Litterbox Leaderboard (WIP)

Project Name: LitterBox LeaderBoard
 

Description
Some quick mounts and electronics to start tracking your cats litterbox usage!
Measures various stats about each usage of the litterbox, including weight and smell, then tracks them in a leaderboard that can be accessed via the web.

Threw it together in a couple of days having never created my own 3d model before, or written any c++ (blech). It was a fantastic learning experience!

Currently in a bit of a half-finished state, code and this description needs a bit of work.

Features
* Tracks your cat(s) litterbox usage!
* Measures both the weight and smell(PM2.5) of each bowel movement.
* Support for multiple cats! provided they dont weigh the same

Hardware Used
1x Arduino UNO R4 Wifi 
1x Grove - Laser PM2.5 Sensor (HM3301)
4x 50kg Bathroom Scale Load Cell
1x HX711 Load Cell Amplifier
2x pieces of wood - roughly the size of your litterbox
Various amounts/lengths of wire
4x 3d printed “Cat Face Load Cell Mount” 
1x 3d printed Arduino/Sensor mount
1x 3d printed Cat Face

Software Used
Fusion 360 - 3d Model creation
Pulsar - My code editor of choice
C++ - The language all the code is written in.
platformIO - to compile and flash the Arduino R4

Code
https://github.com/TheMakerWizard/litterbox-leaderboard
* Checks the Load Cells until a cat is detected, at which point it begins to log the PM2.5 sensor values.
* Waits until cat leaves and then saves the sensor peak/averages and the weight left behind to the leaderboards.
* Hosts a basic webUI that displays the leaderboards, or individual sensor values.

Printing Instructions
Material: PLA
Layer Height: 0.32
Infill: 20%
Supports: None

If your printer isnt the best at overhangs you may need to use supports for the nose on the cat-face.
Given the simplicity of the print you can use a much bigger nozzle for faster prints as well.

Assembly Instructions
Load Cells: 
1. Press fit one each into the 3d printed cat face load cell mounts
2. Screw one onto each corner of one of your pieces of wood
3. Wire per wiring diagram (not done yet).

Electronics:
1. Mount the PM2.5 Sensor on the top pegs of the electronics-mount
2. Mount the Arduino on the bottom pegs of the electronics-mount
3. Attach the electronics-mount to desired wall/surface with a screw or double sided sticky tape.

All together:
1. Place wood without load cells on desired surface.
2. Place wood with load cells on the first piece of wood, load cells face down.
3. Wire HX711 to the already mounted Arduino UNO
4. Place electronics-cover onto the electronics-mount.

Demo and Usage instructions
Wait for a cat to poop!
Find the Arduino on your network or get the IP from the serial interface.
You can access the webUI at http://that_IP:8080