AquaPup Faucet Friend: Revolutionizing Pet Hydration with A.I. and Raspberry Pi

In a world where smart technology is transforming every aspect of our lives, it’s time to introduce our furry friends to the wonders of artificial intelligence. Meet the AquaPup Faucet Friend, a groundbreaking A.I.-powered solution designed to keep our canine companions well-hydrated and happy.

The Genesis of AquaPup

AquaPup Faucet Friend was born out of a simple yet profound need – to ensure our dogs have access to fresh water whenever they need it. Traditional water bowls can go unnoticed, and busy pet parents might not always remember to refill them. That’s where AquaPup steps in, merging technology with care.

How It Works: A.I. Meets Pet Care

At the heart of AquaPup is a state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence system trained specifically for dog recognition. The A.I. which is developed using the advanced YoloV8 framework, is hosted on a powerful Raspberry Pi 4. This compact yet robust setup is the brains behind AquaPup’s smart operations.

A.I. Detection

The moment your dog approaches the faucet, the A.I. springs into action. Using a camera interfaced with the Raspberry Pi, the system recognizes the presence of your dog and activates the faucet. This ensures that your pet has access to fresh water without any human intervention.

Timed Hydration

AquaPup doesn’t just turn the water on; it smartly manages the hydration session. Once activated, the faucet dispenses water for 25 seconds – ample time for a refreshing drink. After this duration, the system automatically turns the water off, conserving this precious resource.

Building AquaPup: The Tech Behind

Creating AquaPup wasn’t just about assembling hardware; it was an intricate process of programming and training the A.I. The Raspberry Pi 4 serves as the perfect platform, offering the necessary computing power in a small, energy-efficient package.

YoloV8, known for its accuracy and speed in object detection, was the obvious choice for the A.I. model. It took hours of training with numerous images of dogs to achieve the level of precision AquaPup boasts today.

The Impact: More Than Just a Faucet

AquaPup Faucet Friend is more than a technological marvel; it’s a testament to the potential of A.I. in enhancing pet care. It offers peace of mind to pet owners, knowing their dogs won’t go thirsty. Moreover, it represents a step forward in applying smart solutions to everyday challenges.

Looking Ahead

The journey of AquaPup doesn’t end here. Plans for further enhancements include adding voice recognition capabilities, customizing water flow duration, and even integrating it with smart home systems. The goal is to make AquaPup not just a product but a part of the family.

AquaPup Faucet Friend is a glimpse into a future where technology and pet care converge seamlessly. It’s not just about quenching thirst; it’s about enriching the lives of our pets with the magic of A.I.

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Communicate with a Modbus RTU RS485 device using a Raspberry Pi

A Raspberry Pi is a tiny computer that can talk to other devices using something called Modbus protocol. This allows us to read information from these devices, like temperature values, which is very important in many industries. For example, if we want to know the temperature of a machine in a factory, we can use a Raspberry Pi to read this information and make sure the machine is working correctly. This is very helpful because it can save us time and money by detecting problems early and fixing them before they become bigger issues. Plus, a Raspberry Pi is small, cheap, and easy to use, which makes it a great tool for controlling and automating many different devices. All we need is a little bit of code, and we can read and control all kinds of machines and sensors.

To communicate with a Modbus RTU RS485 device using a Raspberry Pi, you will need to install the “pymodbus” package in your Raspberry Pi. To install the package, you can use the pip package manager with the following command:

sudo pip install pymodbus

You will also need to connect a USB to RS485 adapter to your Raspberry Pi and connect it to the Modbus RTU device. Once you have done that, you can use the following Python code to read temperature values from the device:

#!/usr/bin/env python
from pymodbus.client.sync import ModbusSerialClient
from pymodbus.register_read_message import ReadInputRegistersResponse

# Configuration
baudrate = 9600
parity = 'N'
bytesize = 8
stopbits = 1
timeout = 1
unit_id = 1
start_address = 0
num_registers = 1

# Create a Modbus client
client = ModbusSerialClient(method='rtu', port='/dev/ttyUSB0', baudrate=baudrate, parity=parity, bytesize=bytesize, stopbits=stopbits, timeout=timeout)

# Open the communication port
client.connect()

# Read temperature value from the device
response: ReadInputRegistersResponse = client.read_input_registers(start_address, num_registers, unit=unit_id)
if response.isError():
    print(f"Error: {response}")
else:
    temperature = response.registers[0] / 10.0 # assuming the temperature value is stored in a 16-bit register and multiplied by 10
    print(f"Temperature: {temperature}°C")

# Close the communication port
client.close()

This code assumes that the temperature value is stored in a 16-bit register and multiplied by 10. You may need to adjust the start_address and num_registers variables depending on the register where the temperature value is stored and the number of registers it occupies.

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The BarBot – Touchscreen Automated Drink Maker

I’ve been working with 3D printers for a while now. Watching them move and print can be mesmerizing. I wanted to make a fun gadget that would demonstrate my skills and create an interactive conversation piece for a party. Hence The BarBot. It’s not a new idea but, I knew I could do it better than most that I’ve seen online and take it a step or two further.

Custom Designed Printed Circuit Board

My BarBot features two stepper motors to create linear actuation in two directions; Move the drink from bottle to bottle and dispense the ingredients. I wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Along with the motors there are two end switches to home the motors so they know their positions. I designed and printed all the plastic parts. The horizontal linear actuator is a single steal rail with two rail guides. eBay Link to Steal Rails

Also my dispensers measure one shot every time. Making it do half shots and quarter shots is much tricker. Here’s a link to those racks where I used two for 12 bottles. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q42XL9Q

I have an Arduino Uno controlling the motors and acting as the I/O controller. From there I have the Uno connected via USB Serial to the Raspberry Pi. Connected to the Raspberry Pi is a 7″ touchscreen and a 1080p Camera with an extended ribbon cable for camera placement.

The main brains (RasPi) boots up directly to my custom application that holds the drink database, system state (making drink, current ingredient, motors homed, etc), and real-time communication to the motors. I developed the applications using Javascript with Node.JS, C programming language, Socket.IO and JSON.

This project is intended to demonstrate my Software, Electrical, Mechanical and Automation skills. I hope you like it. I am still adding more features and fine tuning the system. Stay tuned for more. Check out my YouTube Channel for updates. https://www.youtube.com/c/ConsultingjoeOnline

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Magic Time-Lapse Video of Mask

Yesterday I started this print last night and it took about 15 hours to complete. It was very large and I experimented with a different pattern for the top and bottom infill, the. It also has a 5% infill on the base with a 3D honeycomb design for strength while saving plastic and print time.

FileFinalMask5.gcode
Filament (Tool 0): 48.91m / 117.65cm³
Approx. Total Print Time15 hours


Print Time14:58:55

My Make on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/make:487301
Please watch the video below. It turned out great. LIKE & SUBSCRIBE