Catching a Culprit

Using Arduino Project Guidance
#1

Hi, A friend has asked me to help him catch a culprit. Basically a dog is going to the bathroom on his front step every day. He lives on the top floor of a two story house. There are probably bushes near the step and you could hide electronics there, but I'm not sure if the steps are wood or concrete.

My first thought is that we will probably need a photograph as it could be anyone walking by. I could use a webcam with some cool software called EvoCam http://www.evological.com/evocam.html. We would need to buy a webcam and the software.

Looking for a cheaper Arduino powered solution I am posting here.

I do have an old Nikon Coolpix 775 camera I could donate to the project and take apart. I could make something to press the camera button when motion is detected, but if I recall the camera goes to sleep after 30 seconds of no activity.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to catch this culprit, using a camera or other wise?

Thanks!

#2

Your friend has a bathroom on his front doorstep? Isn't that a bit public when he's taking a bath?

#3

Hide in a bush - that way you can have a conversation with them when you do find them ;)

#4

Anyone have any real suggestions that don't involve hiding in bushes?

#5

That must violate a few building regulations, building a bathroom in such a stupid place.

Seriously though, my suggestion is to shut the bathroom door so that the dog can’t come into the bathroom.

Or is the problem that the dog doesn’t flush?

#6

Build a robotic dog that will beat up the offending dog, with built-in wifi cam?

#7

I'd go with motion activated hose spray.

#8

Or is the problem that the dog doesn’t flush?

Maybe it leaves the seat up

#9

Hummm.. Lock the door...

#10

CrossRoads If I go with a motion activated hose, how would I detect that it is a dog and not a human?

#11

A friend has asked me to help him catch a culprit. Basically a dog is going to the bathroom on his front step every day. He lives on the top floor of a two story house. There are probably bushes near the step and you could hide electronics there, but I'm not sure if the steps are wood or concrete.

I'd go with something more simple to scare the dog, such as a simple black thread trip wire connected to a loud buzzer or similar.

“I think college administrators should encourage students to urinate on walls and bushes, because then when students from another college come sniffing around, they'll know this is someone else's territory.” Deep thoughts by Jack Handy

#12

Use something like 2 PIR motion sensors, block their fields of viiew so one see high & one sees low. If both activate, no spray. If only low, let 'er rip 8)

#13

Will also keep the kids away.

#14

Will also keep the [u]short[/u] kids away.

#15

Exactly, and dwarfs. Being serious for a moment, I have a web cam on my porch window seal.

This model specifically: http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Computers-Networking/Network-Cameras/model.BL-C131A_11002_7000000000000005702

It, as well as many others, have the ability to email you a picture when a subject enters the field of view.

A while back I received an email from mine and low and behold my German Shepard escaped the back yard and was standing on my front porch, I kid you not, I came home from work, he was still there and i safely returned him to the back yard.

Now you could accomplish this and many other things with an Arduino, but I would just buy a camera.

#16

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

#17

techadmin: low and behold

Heh.

#18