Cat Companion

Cat Companion is a mechanized, reactive cat toy that responds to a cat's actions using a mic amp as input that outputs to a mini servo motor. The toy comes in two parts: two felt animals. One of the felt animals holds the mic amp and serves as the 'controller.' The other felt animal holds the servo motor and vibrates in response to the mic amp's output. If the cat hits the felt animal holding the sensor, the other felt animal will vibrate, thus a cat is able to control the other part of its toy remotely. The toy does not require a human being to be present. It functions independently of human beings and can provide a cat with something to keep itself busy while alone at home. The toy is also designed to simulate an experience human beings take for granted: the ability to control something remotely. This cat toy provides cats with a way to exercise their independence and control by allowing them to direct another object and thus direct their own playtime.

Before using a servo motor, I used a vibe amp. The vibe amp ended up being too gentle in vibration and was difficult to keep in place so I switched to a servo motor at the suggestion of one of my classmates. The servo motor caused the vibration in the felt animal to be much more prominent. It also provided much more variation in speed and intensity of vibration, therefore I could program the servo motor to increase its vibration depending on the amplitude of the sound, or depending on how hard the cat hit the sensor.

I decided to make small, felt puppets to reference other cat toys --which usually have small, cute, craft-y exteriors such as a felt or cotton mouse or a furry, rotund kitten. The felt animal holding the servo motor is a cat. The felt animal holding the sensor is a dog, but I realize it also looks like a mouse, so...it can also be a mouse.

My first idea for a cat toy did not include two parts. The sensor was simply put in a box and would cause a felt animal attached to it to vibrate if it sensed that the cat was near. The benefit of this version was that it still provided the cat with something to keep it company while alone at home, but did not provide the cat with the opportunity to direct its playtime. The mic amp also did not seem to be sensitive enough to pick up on a cat's footsteps so I switched the idea to respond to a cat's hits rather than its footsteps.

- https://github.com/audreybanks235/CAT/blob/master/catCompanionArduinoCode

#include <Servo.h>

Servo myservo;  // create servo object to control a servo

int micPin = 0;  // analog pin used to connect the potentiometer
int val;    // variable to read the value from the analog pin
int pos = 0;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  myservo.attach(9);
  
}

void loop() 
 {
  
  val = analogRead(micPin);            
  val = map(val, 0, 1023, 0, 450);    
  //myservo.write(val);                   
  delay(10);

Serial.println(val); 
  
  if ((val > 20) && (val <= 30))  {
    for(pos = 0; pos <= 60; pos +=5)
    {
      myservo.write(pos);
      delay(20);
    }
  }
   
  
 
  if (( val >= 30 ) && (val < 100)) {
  //digitalWrite(micPin, HIGH); 
   for(pos = 0; pos <=60 ; pos +=5)
   {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(10);
   }
  } 

  if ( val > 100) {
   for(pos = 0; pos <=60 ; pos +=5)
   {
    myservo.write(pos);
    delay(3);
    }
  }
}

Click to Expand

Start the Conversation

Share this Project

Found In

Translation

Courses

48-739 Making Things Interactive

· 0 members
Making Things Interactive (MTI) is a studio course based on physical prototyping and computing. You will develop novel sensing, interaction and display techniques through projects and short assignm...more

About

My project will result in the construction of a mechanized, reactive cat toy that can be used by a cat without any human beings present. Cats alone at home all day are provided with something to keep them busy and keep them company. The cat toy will also provide cats with the chance to curate their own playtime by experiencing how their actions affects other parts of the cat toy remotely.