A GSM Web-based Centralized Remote Wireless Automatic

Controlling and Monitoring of Aquafeeder for Nation

Database on Feeding and Growth Optimization
Chuan Ling Wong a, Mohamad Azree Idris b
a
College of Graduate Studies, University Tenaga National, Kajang, Selangor Malaysia.
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University Tenaga National, Kajang, Selangor Malaysia.
a
Corresponding authour: gracebluetech@gmail.com

© Authour(s)
OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development, Ontario International Development Agency, Canada
ISSN 1923-6654 (print) ISSN 1923-6662 (online) www.oidaijsd.com
Also available at http://www.ssrn.com/link/OIDA-Intl-Journal-Sustainable-Dev.html

Abstract: This project is about developing a GSM web centralized remote wireless automatic
controlling and monitoring of Aqua Feeder for nation database on feeding and growth
optimization. GSM fish feeder is functioning in schedule feeding by the automation of SMS and
database retrieval with specific time setting. In this project, GSM Aqua Feeder is an automatic
electrical device that has been designed to provide the pellets at set up time. The main component
in the project is the GSM microcontroller, which is Satel MICRA Alarm Controller that are
capable to supply electricity to the electronic Aqua Feeder when SMS are sent by the user from a
distance. MICRA microcontroller is also having digital interface which allows programming,
setting up with GPRS Soft program that can be downloaded from Satel website. User’s telephone
numbers and command can be set and stored in the system through the program. Web access
database and website controlling are created based on manual usage requirements, which are
basically developed by PHP programming and control by Wamp server. This machine is
developed by the purpose of hoping to help the fish farmers in daily fish feeding scheduling tasks
to improve the fish quality and agriculture farming.
Keywords: Aqua Feeder, GSM Microcontroller, digital inter phase, agriculture farming
Introduction
Problem Statement

I
n the field of agriculture farming, fish farmers are having troublesome in fish feeding schedule tasks. As a daily
task for rearing fishes, it is required to use time and effort to give out fish pallets to the fishes. To solve the
problem, the automatic aqua feeder has come to a solution for supplying fish food for a specific duration of time
consistently. The user may send SMS to command the microcontroller in allowing small voltage to run the fish
feeder with cron programming setting which enables automatic feeding on specific time daily without manually
control.
Project Objectives
The objectives are as such:
• To design a GSM aqua feeder that accomplish feeding tasks at specific schedules.
• To establish a web-centralized database in tracking SMS transactions database and timing of feeding
tasks or frequencies.
Literature Review
GSM Controller Switch
An electronic device that controls the on and off switching of the voltage that flows into the Aqua Feeder. It is
compatible with Satel MICRA system software program, named as GPRS Soft, which monitors the digital interface
programming setting of MICRA. GSM microcontroller is constructed of hardware devices and digital interfaces that
combine as a complete function in enabling the feeder to operate with small voltage after receiving SMS command
from the server. The server may send SMS in automatic Cron scheduling or manual controlling in the web server.
76 Wong and Idris / OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development 09:12 (2016)

Current Aqua Feeder

The mechanical device of Aqua Feeder is made of an instrument that is constructed of two piece of quality insulator
that is made of a water collector flat container and a center lift that drops the fish pallets into the aquarium. In this
project, the feeder is designed for home aquarium fish feeding use, therefore it is created with creativity structure
arrangement and smaller size in the distributive lift.
The procedures of operations of Aqua Feeder are listed as the following statements.
i. Water drop on the surface of the bigger platform and flow through the flat container, giving pressure on the
entire structure to tilt down around 45 degrees.
ii. When the bigger platform is moving downwards, it will lead to the half rotation of the center fish pallets
distributive lift.
iii. The fish pallets will fall off for a specific duration of time that match with the daily feeding amount and
frequency.

Figure 1: Mechanical Design of Aqua Feeder

Methodology
Study the Present Prototype
The circuit consists of:
• Satel MICRA Alarm Microcontroller
• GPRS Soft Software Program
• Wavecom Fastrack
• SMS Engine5
• Website browsers (ie. UNITEN website)
Familiarize with PHP Programming
To build a web server that take charge of the SMS transaction traffics and feeding schedule timings, PHP
programming plays a major role in this project to manage the database and records of feedings. The coding are
established with PHP server-side script, in order to develop a database with records of feeding schedules and feeder
operation confirmations. PHP codes are then compiled and executed by windows Ethernet system and then connect
to the Internet web browser, which is Local Area Network (LAN) to Wide Area Network (WAN).
Troubleshooting Satel MICRA
Satel MICRA GSM microcontroller contains a GSM SIM card sentinel that is sensing the GSM connectivity and
reading the command message as an approach to switch on and off of Aqua Feeder. There are various issues that
occurred during the process of building up the MICRA system to control the operation system of Aqua Feeder, listed
as the following.
Programming wiring compatibility
MICRA is compatible with GPRS Soft, which is connected most reliably with ATEN UC-232A USB-to-
Serial Converter, to support the digital signals from MICRA to end user computer. The other USB-to-
Serial Converter are not as sufficient to connect the signals.
 Wong and Idris / OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development 09:12 (2016) 77

Figure 2. ATEN UC-232A USB-to-Serial Converter

i. Power up the system

Use a conventional extension cable power plug, to connect to the transformer’s power cable in order to
supply stable electricity from power socket to transformer, then to the circuit.

ii. Changing Message Type Setting for Phone User

Go to the phone setting, scroll down and look for “Messages”, disable “iMessage” for SMS command
texting. The reason for doing so is because MICRA system internal microprocessor is reading SMS text
message, but not the advance type of instant messaging.
Result and Analysis
SMS and Web Server
Aqua Feeder is operating through receiving the SMS text commands, from phones or website server alternately. The
users may set the commands before sending SMS text to the operators, to ensure Aqua Feeder will work if the
commands words are matched inside the system. One of the method to operate Aqua Feeder is sending SMS through
phone, with text message setting with specific telephone number that are already being set inside MICRA system.
Another method to operate Aqua Feeder is to manually pressing the SEND button from website server that have
been programmed beforehand with PHP coding.

Figure 3. SMS Command for Aqua Feeder Operation

78 Wong and Idris / OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development 09:12 (2016)

PHP Scripting
The project includes some PHP files that have been created through researches studies and developments from the
companies. PHP codes are utilized in establishing 2 main program in this project, which are the followings.
PHP programs:
• Connecting database for SMS transaction tracking records
• Cron schedule feeding tasks management
There are certain PHP code words that are vital in developing the software program, listed in the following table.

PHP Code Definition

date_default_timezone_set(" ") Setting of time with the location zone
mysql_connect() Connect to mysql file
odbc_connect() Connect to odbc file
odbc_execute() Execute a prepared statement
session_start() Creates a session based on an identifier passed via GET or POST request
***** # C:/….A batch Cron commands:
minutes(s) hour(s) day(s) month(s) weekday(s) path command

Conclusion
The developed GSM web centralized Aqua Feeder include 4 main parts: Satel MICRA microcontroller, Wavecom
Fastrack GSM modem, website server for end user applications like Microsoft Access Database and manual control
website browser for feeding tasks, also Aqua Feeder mechanical device. The overall process of automation feeding
tasks are done from the PHP Cron codes, then automatically send SMS at specific schedules, the mechanical Aqua
Feeder will dispense fish pallets. For manual controlling, users may add on feeding frequencies by sending SMS text
through phone or remote website browser. Once there is SMS transactions going through the system, the
information messages will be recorded into the database of Inbox and Outbox. This will help the analysis of feeding
frequencies and daily consumption amount of the rearing fishes. In conclusion, the development device are created
based on the requirements of fish farmers in solving their problems by using green energy to save their time and
efforts in rearing fishes. With the hope of improving aqua agriculture, GSM Aqua Feeder has come to an approach
for helping the fish farmers to rear fishes in a low cost and efficient way.
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