Autonomous dog ball launcher

Autonomous Ball Launcher for Dogs

Overview

Introducing the future of fetch — a 3D-printed Autonomous Ball Launcher for dogs. Engineered for maximum fun and safety, this gadget will keep your four-legged friend entertained for hours without any human involvement required! 

This is still a work in progress, if there's interest I'm open to feedback on improving the design. I built this because I injured my shoulder but my dog (Mocha) still wanted to play fetch.

Features

• Autonomous Fetch: Train your dog to drop the ball into the launcher, and watch them fetch it when launched, all by themselves!
• Dual Flywheels: Equipped with two brushless motors that act as flywheels for a consistent and robust ball launching experience.
• IR Obstacle Sensor: Detects when a ball is placed into the launcher, triggering the flywheels to start spinning.
• HC-SR04 Safety Sensor: Checks if the launching area is clear before firing the ball, ensuring the safety of people and pets around.
• Customizable Speed: The launcher's speed and distance can be adjusted via the microcontroller.

Things you need

• 1x Arduino Nano - I bought this
• 2x Brushless Motors - I bought this
• 1x IR Obstacle Sensor - e.g. here
• 1x HC-SR04 Sensor - e.g. here
• 1x Lipo battery - e.g. here

3D Printing Info

• Material: PETG
• Supports: None
• Infill: 20%
• Layer Height: 0.2 mm

Considerations

• Designed for a 40mm diameter ball (diameter of a tennis ball).
• I was able to fire the ball at 80mph. Be careful!
• Designed so all components fit on an Ender 3 / Prusa mk3s+ bed.