NEW GUIDE: Automatic Cat Treat Dispenser using CRICKIT & Circuit Playground Express #CRICKIT #MakeCode #MakeRobotFriend
This new guide shows you how to build your own Automatic Treat Dispenser! All it takes is some scrap cardboard, craft supplies, a servo motor, and CRICKIT for Circuit Playground Express programmed with MakeCode to bring this treat dispenser to life.
The automatic treat dispenser is an easy way to feed and entertain your cat when you’re not at home. The box is triggered by a pad that detects a change in capacitance when touched. This makes it very sensitive to little paws, and can be easily repositioned it to make it easier or more challenging for your cat to trigger.
Many different designs for treat dispensers can be found on the internet, but all rely on the same principle of positive reinforcement, part of a larger branch of psychology known as Operant Conditioning. The science of Operant Conditioning can produce dramatic changes in animal behavior by leveraging different reinforcing stimuli. This project, more than simply a fun way to occupy your pet, can also be used to powerfully influence your animal’s behavior.
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
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