What is it ?

Make a prototype of a gadget to help me track and analyze the pattern of my pets behaviour by using the micro:bit' s accelerometer and radio features.

As we all know that all living things have a behavioural pattern such as moving from one place to another, including our pet. And by identifying this pattern we could understand our pet better and also can provide better treatment and care towards our pet. This project is part of a series that aims to provide problem-solving and prototyping activities that investigate technology as a potential solution to the difficulties posed by the Sustainable Development Goals.

Why ?

We expect to be able to find anything and everything that is vital to us these days, whether it is our children, cars, parcels, or pets. People have all kinds of gadgets to keep them updated on what their pets are doing while they aren't around, and pets feel like they are a part of the family. Collars and wearable gadgets for pets are becoming more popular, especially among dog and cat owners who wish to give their pets the freedom to explore off-leash.

Pet trackers give you peace of mind regarding your pet's whereabouts, with features like alerting you when your pet leaves your property or a designated safe area.

Pet trackers also provide more detailed information regarding fitness and activity levels, which can assist owners in keeping their pets happy and healthy. These trackers can show when your dog's movement levels change from resting to high-activity, as well as distance traveled and temperature checks, so you don't have to worry about leaving your dog in a hot car.

Supplies

What you need : (Main)

2 Micro:bits (or MakeCode Simulator)
MakeCode
Battery pack (optional)

Decoration :

Micro:bit (Pet & Receiver)
Battery Pack
Tape/ Hot Glue (preferably tape)
Ribbon
Scissors
Necklace (the one used for ID Cards)
Pet's Collar

Step 1: Plan It !

How to do it :

This software makes a prototype for tracking an animal's movements using the micro:radio bit's feature. It may be used in the MakeCode simulator, or the code can be flashed onto two or more micro:bits. One would be linked to the animal, while the other would be utilized as a receiver by the scientist.
It starts by setting the radio group to 7. Because groups are similar to channels, make sure both of your micro:bits are in the same group.
If you're working on this project in groups, ensure each pair has its own radio group number. You can choose any group number between 0 and 255.
It uses the built-in accelerometer to collect data and broadcasts it via radio.
The accelerometer values are shown on the receiver's LED display. Larger numbers indicate faster movement. These figures can be used to infer information about an animal's behavior, such as whether it's looking for food, a new environment, or remaining there to create a home.

Step 2: Code It !

Open MakeCode.microbit.org

Connecting your micro:bit to your computer :

Plug in your micro:bit with cable to your computer
Click on the menu next to the "download" button, located on the bottom left as shown in picture number 2
Click Next as shown on picture number 3
Check the name of your micro:bit and click next as shown in picture number 4
It will open other boxes which will show the name of your micro:bit. Select it and connect it as shown in picture number 5
Click "Done" as shown on picture number 6

Programming your micro:bit (for the pets) :

Click 'New Project' and name it : Animal Tracker (Pets)
Code it as shown in picture number 7
Download your program to your micro:bit by clicking the "download" button located in the bottom left. While it's downloading the code the micro:bit will keep on blinking. Once it's downloaded it will show the word "downloaded" as shown on picture 9
Or you can also download the micro:bit animal-tracker-pet hex file and put it on your micro:bit drive.

Programming your micro:bit (for the receiver) :

Next, open MakeCode.microbit.org in a new tab
Click 'New Project' and name it : Animal Tracker (Receiver)
Code it as shown in picture number 8
Download your program to your micro:bit by clicking the "download" button located in the bottom left. While it's downloading the code the micro:bit will keep on blinking. Once it's downloaded it will show the word "downloaded" as shown on picture 9
Or you can also download the micro:bit animal-tracker-receiver hex file and put it on your micro:bit drive.

Step 3: Improve It !

This program measures movement in the x-axis. The accelerometer on the micro:bit can monitor forces in different directions as well as provide an overall strength reading. Experiment with several axis measurements to see which is the most effective.

You may notice readings even while the animal is still, depending on the axis you monitor and how you attach the sensor micro:bit. This is due to the gravitational pull of the Earth, which the micro:bit can also detect! How would you ensure that this doesn't have an impact on your readings?

Micro:bit 2 : Stationary/ the micro:bit that will monitor what the animal is doing/ receiver of the radio number.
Micro:bit 1 : The micro:bit that will be with the animal/ the one that will be moving around If you are not sure, conduct the experiment first then see which axis that give you more vary result.

Why did I pick the X-Axis : Because mostly my pet would walk instead of climbing or any other.

What other micro:bit sensors could you use to send data about an animal?

To Learn more about the accelerometer on the micro:bit :

Experiment Results are shown in the second picture for the micro:bit (pets) and micro:bit (receiver).

Step 4: Decorate It !

Materials :

Micro:bit (Pet & Receiver)
Battery Pack
Tape/ Hot glue (preferably tape)
Ribbon
Scissors
Pet's Collar
Necklace (used for ID Card)

Steps :

Insert your battery in your battery pack for each micro:bit as shown in picture number 2.
The battery pack I use is ABC Power size AAA

Micro:bit (Pets) : (Taping the micro:bit and battery pack together)

Prepare the materials as shown in picture number 3 : Tape (Duct tape), Micro:bit and a ribbon.
Place the battery pack behind the micro:bit as shown in picture number 4.
Tape at the edge of the wire of the battery pack as shown in picture number 5.
Place a tape behind the micro:bit (on the battery pack) as shown in picture number 6.
After you tape everything together, it should be able to stand up and look like picture number 7.

Putting the Ribbon (Pets) :

Take your ribbon (any ribbon is fine), I used a fabric-like ribbon as shown in picture number 8.
Fill the ribbon between the wires of the battery pack, as shown in picture number 9.
Tape the ribbon on the side of the battery pack as shown in picture number 10.
Tape the other side of the ribbon on the battery pack as shown in picture number 11.
At last, it should look like picture number 12, somewhat like a watch.
Next, tie the ribbon together as shown in picture 13, and attach it to your pet's collar.
You may adjust how tight you want your ribbon to be.

Micro:bit (Receiver) : (Taping the micro:bit and battery pack together)

Tape the wire to the battery pack as shown in picture 15.
Tape/ Glue the micro:bit to the battery pack as shown in picture 16.
Attach a necklace (used for ID Card) as shown in picture 17, on the wire of the battery pack as shown in picture 18.
At last it should look like picture 19.
However, the micro:bit for the receiver does not have to be decorated unlike the micro:bit for pets.