Modified SwitchBot-Based Automatic Feeder

There are many DIY automatic feeders shared online, but none of them were quite satisfactory for the small aquarium I have at home.

Additionally, since I use many SwitchBot products throughout my house, I wanted to integrate this device into the existing system to minimize the number of smartphone apps I need to use.

For these reasons, I created this model by disassembling a SwitchBot Bot and reusing its motor and circuit board, allowing feeding to be controlled via the SwitchBot app.

The model is designed to use the geared motor found in the SwitchBot Bot.

I modified the system so that the signal sent to the SwitchBot’s geared motor can be read by an Arduino Nano, which then sends a signal optimized for this model—running the motor for a longer duration and in a single direction, unlike the default SwitchBot behavior.

Whether to use Arduino to interpret the signal or to use the SwitchBot as-is depends on the situation. Therefore, this model does not include a dedicated space for housing the SwitchBot circuit board or the Arduino.

To assemble this model, you will need wood screws measuring 2.2–2.4 mm in diameter and 8–10 mm in length.