The Eco-Friendly and Fully Automatic Pet Door

Isaac Newton invented many of the things we use today, but one of his least popular inventions in the pet door. Newton was born January 4, 1643 and soon became a master of physics, explained the forces of motion in three laws, and most importantly got a good understanding of gravity. While conducting a light experiment in his attic Newton’s cat began to nudge at the door, which opened the door letting light in ruining his experiments. The idea of a placing a flap on the bottom center of the door, allowing his cat to freely enter the room and leave without causing light to spoil his experiments, making it more convenient for both the cat and Newton himself. Over time the pet door evolved into a wider variety of these miniature doors. Some had been made bigger for dogs, others used sensory, even automatic door helped inspire advancements to the pet door. Using the principles of an automatic door, alongside the use of Radio-frequency identification or RFID, both the pet industry solar power companies have the tools and skills to create a brand new line of eco-friendly and fully automatic pet doors, the Janus.
An automatic door is a “door equipped with a power-operated mechanism and controls that open and close the door automatically upon receipt of a momentary actuating signal. The switch that begins the automatic cycle may be a photoelectric device, floor mat, or manual switch.” The automatic door was first introduced in 1950’s by the inventors Dee Horton and Lew Hewitt who were both co-founders of Horton Automatics. The doors used a simple hydraulic system that swung open and closed when triggered by a sensor mat. Many companies had been reluctant to try the new doors out which by all the rejection left the automatic door unpopular and unsuccessful. Later in the 1950’s Corpus Christi was experiencing strong winds and it led to the slamming of the manual push-pull doors and because the doors were made of glass, it caused them to break. Horton and Hewitt had been working for Horton Glass Co. during this time, spending most of their time repairing the these doors. Then along came the idea of an automatic sliding door, which in time would change the future of automated doors.
In 1954, Horton and Hewitt had reinventing the automated door into an automated sliding door; a version more practical and that could withstand the powerful forces of the Corpus Christi winds. The new and improved doors were operated by Pneumatics (powered by compressed gasses) and also included an emergency breakout feature, which kept the doors in place. Although very new, these doors still featured sensor mats. Finally by 1960, Horton and20Hewitt were able to present their new product to society and opened Horton Automatics.
Over the years as technology was advancing so did automated doors, starting with motion detectors. Motion detectors used photoelectric sensor technology, meaning electricity effected and/or created by the detection of light. When placed on a door a beam of light was emitted and as soon as it was obstructed the door would open allowing either a person to enter or exit. Again, as time passed technology advanced, more features began to appear, such as low energy swinging doors, which are commonly used today.
Standard advancements had to be made, such as the ANSI A156.10., which are guidelines meant for door safety for pedestrians and those in wheeled traffic. During the 1980’s infrared presence sensors were added for safety reason. PID (Passive Infrared Detector) registered hear from the human body then compare it to near objects such as a pillar. By being able to detect heat, the PID could detect if there was or wasn’t and object which allowed the doors to either remain closed or open. PID safety was so successful it then became a standard requirement for all automatic doors.
By 1990, the automatic door spread widely across the nation. The automatic door even became a requirement for more facilities. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) took effect due to those with disabilities, who had trouble gaining access to stores, hospitals, school, etc., felt they were being discriminated against. Soon ramps and automatics doors were added, which also boosted up the company’s profit.
Automatic doors have advanced greatly over time, and are not only used in for shops, schools, and hospitals. You can find this technology in a building with elevators, which are equipped with a set of automatic doors. Even at home, from a garage door to even a pet door you will find the same basic automatic, and sensory technology.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is an object incorporated to products, animals, and even people as a way to identify and track the object using radio waves. It was first used in the 1946 by a member of the Soviet Union, Leon Theremin. It was initially created as a listening device that could be used as an espionage tool. During World War II, the IFF transponder was invented and used by the allies as a way to identify aircrafts of the enemy.
Today, the radio-frequency identification tags are most commonly used on animals as a way of keeping track, and also a way of identifying an animal in the event of the animal getting lost. There are two types of tags, the active RFID tag, and the passive RFID tag. The passive tag does not have a battery and requires and outside energy source to send any kind of signal. This particular chip is the type used on animals. Animal shelters across20the nation have benefited greatly in being able to return lost animals to their rightful owners just by this technology alone. It has become a standard requirement in most animal shelters and veterinarian clinics that any animal shall receive a chip. The chip is also used as a way of proving that an animal and the vaccinations records match when being imported. There are three different components that make up RFID chips, an integrated circuit chip, a coil inductor, and a capacitor. The coil inductor is a passive electrical component meant to store energy created by the passing electrical current, where as the capacitor is also a passive electronic component that contains a pair of conductors separated by a dielectric (an insulator). The way the chip works is that the integrated circuit holds both the identification number and electronic circuits that feed the information to the scanner, while the inductor works as an antenna used to receive electrical power from the scanner. Both the capacitor and inductor work together as a tuner. The chip itself is about the size of a large grain of rice and has no physical nor behavioral effect on animals. With the RFID technology many missing animals have been successfully identified and return to the rightful owner.
In today’s society, people have been focusing on helping out our planet. Many companies have made changes in attempt to go green which is another way of saying becoming more eco-friendly. Whether it’s a reusable bag or recycled paper/ notebooks, the market has increased greatly due to the rise in need for “green” products. There are many ways people can become involved in becoming more eco-friendly. Simply riding a bike or walking instead of driving reduces and helps eliminate the harmful fuel emissions released by a car.
Solar energy is both reusable and can be recycled. The ancient Greeks and Romans were the first to discover the method of using solar power. Architects used the sun as a way to light and heat indoor spaces. The Romans had discovered new ways to keep the heat of the sun to last longer. By covering openings on the south side of buildings with either glass or mica, they were able to salvage more heat during winters which lead to the decrease of burning wood for warmth.
In the 1800’s during the Industrial revolution, Auguste Mouchout created the first active solar motor. In 1861 he then created the steam engine that was powered entirely by the sun. Though due to high prices it never fully got the attention it needed to sell. Eventually, solar power began to die out but never fully went away. In 1921, Albert Einstein received a Nobel prize for his research in physics that dealt with the photoelectric effect, which is a process that is centered around the generation of electricity through solar cells. The 1950’s 0Awas filled with many important inventions that revolved around the technology of solar energy. In 1953, scientist Gerald Person, Daryl Chapin and Calvin Fuller created the first silicon solar cell. The cell was capable of generating a measurable electric current. This sparked, according to the New York Times “the beginning of a new era.” Throughout the 1950’s and 60’s the use of solar power progressed throughout the nation, especially when used for the Space Race. The Space race was a competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to determine who could make the most advancement into space first. In the 1970’s the prices for oil double, which by then more money was being invested in alternative fuels. During the 1990’s prices for solar cells also dropped which affected the prices for oil, both at a competitive price. Oil however, was still the most popular demand. Over time the use of solar power has had much advancement. Solar energy is now being used in many fields of technology. From architecture to agriculture, solar energy has contributed too many aspects in these fields.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. department of Energy joined together with Energy Star to create more eco-friendly home decor and appliances. One creation is a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) that uses about 75 percent less energy that a standard bulb, while lasting about 10 time
s longer. With energy star CFL bulb, a person could save 30 dollars or more in electricity bills with each bulb they use. In 2008 alone, enough energy was saved which reduced a significant amount of gas emissions equivalent to the removal of 29 million cars.
Automatic doors have been a revelation since they were first put on the market. Today, automatic technology has combined with the simple yet popular pet door. Automatic pet doors are a more convenient way for pet’s to enter and exit a house, without the owner needing to stop whatever it is they may be doing to let the animals in or out. With the door, accidents can be prevented. Today pet’s doors can cost up to $100 dollars. Cats and dogs are generally the ideal vision when it comes to the pet doors. The Cat door differ from the dog door in size, cat’s door is smaller while the dog door is much bigger.
One example of a cat door is the Staywell Magnetic Cat Flap. With a magnetic collar key, that cat wearing the collar will be allowed out or in. the door itself carries a manual four-way security lock. The bottom of the tunnel contains a magnetic pad that when the magnet from the collar is placed on it, the door will open. ( Image 1 above: Magnetic Cat Flap; www.petsmart.com)
An example of a dog door Staywell Infra-Red Dog Door and additional Transmitter Keys. The name says it all, this door uses the latest programming for infra-red technology. The collar key is set with a digital code that is then transmitted too the door allowing access for the dog. ( Image 2 above: Infra-Red Dog Door; www.petsmart.com)
With today’s technological advancements, the manufacture of pet doors has varied in different ways. From the simple plastic flap to magnetic and infra-red technology, we can only imagine what may come next.
Through out time these doors have been only made specifically for cats and dogs. With how the world is changing technology wise and the popularity of the pet door, what if the door could be made available for other animals? The more variety in a product the better you’ll be able to market it off. When you look at most products of cat and dog doors, the only variety you see is the technology of how the door will open.
Animals, chickens for example have been one of the many victims of animal cruelty. Most chicken farms you will find thousands of chickens coup up in a small barn. Because of the large number of chickens most suffocate and die. Others die from starvation. On November 4th 2008, Proposition two was passed to help stop animal cruelty by creating a more safe and healthy environment for animals, such as cows, pigs, and chickens. Now being allowed more space and requiring more attention and care, it does put more work on the hands of farmers.
The pet door is in need of change, and a door specifically meant for chickens is the place to start. Given the state of planet Earth, why not make this new door eco-friendly and have it be solar powered and fully automatic? The Eco-Friendly and Fully Automatic Pet Door aka The Janus! This new and improved pet door is here to not only make life for farmers easier but also helps out the environment by using the power of the sun to work.
The Janus will be about half the size of a door (32x36”). It is powered off a 12v battery pack that will be mounted on the exterior of the chicken coop. The door will have two conditions, the first will be that the first sign of light from the sun the door will automatically open. The second condition is when dusk approaches the door will close. This process happens because it will be programmed with photoreceptors that are set up to read whether or not it’s light or dark outside. To keep the motor from straining, limit switches will be placed in to stop the motor once the door has been fully lifted. The motor arm is the same motor used for a car door opener. The door itself will be attached to the end of the arm. (image 3: right)

Executive Summary on the Root Cause of the Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster

On February 1st, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated around 9 am while re-entering over Texas, only 30 minutes away from landing. 7 souls were taken as a result.
January 16th 2003, at 10:39 am, the space shuttle Columbia took off for the 16 day voyage orbiting the Earth while conducting 80 different experiments in the fields of life, material, and microgravity science. The space shuttle took off at a 39° angle, an at approximately 81 seconds into the launch a piece of insolating foam from the exterior tank dislodged, striking the left wing of the space shuttle. The same day, Columbia experienced communication problems with the shuttles SpaceHAB. Through out the day’s 2-4, the shuttle again was experiencing problems. The SpaceHab module that controlled the temperature of the shuttle began to malfunction due to the water flooded inside. This caused the temperature to rise up too at most 80°, which caused the crew to rely on their back-up SpaceHAB. The crew was able to stabilize. On day 6, the shuttle again experienced problems. The shuttles cameras malfunctioned, and no repairs were ever made.
When the MMT were first aware of the shuttles situation with the foam, they had discussed the possible damage but shrugged it off and concluded that since the dislodging of foam was common, there was nothing to worry about. The imagery that shows the incident is not clear enough to see any sign that they should be concerned. A team of NASA engineers had reason to believe that there was more to the image then what the MMT believed to be nothing and that the shuttle was still in good condition for re-entering . There was never communication between the engineers and MMT, so the concern was never brought up again.
After the shuttle disintegrated, it was concluded that there must have been a hole, which would explain why the shuttle disintegrated in the first place. The hole in the left wing allowed heated vapor to enter the shuttle, which caused the frame and aluminum to melt, therefore resulting in the Columbia and her crew to parish.
Many factors contributed to the death and destruction of the shuttle and it’s crew. The main factor was the lack of communication between the members of MMT and the countless number of engineers, who are also responsible for the shuttles poor design. During the 6-18 days of the mission, the MMT members and engineers failed to construct and plan that could have potentially saved the crew.
Recommendations:
Some recommendations that could have prevented the catastrophic even that occurred:
• Sending up the other shuttle Atlantis to rescue the crew members of Columbia.
• As much of a risk it may have been, sending out 1 or 2 crew members on a moon walk to repair the damage could have saved them.

If the MMT members and engineer’s could have learned to communicate better, then maybe the Columbia and her crew could have made it all the way home.