MouseAir launches toy mice for the amusement of cats

Analysis

After completing a functional version of MouseAir, I considered a few things I would do differently the next time. The loading mechanism is unreliable: A slanted channel with the mice positioned side by side might be a better design, perhaps with a servo that pushes the mouse into the loading position. The range of the RFID system I used was too short: I need to use bigger antennas and bigger targets.

Additionally, the control system is too limited: I'll admit I love the motors, but I would like to have better control over individual motor speeds; then, I could control the direction and distance of the mouse.

Finally, I am tired of building foam and plastic mounts for the devices I use in various projects. I need to purchase a decent 3D printer to build parts, which will be the topic of an upcoming article. Maybe I will build cat toys with it.

Infos

  1. MouseAir project: http://www.switchdoc.com
  2. iCPooch: http://www.icpooch.com
  3. Antenna circuit design for RFID applications: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00710c.pdf
  4. RasPiConnect: http://www.milocreek.com
  5. Source code: http://github.com/switchdoclabs

The Author

John C. Shovic is currently Managing Partner of SwitchDoc Labs, LLC, and Chief Technical Officer of InstiComm, LLC, a company specializing in mobile medical software solutions for health practitioners. He has written and spoken on a number of security and computer topics, including HIPAA, GLB, computer security, computer forensics, and embedded systems

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