2025 Pet Trick Competition: Feline Surprise at the Doorstep
Hey there! This pet-friendly project, named Cat At The Door, is a fantastic showing from contestant [Andrea] at the 2025 Pet Hacks Contest. This project is packed with sensors to solve a problem that every cat owner can relate to – knowing when your feline friend is waiting at the door. Don't let the name fool you, there's something in this project for every tech enthusiast, from radar to e-ink, LoRa to 3D printing!
[Andrea] chose to use mmWave radar for this project, making it an ideal choice for detecting cats. The sensor is securely placed within, enabling it to work around the clock and in all weather conditions. Plus, even if the cat decides to take a moment's rest, the radar won't stop working. In his project log, [Andrea] shares the steps he took to adjust the settings on the LD2410C radar board for optimal performance.
But how can you distinguish between your cat, another cat, a big squirrel, or a small child? [Andrea] solved this by assigning each cat a unique identifier, known as a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) tag. Once the radar detects a potential cat’s presence, the ESP32-S3 starts scanning for nearby BLE tags. If a known tag is found, it identifies the particular cat or cats outside, awaiting their turn.
Once the cat’s identity is confirmed, it's time to alert [Andrea] that his furry companion is ready to enter. To accomplish this, he opted for an ESP32 board incorporating a SX1262 LoRa module for communication with the mobile notification device. Powered by a battery, this portable gadget sports a low-power e-paper display that shows which cat is waiting, along with an audio buzzer to help grab your attention.
To learn more about the intricate details of this project, head over to the GitHub page. Apart from checking out all the specifics, you'll also find an 80-page guide detailing the step-by-step process for building your very own Cat At The Door device. But don't stop there, be sure to explore the other innovative entries in the 2025 Pet Hacks Contest as well!
The use of sensors and mmWave radar in Andrea's project, Cat At The Door, makes it a smart-home device suitable for tech enthusiasts who appreciate gadgets and technology. To identify individual cats, BLE tags are assigned, and once a cat is detected, an ESP32 board with a SX1262 LoRa module sends a notification to a mobile device through low-power e-paper display and audio buzzer.
