Traditional mouse traps could be considered inhumane given their deadly and gory effects on mice. Hobbyist Alain Mauer decided to create a mouse trap that captures rodents and sends users a picture once the door closes on the trap.
Mauer used a Raspberry Pi running on Arch Linux, an IR sensor, and Wi-Fi technology to create the RaspiTrap 1.0. To create the contraption, he used a box constructed of 5-mm foam PVC sheets. He divided the box into two components, one to house the electronics and one for capturing a mouse.
To make the entire system work, he used an infrared barrier for detection, a servo motor, and a Pi camera module and included a while LED to report the status of the mousetrap and provide a light for photos.
Watch it here.
Mauer’s next steps include live web streaming and providing more air holes in the box for the captured rodents. He tells us on his project site that no animals were harmed during the testing of his RaspiTrap. The purpose of the trap is to capture pests without injuring them and then remove them from the environment that they are not welcome in.
Images and video via Alain Mauer.
