Detect if dog is on the couch

[zlalanne 37]

I'm about to start up a project to try and keep my dog off the couch when I'm not there. I was thinking of putting some force sensors under the couch legs and using those to calculate the weight on the couch and then play a high pitched sound to bother her. Any recommendations on force sensors? Anyone done something like this before?

[igor 163]

I see WII balance boards at the goodwill occasionally.  They have 4 force sensors in them.

However I think the weight limit might be a little low (think it is like 300 lbs distributed over the 4 sensors) - so might do for a love seat, but probably wouldn't be enough for a couch (e.g. if had 2-3 adults sitting on it).  Of course might be able to put a balance board under each couch leg?  (I haven't done anything like this, but I tend to look at how to reuse/recycle old gear.)

 

I did see someplace a project where somebody used WII balance board sensors built into tennis shoes to sense forces in standing/walking.

[abecedarian 330]

RFID on the collar is probably easiest.

 

You could probably have fun with that though, with weight sensors and automotive ignition coils under the couch cushions- no RFID = butt shock.

[igor 163]

RFID on the collar is probably easiest.

 

You could probably have fun with that though, with weight sensors and automotive ignition coils under the couch cushions- no RFID = butt shock.

 

Of course if the dog had an RFID implant, that might be even easier (assuming nobody who visits you has an implanted medical device - pacemaker, etc).

 

For that matter, there are those electronic fence devices - put it around your couch?

 

Not sure which way the shock was intended (for dog or for non-dog).  Either way, would something like that make a strong enough field to be problem for RFID devices?  (Or if going to shock the non-K9, would it affect magstripe or electronic devices?)

[zlalanne 37]

I like the RFID tag idea although it may end up with some false-positives. The dog often lays at the foot of the couch when we're on there watching TV. Wouldn't want to bother her if she's just laying near, especially because the dog bed is near.

[Fred 453]

I think you'd struggle to get the range for the RFID tag - especially with an implanted one.

[username 198]

If you bought an off the shelf weight scale those usually have force sensors(load cells) in them. However, you would risk going over their rated limit with a full couch weight (even divided by 4). Furthermore, they are probably not designed to have constant weight on them.

 

While this may be a bit difficult / awkward, if you had a webcam/camera pointed at the couch you probably could write an image algorithm to detect your dog.

Or, if there any internal points in your couch that compress based upon weight, you could use some type of sensing systems internally and trigger for small changes in deflection(aka dog on couch) but not for large deflections (humans). However, there may be spots of the couch blind to this.

[bluehash 1,581]

While this may be a bit difficult / awkward, if you had a webcam/camera pointed at the couch you probably could write an image algorithm to detect your dog.

Or, if there any internal points in your couch that compress based upon weight, you could use some type of sensing systems internally and trigger for small changes in deflection(aka dog on couch) but not for large deflections (humans). However, there may be spots of the couch blind to this.

This may be a good idea. Although if the lights were off, detection might be a problem. Webcam+openCV+beaglebone.

More expensive and power hungry though.

 

How about going simple..a magic eye. If the beam breaks, dog is on the couch. You can turn it off when you are sitting on it.