International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN: 2319-7064
Impact Factor 2024: 7.101

Smart Pet Feeder-Smart Pet Care System with IoT

Based Pet Feeder Using WeMos D1 and Blynk
Shloka Pharande1, Pranjali Rathod2, Arsalan Shaikh3
1Computer Engineering, AISSMS Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India
Email: shlokapharande[at]gmail.com
2Computer Engineering, AISSMS Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India
Email: pranjalirathod963[at]gmail.com
3Computer Engineering, AISSMS Institute of Information Technology, Pune, India
Email: shaikharsalan589[at]gmail.com

Abstract: We propose an Automatic Pet Feeder system based on WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) Wi-Fi microcontroller, SG90 servo motor, and
Blynk mobile app for the ability to feed your pet remotely and on a schedule. This project is designed to help pet owners feed their pets in
a proper time when they are out of home or engaged in routine tasks. It was designed to be operated by means of a smartphone running
the Blynk app and connected to a Wi-Fi network through the WeMos D1 board to control the feeder. An app connected to commands that
rotate a flap to dispense food, with a servo motor in place to allow the rotation. The setup provides real-time control, editable scheduling,
and low ease of use with little hardware needed. This is an example of practical and innovative IoT usage in pet care domain. With its
competitive pricing, ease of use, and unique features, it becomes a consumer-friendly option for the pet owners to go for. Created to drive
smart home automation, it makes pets healthier, happier and more connected while making it easier for owners to take care of their daily
routines.

Keywords: Automatic Pet Feeder, WeMos D1, ESP-12E, ESP8266, SG90 Servo Motor, Blynk App, IoT, Smart Pet Care, Remote Feeding,
Wi-Fi Controlled System

1. Introduction 2. Literature Review

In today’s fast-paced world, pet owners often struggle to The Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have also emerged
maintain a consistent feeding schedule for their pets due to in the past few years, which have aided a lot in automating
hectic routines, long working hours, or frequent travel. This daily activities and top information — smart pet care
leads to an increasing demand for smart and automated systems, such as automatic feeders. In the year 2023, a
solutions that can assist in day-to-day pet care. One such number of studies were carried out to make the pet care
solution is the development of automatic pet feeders that can system remotely accessible and intelligent by integrating
dispense food remotely or at pre-set intervals, ensuring pets microcontrollers, mobile application and cloud services.
are fed on time even in the owner's absence. This paper
presents the design and development of a Smart IoT-Based An IoT-based pet feeder using NodeMCU ESP8266 and
Pet Feeder using the WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) Wi-Fi blynk platform was supplied by S. Patil and A. Kulkarni [1].
development board, an SG90 Servo Motor, and the Blynk Based on the user's needs, the design focused on low-cost
platform for remote control via a smartphone. The WeMos implementation and real-time feed control and access using a
D1 board, based on the ESP8266 chip, offers built-in Wi-Fi mobile-centric design for interaction
capabilities, making it a suitable choice for Internet of Things
(IoT) applications. The SG90 servo motor is used to operate T.A. Hossain et al. an intelligent cat feeder using the
a custom-designed flap mechanism attached to a food ESP8266 and a real-time clock (RTC) module for timely food
container, allowing precise control over food dispensing. dispensing [2].

The integration with the Blynk mobile and web dashboard N.M Kadhim and A.H Kareem [3] developed a pet feeding
allows the user to control the feeder from anywhere using a system with mobile app control and Wi-Fi capable
smartphone or a web browser. With just a tap, the servo motor components. This system had a simple UI to activate feeds
activates the flap, releasing food into the feeding bowl. This but no data logging or scheduling optimization. Their work
system demonstrates how simple and affordable electronic paved the way for simple IoT pet systems, but no real
components can be combined with cloud-based platforms to analytics or engagement with users.
create practical, real-life IoT solutions.
An IoT-based Smart Pet Feeder has been developed by S.
Overall, this project not only showcases the real-world Gupta and R. Mehta [4] in which both NodeMCU and Blynk
application of IoT in daily life but also emphasizes the were used for real time monitoring, and remote actuation
effectiveness of combining mobile platforms with through mobile devices. However, this was not integrated into
microcontrollers to create smart, efficient, and user-friendly their implementation with performance analysis and error
automated systems. detection, both required for robust long-term operation.

Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2025

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR25428135730 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25428135730 230
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
Impact Factor 2024: 7.101
J.M. Khan, F. Ali, and S. Rahman– [5] investigated an Blynk server send commands to WeMos D1 (ESP-12E). It
integrated approach of smart pet care system focusing on measures the signal and creates the PWM signals to regulate
feeding control, environmental sensing, and mobile alerts. the SG90 servo motor. Includes on-demand feeding logic
Although their overall system consisted of multiple modules, given app input.
it needed to have more complex circuitry and setup which
might not be suitable for beginner level users or simple home 4) Actuation Layer
deployment. The actuator in the system is the SG90 Servo Motor. It
rotates a gate or food container lid between specific angles –
3. Methodlogy e.g., 0° to 90° – in because this convertible “finger” that can
open or close the food container gate.
3.1 System Overview and Architecture
Workflow Summary
The system we propose is an IoT based Auto Pet Feeder that 1) The user launches the Blynk app and presses the “Feed
would dispense food for the pet to eat at a predetermined time Now” button.
or remotely using a mobile application. The complete system 2) The command is sent over the internet to the Blynk
comprises three main components: server.
1) Hardware Unit – This consists of the WeMos D1 (ESP- 3) The command is received on the other side (the WeMos
12E), a SG90 servo motor, and a mechanism that D1) from the server
dispenses food. 4) SG90: The microcontroller outputs a PWM signal to the
2) Software Unit – an Application of Blynk to take remote SG90 motor.
control and schedule 5) It rotates the motor, opens a flap, dispenses food, and
3) Data Forwarding — Communication between Hardware returns to position
and mobile via Wi-Fi.
4.1 Analysing The Dataset
Blynk App is the interface to interact with the user through
the Internet of things for the user to send commands to the While the Smart Pet Feeder's main job is dispensing food, it
WeMos D1 microcontroller. When the controller receives the can also gather useful operational data over time on the
signal, it activates the SG90 servo motor, which opens a flap Blynk platform and WeMos D1 (ESP-12E). This information
or rotates some container and releases food into the pets bowl is useful for performance evaluation, feeding schedule
in a controlled manner and in a timely manner. optimization and reliability.

4. System Architecture Data Collected

The following types of data can be recorded and analyzed by
The architecture of the automatic pet feeder can be broken the system:
down in the following layers: • General Feeding Time Stamps: The precise timings for
when the feeder was activated manually or via scheduled
1) User Interface Layer automation.
The User Interface (UI) Layer in this project is developed • Feeding Times: How often per day or per week the feeder
using the Blynk IoT Platform, which offers both mobile and turns on.
web-based dashboards to control and monitor IoT devices • Servo Motor Duration: Time taken by the servo motor to
seamlessly. It serves as the bridge between the user and the take each feeding.
hardware system, enabling remote operation and real-time • User Interactions: The frequency with which the user
interaction with the pet feeder. triggers the feeding machine through the Blynk app.
• Network Connectivity Logs: Whether the feeder is
Users can trigger the feeder by pressing a virtual button, connected to the internet.
which sends a signal to the WeMos D1 board via the cloud.
Data Logging
Live device status (such as online/offline indication) is Datastreams or widgets on the Blynk App log data, these can
visible, ensuring the user knows whether the system is ready be represented over time or history-graphs displaying the
to receive commands. values. (Optional integration with applications such as
Google Sheets or Thingspeak can help store the data long-
The UI also allows users to schedule feeding times, set term or visualize it.
reminders, or even integrate additional features in the future
such as portion control or feeding logs. Analysis Goals
• Monitoring Performance: Check if the servo moves at the
2) Network Layer appropriate angles and time intervals consistently.
Introduces the communication of the Blynk Cloud Server, • Meal Adjustment: Feed the pet at the same time every day;
user's smartphone, and the WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) through if the pet changes the eating time, adjust the timer
Wi-Fi. The WeMos D1 is now connected to the local Wi-Fi accordingly to keep the pets healthy and their owner in
network and waiting for instructions to arrive. pain.
• Error Detection: Identify gaps or failures in data for loss
3) Control Layer of power or disconnection from Wi-Fi.

Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2025

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR25428135730 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25428135730 231
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
Impact Factor 2024: 7.101
• User Engagement: Do you know how often the app is • Feeder Trigger Events: Can log if feeder was triggered by
used for manual vs. automated feeding? manual or by schedule.
• Timestamp: The exact time and date each feeding took
Visualization Tools place.
Blynk’s built-in History Graph or SuperChart widgets • Servo Motor Active: How extraction time and angle of
facilitate visualizing: rotation for the servos each operation.
Daily feeding trends • User Interaction Logs: Number of times the pet was fed
Motor actuation times via the Blynk application.
Connection status over time • Network Status (optional): Wi-Fi signal strength and
connection status at the time of each event.
4.2 Input and Output features • Methods for Data Collection
For the automation and remote control of the pet feeder, the • Blynk SuperChart Widget: To follow and visualize
system requires minimal input and output parameters, feeding activity throughout a certain time period.
ensuring ease of use while maintaining functional efficiency. • Virtual Pins in Blynk: Send values (e.g., feed status,
timestamps) from the WeMos D1 to the Blynk app.
Input Feature: • Serial Monitor (Arduino IDE) − For development and
The primary input is the user command sent from the Blynk testing purposes which records motor actions and
app (via virtual pin V1), which indicates whether the feeder debugging details.
should operate or not.
4.5 Testing and Callibration
This command can be manually triggered through a virtual
button or scheduled within the app for automation. Some of the components that require functional testing and
calibration are: In such a manner that all these phases
Output Feature: occurred following hardware assembly and software
The system's main output is the movement of the servo integration to perfectionize the feeder performance,
motor, which controls the mechanical flap that dispenses particularly sevo motor actuation, feeding mechanism, and
food. mobile control interface.

The servo angle acts as the physical response to the input 1) Initial Hardware Testing
command—typically rotating to a predefined angle (e.g., 0° Simplifying the Microcontroller Verification: Test simple
to open, 90° or 180° to close). code on the WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) to verify that it can
connect to Wi-Fi and communicate with the Blynk app
4.3 Data Logging and Stream Structure
Servo Motor Testing: Test scripts allowed the SG90 servo
Data Logging motor to rotate to desired angles (0°, 90°, 180°) to observe its
This system logs the types of data: response to commands and to determine its range of motion.
Timestamp: When the feeding occurred.
Servo Status: If it were motor to open/close the feeder. 2) Feeding Mechanism Calibration
Servo Angle Calibration:
Wi-Fi Signal Status: The state of your connectivity when the Then various angles were evaluated for the most suitable
backup was activated. rotation, causing the flap or the food dispensing bracket to
rotate.
User Action (if triggered manually): user id, device id
(optional) The optimal outcome occurred between 0° and 90° of
rotation where the motion was sufficient to dislodge food and
This data is encoded into simple labels or keys (e.g., {"mode": return to a closed state.
"manual", "status": "success"}) and stored through the Blynk
app’s datastream. Feeding Duration:
The servo hold time (how long it is up) was calibrated
4.4 Data Collection between1 second to 2 seconds prevent under feed or over
feed.
This project captures data collection that monitors the
performance, usage patterns, and operational status of the We modified the delay function in the code to do this.
Smart Pet Feeder system. While the main purpose is
hardware-based food dispensing, the integration with the 3) Software and App Calibration
Blynk App and WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) allows recording of Blynk Virtual Pin Testing:
data in real-time, beneficial for determining system efficiency By testing the microcontroller with the app, it was confirmed
and reliability. that the installation code was working and able to send a
signal to the microcontroller through its virtual pin that would
Sources of Data trigger the servo.
During both testing and actual usage, data is extracted from
the system at different points:

Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2025

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR25428135730 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25428135730 232
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
Impact Factor 2024: 7.101
4) Connectivity and Reliability Testing The IoT-Based Smart Pet Feeder system was successfully
Wi-Fi Stability: developed and tested using the Wemos D1 (ESP-12E)
A range of Wi-Fi environments were tested to see if the microcontroller, SG90 servo motor, and the Blynk IoT
system would retain the connection. platform. The system allowed users to remotely control the
Temporary disconnections were also tested for recovery. dispensing of pet food through both the Blynk mobile and
web dashboards.
Manual Override Testing:
The process of manual feeding was triggered multiple times The servo motor was able to rotate precisely between defined
through the app in order to test user interaction, servo angles (open and close positions) to control the food-
responsiveness and motor durability. dispensing flap effectively.
5) Final Validation
Real feeding examples were performed across multiple days Commands sent from the Blynk app were received in real-
to validate the system. time, with minimal latency, thanks to stable Wi-Fi
connectivity.
Logs were checked in the SuperChart of the Blynk app to
verify: Both manual and scheduled feedings (using Blynk Timer
Proper timestamping of events Widget) worked consistently and reliably.
Regular motor operation
Scheduled feeding — stimulate a routine (regular feeding). Data such as the feeding timestamp, servo status, and network
connectivity could be optionally logged using Blynk’s
5. Flow of System datastreams. The system showed consistent performance
during testing with varying Wi-Fi signals.

The feeding mechanism operated reliably for multiple cycles,

with the servo providing sufficient torque for a small-to-
medium portion of dry food.

One major advantage of this system is its flexibility—users

can control feeding from anywhere in the world as long as the
system remains connected to Wi-Fi and powered.

Mounting and alignment of the servo motor with the food

container flap played a critical role in ensuring smooth
operation. Minor mechanical adjustments were necessary to
avoid jamming or incomplete rotation.

The system currently relies on home Wi-Fi; portability could

be improved by using mobile hotspots or integrating GSM
modules for future versions.

Power dependency on USB or power adapters could be

enhanced by using a battery backup or portable power bank
setup.

Though data is not permanently logged in the free Blynk plan,

integration with other platforms (like Firebase or local SD
card modules) could be explored for better analytics and
monitoring.

7. Future Scope
The existing IoT-based Smart Pet Feeder effectively fulfills
its primary function of remotely dispensing food to pets
through the Blynk app and a servo mechanism. Nevertheless,
there exists considerable opportunity to expand its
functionalities for more advanced and intelligent applications.
6. Results and Discussions Future iterations of the system could incorporate various
sensors, including weight sensors to track the quantity of food
Time Mode Status dispensed, infrared sensors to detect the pet's proximity to the
28/3/2025 8:15 Manual Success feeder, and ultrasonic sensors to assess the food level in the
29/3/2025 12:32 Manual Success container, notifying users when a refill is necessary.
29/3/2025 5:51 Manual Success
31/3/2025 7:47 Manual Success

Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2025

Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR25428135730 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25428135730 233
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
Impact Factor 2024: 7.101
Additionally, features for data logging and analytics could be [3] N. M. Kadhim and A. H. Kareem, "Automatic Pet
integrated using platforms such as Firebase, ThingSpeak, or Feeding System Based on ESP8266 and Mobile App
Google Sheets to document feeding habits and produce Control," International Journal of Computer
insightful reports. This enhancement would assist pet owners Applications, vol. 179, no. 38, pp. 15–19, Apr. 2023.
in effectively managing their pets' health and dietary routines. [4] S. Gupta and R. Mehta, "Development of IoT Enabled
Furthermore, the integration of AI-driven models could Smart Pet Feeder Using NodeMCU and Blynk," 2023
facilitate adaptive feeding schedules by analyzing the pet's International Conference on Emerging Trends in
eating patterns and automatically adjusting feeding times and Electronics and Communication (ICETEC), Pune,
portions. India, 2023, pp. 172–176, doi:
The project could also be expanded to include voice assistant 10.1109/ICETEC58601.2023.10238412.
compatibility, enabling users to control the feeder via Google [5] J. M. Khan, F. Ali, and S. Rahman, "Smart Pet Care
Assistant, Alexa, or Siri. Implementing battery backup and System Using Blynk and IoT," 2022 International
solar-powered alternatives would ensure the feeder remains Conference on Smart Technologies and Systems for
operational during power outages or when disconnected from Next Generation Computing (ICSTSN), Chennai, India,
a power source. The mobile app interface could be improved 2022, pp. 91–95, doi:
or replaced with a custom-designed application that offers 10.1109/ICSTSN54353.2022.00025.
additional features such as push notifications, comprehensive [6] R. Kumar and A. Singh, "IoT Based Automated Pet
logs, and flexible scheduling options. Feeder Using ESP8266 and Servo Motor," International
Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research (IJSER),
Moreover, the addition of a camera module would enable pet vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 350–354, May 2022.
owners to observe their pets in real-time during feeding
sessions. With these enhancements, the project has the
potential to transform into a holistic and intelligent pet care
solution, providing convenience and reassurance to pet
owners while also presenting opportunities for
commercialization.

8. Conclusion
The development of the IoT-based Smart Pet Feeder presents
a practical and efficient solution to a common challenge faced
by many pet owners—feeding their pets on time despite busy
schedules or being away from home. By integrating the
WeMos D1 (ESP-12E) microcontroller, an SG90 servo
motor, and the Blynk IoT platform, the project successfully
demonstrates how automation and wireless connectivity can
be used to control a pet feeding mechanism remotely and
reliably.

Through the Blynk mobile app, users are able to activate the
feeder with a simple tap, providing both convenience and
peace of mind. The system architecture is compact, cost-
effective, and customizable, making it suitable for daily use
and further enhancements. The successful implementation of
this project showcases the real-world application of IoT in
improving everyday life, and lays a strong foundation for
future developments such as sensor integration, data analysis,
AI-based automation, and mobile interface improvements.
Overall, the project is a significant step toward smarter pet
care through technology.

References
[1] S. Patil and A. Kulkarni, "IoT-Based Smart Pet Feeder
Using Blynk and NodeMCU," International Journal of
Scientific Research in Engineering and Management
(IJSREM), vol. 6, no. 9, pp. 101–105, Sep. 2023.
[2] T. A. Hossain, M. Rahman, and N. Jahan, "Design and
Implementation of a Smart Pet Feeder Using IoT," 2022
IEEE International Conference on Robotics,
Automation, and Mechatronics (RAM), Dhaka,
Bangladesh, 2022, pp. 234–239, doi:
10.1109/RAM56712.2022.9786543.
Volume 14 Issue 5, May 2025
Fully Refereed | Open Access | Double Blind Peer Reviewed Journal
www.ijsr.net
Paper ID: SR25428135730 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25428135730 234