Want to have fun with your hamsters? Try this Arduino project!

This entertaining play field for hamsters including two major parts: the tracks on the sides and the elevator in the center. The tracks and the elevator forms a circular pathway, so your hamster can move around forever! You do not need expensive electronic parts, but you do need some manual skills to create the tracks. This project is great for people not so familiar with Arduino, but who are willing to place effort in making their unique tracks.

Step 1: Materials

Mechanical Parts:

Cardboard
Building blocks (for the structure)
Strings (for string of elevator)
Transparent folder
Plastic straw (fits to axis of the motor)
Plastic straw (thicker)

Electronic Parts:

Jump wires (about 20)
A DC motor (direct current)
A USB to jump wire adapter
A button
Arduino Leonardo
Bread board
L298N
Portable charger
Electric resistance (for the button)

Tools:

Scissor
Utility Knife
Marker/Pencil
Tape
Hot melt adhesive
Awl

Step 2: Create the Structure

Cut the box open
Build the structure with building blocks (if you do not have building blocks, use cardboard instead)
Strengthen the back side of the structure with an extra piece of cardboard
Create a piece of cardboard that fits the top of the structure
Cut open two rectangular holes (the holes can be later fixed after the pulley was made)
Create a base for the structure, drill a hole at the center to put in the button
Place the base into the structure
Fix the structure with the cardboard box

Step 3: Creates the Elevator Box

Create a rectangular box as the elevator (I did 9cm * 9cm base with 8cm height)
Drill to holes at each side of the box, then place the string through the holes
Tie the strings at the top
Measure the length of the string (depending on your elevator tower), and cut
Cut to semicircles on the sides of the elevator box

Step 4: Create the Elevator Pulley & Combine

Cut 2 segments of straw with the same length (5~7 cm)
Stick the straw segments onto the two axis of the motor
Create 4 circles with cardboard; drill a hole at the center
Cut 2 segments of thick straw with the same length (2~3 cm)
Stick the circles and the straw onto the axis as shown in pic 3
Stick the strings to the thick straw axis (through the top layer of the elevator tower)
Add extra cardboard parts to the side of the elevator shaft as track for the elevator (prevent wobbling)

Step 5: Connect the Arduino

Connect the electronic parts as shown in the image
Place the finished Arduino set into another cardboard box
Connect the box with the main structure

Step 6: Coding and Adjustments

The code can be copied through this link:

https://create.arduino.cc/editor/casper1218/a4c12a...

*1000 unit in the code equals to 1 second

By changing the "delay(1500)" can alter the amount of time the elevator rises
By changing the "delay(15000)" can alter the amount of time the elevator stays at the top
By changing the "delay(1150)" can alter the amount of time the elevator descents
Change the time length of elevator rise and descent to fit the height of your structure; change the waiting time of elevator to fit your need
*Do not have too short of a waiting time to prevent the hamster being caught