A GSM Web-based Centralized Remote Wireless Automatic

Controlling and Monitoring of Aquafeeder for Nation Database

on Feeding and Growth Optimization
C L Wong 1 and A Idris1
1
College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Selangor, Malaysia.

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.

1. Introduction
1.1 Problem Statement
In 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.

1.2 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.
2. Literature Review

2.1 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.

2.2 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

3. Methodology

3.1 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)
3.2 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).

3.3 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.

i. 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.

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

ii. 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.

iii. 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.

4. Result and Analysis

4.1 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

4.2 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

5. 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.

6. References
[1] SearchMobileComputing,. 'What Is GSM (Global System For Mobile Communication)? - Definition
From Whatis.Com'. N.p., 2015. Web. Retrieved 1 Oct. 2015.

[2] Wikipedia. 'GSM'. N.p., 2015. Web

[3] Bekiroglu, E., and Daldal, N. 'Remote Control of an Ultrasonic Motor By Using A GSM Mobile
Phone'. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 120.2 (2005): 536-542. Web.
[4] Training, Commscope. 'Cellular Wireless 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G – Watch The Evolution - Commscope
Infrastructure Academy Forum'. CommScope Training. N.p., 2015. Web.
[5] Learn.sparkfun.com,. 'Integrated Circuits - Learn.Sparkfun.Com'. N.p., 2015. Web.
[6] Wikipedia,. '555 Timer IC'. N.p., 2015. Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_timer_IC. Retrieved 9
Oct. 2015.
[7] Fpga4fun.com,. 'Fpga4fun.Com - SMD (Surface Mount Device) / SMT (Surface Mount Technology)'.
N.p., 2015. Web.
[8] Rmi.org,. 'Whole-System Thinking And Integrative Design'. N.p., 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
[9] Satel.pl,. "GPRS-SOFT GPRS Modules Configurations Module". N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
[10] Satel.pl,. "MICRA Alarm Module With GSM/GPRS Communicator". N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
[11] Bhd., MOBITEK. "MOBITEK Q24 GSM Modem Is 100% Compatible With Wavecom M1306B
And Itegno 3000". Mobitek.com.my. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
[12] "What Is Web Server? - Definition From Whatis.Com". WhatIs.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.
[13] Worldtimezone.com,. "GSM World Coverage Map- GSM Country List By Frequency Bands". N.p.,
2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
[14] PHP?, How. "How To Create Cron Job Using PHP?". Stackoverflow.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Mar.
2016.
[15] "Phplist Documentation: Cron Job Examples". Docs.phplist.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.