MAKE: Blog: HOW TO - Make a RFID pet food access control system

HOW TO - Make a RFID pet food access control system

Mlarsen writes -

In this instructable I will explain how to make a simple RFID pet food access control system. This system uses a stand-alone RFID system that can be purchased either pre-assembled or in kit form if you desire to do the soldering yourself, and also wish to save a few dollars in the process.

The reason I made this was out of pure necessity. I have two dogs, and when my vet placed one of them on a special diet I needed some way to ensure they ate their own food... and only their own food. Since they are open-bowl fed and I'm gone part of the day, I decided to look for a product that would do what I needed. This meant I wouldn't have to spend a great deal of time trying to re-train them and still give them the freedom to eat whenever they chose. This is where my frustrations begun...

HOW TO - Make a RFID pet food access control system - Link.

Related:

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: bentheo on September 4, 2007 at 9:02 AM

what would be a really cool adaptation of this project would be using the rfid chips that many pets have implanted in case they are lost.

Posted by: yo_tyler on September 4, 2007 at 10:40 AM

Those tags use a proprietary protocol, and ownership of the compatible readers is restricted to vets, kennels, and the such.

Posted by: Echo_Hotel on September 4, 2007 at 12:24 PM

I think you underestimate how much a dog is willing to go through to eat something it's been told it shoulden't... ;)

Posted by: newtonian on September 4, 2007 at 3:00 PM

The RFID tags used here are probably not the same as the vet uses. You can buy RFID tags online with a reader. It may not read the pet info, but you would write your own info to the tags. Like Dog1 and Dog2.

Instead of the sound, you could use a linear actuator to cover the bowl if the unauthorized dog tried to eat it.

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