending different distinct pulses, to be placed inside the door. The server generated by the Raspberry Pi 2, which also controls the Actuator, is what marries the hardware mechanisms and the software applet. The app is able to send the commands to raise and lower the door, while, the option to save the taken picture is further being developed. Together, this entire project may be one of the more cost effective and technologically advanced Smart Pet Doors on the market.

CONCLUSION

Figure 3: Raspberry Pi 2 B+ Figure 4: Arduino Uno, Figure 5 (below): Raspberry Pi Camera

Figure 6: Firgelli Linear Servo Actuator Figure 7 (below): 6+ Volt Source