I'll try to be as concise as possible. I'm an engineering student tasked by my university to create a mouse trap that alerts caretakers the trap has gone off. There is already a product on the market that achieve this but need to be hooked up to a wifi signal. The problem is that the university wifi isn't compatible with these mouse traps. So what i'm thinking is have a regular mouse trap in a box with a hole cut in it for the mice to come in. Then when the trap is triggered that flips a switch that is connected in some way to a app of some kind that the university caretakers can track and maintain as mice are dealt with.

So my question, what can i use for the electronics for this? one of my profs suggested an RFID but i can not find a way this would work. The solution needs to be low power (powered by a battery), needs to be compact, affordable, and have the capability of tracking 20-50 traps located at various locations around the campus. If you made it this far thank you for reading and hopefully you can help!

 

Welcome to AAC.

when the trap is triggered that flips a switch that is connected in some way to a app of some kind

As for the trigger, I'm thinking of a SPDT microswitch and a MOSFET. The FET (MOSFET) can then signal your electronics that interface with wifi. Give me a minute and I'll draw a circuit to describe more clearly the switch.

 

Welcome to AAC.

As for the trigger, I'm thinking of a SPDT microswitch and a MOSFET. The FET (MOSFET) can then signal your electronics that interface with wifi. Give me a minute and I'll draw a circuit to describe more clearly the switch.

Welcome to AAC.

As for the trigger, I'm thinking of a SPDT microswitch and a MOSFET. The FET (MOSFET) can then signal your electronics that interface with wifi. Give me a minute and I'll draw a circuit to describe more clearly the switch.

Is there a way to do it with out wifi?

 

Yeah - if you want a light to come on. What are your alternatives for signaling?

P.S. I'm busy drawing.

 

Yeah - if you want a light to come on. What are your alternatives for signaling?

P.S. I'm busy drawing.

That's the thing, i really don't know whats out there for signaling options. A light would be good but then workers would have to go to every individual trap and check for a light. With already limited caretakers this isn't ideal but still an improvement.

 

OK, here's the easy part - detecting a sprung trap:

 

OK, here's the easy part - detecting a sprung trap:

View attachment 200042

excellent! thank you! so the "Trap Sprung Alert" is whats in question? like that would be the light or something that sends a signal?

 

Then when the trap is triggered that flips a switch that is connected in some way to a app of some kind that the university caretakers can track

The various type of signaling methods after the trap is sprung with or without Wi-Fi are extensive please specify.

 

You could use an audible alert. Or look on Ebay or Amazon for wifi signaling devices. The rest - as an engineering student - is going to be up to you. Engineers need to know where to find solutions. This is as much help as I can give you. If this is homework then I've overstepped a boundary, as it's not our place to solve problems for the student but rather to help students solve problems. The drawing is simple enough.

When the trap is set the alert is quiet or dark - whatever. The NC part of the switch is open, and C (common) is held low. An N type FET will not conduct when the gate is held low. When the trap is sprung the switch changes over to its normal configuration where NC closes and sends a signal to the gate (G) of the FET, turning it on. When the FET turns on it will turn on the light or the sonic alert - or whatever device you decide upon. And yes, the TSA (Trap Sprung Alert) is whatever you want it to be. It COULD be a light - could be a sonic alert. If you go with an LED they can burn a long time without wearing down the two batteries. If you go with a sonic alert it has to be one rated to operate on six volts, as the 18650's are 3.7 volts each. A current limiting resistor might be advisable so you don't over current your alert system.

 

I hope you recognize the micro-switch and know how they work. You'd place it under the spring bar of the trap and the bar would hold the switch in detent (pressed). When the trap springs the switch is let go and the alert rings out or lights up or transmits.

An afterthought - an infrared transmitter could signal a close by infrared sensor. That could be wired into the system somehow. But that's going to have to be your part in the engineering design. Only you know what's best for your project.

 

You could use an audible alert. Or look on Ebay or Amazon for wifi signaling devices. The rest - as an engineering student - is going to be up to you. Engineers need to know where to find solutions. This is as much help as I can give you. If this is homework then I've overstepped a boundary, as it's not our place to solve problems for the student but rather to help students solve problems. The drawing is simple enough.

When the trap is set the alert is quiet or dark - whatever. The NC part of the switch is open, and C (common) is held low. An N type FET will not conduct when the gate is held low. When the trap is sprung the switch changes over to its normal configuration where NC closes and sends a signal to the gate (G) of the FET, turning it on. When the FET turns on it will turn on the light or the sonic alert - or whatever device you decide upon. And yes, the TSA (Trap Sprung Alert) is whatever you want it to be. It COULD be a light - could be a sonic alert. If you go with an LED they can burn a long time without wearing down the two batteries. If you go with a sonic alert it has to be one rated to operate on six volts, as the 18650's are 3.7 volts each. A current limiting resistor might be advisable so you don't over current your alert system.

Thank you very much for all the help. Its not a marked assignment, just a project the university has asked the engineering students to work on. So im trying to find the best solution for what we have. I am just a first year engg student so my knowledge of available electronics and systems is very limited. But i want to deliver the best proposal possible so that is why i ask the questions i have.

 

The various type of signaling methods after the trap is sprung with or without Wi-Fi are extensive please specify.

Something low power that transmits the information to a main hub. The main hub could have 20-50 traps connected so being able to identify which trap is sprung is also important.

 

Something low power that transmits the information to a main hub. The main hub could have 20-50 traps connected so being able to identify which trap is sprung is also important.

That's something the experts here will have to help you with. But I'd start by searching Amazon just to get an idea what's out there. I wouldn't buy from Amazon; I'd find a reputable dealer and buy from them. Stuff from Amazon tend to be made with what some here call "Chinesium". In other words, junk.

 

A little information on the trap would be helpful- dead or alive ?

 

A little information on the trap would be helpful- dead or alive ?

dead

 

You stated that the WiFi doesn’t work with your university system. Do you know or did anyone tell you why?

 

You stated that the WiFi doesn’t work with your university system. Do you know or did anyone tell you why?

No, just that they are not compatible. It looks like the university IT will not be able to figure it out.

 

No, just that they are not compatible. It looks like the university IT will not be able to figure it out.

So you are tasked with providing an entire infrastructure for mouse traps? Here kitty kitty!!

 

No, just that they are not compatible. It looks like the university IT will not be able to figure it out.

Ok, it is what it is. As an IT professional, I know the WiFi standards. And IMHO, they are written to ensure compatibility almost most devices. “Not compatible” to me is too facile an answer.

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Good luck!

 

So you are tasked with providing an entire infrastructure for mouse traps? Here kitty kitty!!

haha yep basically.