糖心vlog鈥檚 College of Information Technology and Engineering conducted their 2026 Capstone Exhibit for BSIT (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology) and BSCPE (Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering) graduating students. They presented their innovative capstone projects featuring sustainable engineering and game-changing software which were designed to address community challenges, improve lives, and drive sustainability.
One of the exceptional projects is from Anthonette S. Yao, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering student. She developed the project entitled Smart Feeding-Area Monitoring System or SmartFAMS which is a device designed to record and verify feeding intake and activity events for small pets such as dogs and cats.
Behind the Automated Feeding
For pet owners who worry about whether their cats or dogs are actually eating on schedule. At its core, SmartFAMS is an automated feeder that uses sensor fusion, which combines multiple types of sensors, to confirm when and how much a pet has eaten. The system integrates infrared (IR) and Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors for presence detection, RFID technology to identify which pet is eating, and load cells to measure the weight of food that will be consumed. Together, these components allow the device to distinguish between a pet by simply approaching the feeder and an actual feeding event, addressing a common blind spot in traditional automatic feeders.
SmartFAMS is paired with a mobile application that gives pet owners real-time visibility into their pet’s feeding habits. The dashboard displays the system’s connection status, the most recent feeding event, and a running log of total events recorded. Users can scroll through a timeline of recent activity which includes timestamps for every instance of food presence detected. The device also came equipped with its own camera, allowing owners to capture images during feeding events for added verification.
Beyond monitoring, the application offers flexibility in how the feeder operates. Owners can configure SmartFAMS for manual dispensing when they want direct control, or set up a feeding schedule for consistent, automated feeding throughout the day. All activity is aggregated within the app, giving users a clear picture of their pet’s eating patterns over time.
SmartFAMS reflects the kind of practical, user-centered engineering that defines this year’s CITE capstone lineup. By merging hardware precision with an accessible mobile interface, Yao’s project tackles a relatable problem: the uncertainty pet owners face when they’re not home to watch the bowl themselves. It’s a small device with a clear goal, turning feeding time from a guessing game into a verified, trackable routine.
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