Automatic Cat Feeder Known an Auto-Dine

The Auto-Dine utilizes an Atmega8 microcontroller to create an automated cat feeder which counts time while the next feeding time is shown in LCD screen.

A chute is made from a box with plexi-glass on one side with a servo being attached. Through two drilled holes, a long bolt was placed in the body and used zip ties to secure them to the acrylic. The servo acts like a geared motor since it has no control circuitry. To act as a base of the food chamber, another piece of acrylic and two bits of aluminum angle-bracket were used. Another piece of acrylic that pivots on a screw with a nylon stand-off around it is capping off the food chamber. A half-funnel was made out of a large yogurt container and stapled it in place because the food comes screaming out when the servo tilts the false-bottom.

The controls include the lower button that will cycle the servo when in idle mode. The different settings modes for clock hours and minutes are scrolled through the upper button. The second button incrementing the selected digit is used for the feed timer hours and minutes.

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