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Weekend projects: Chicken Squisher 3000

(lcamtuf.substack.com)
88 points robinhouston | 2 comments | 14 Oct 25 09:41 UTC | HN request time: 0.628s | source
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rectang ◴[21 Oct 25 16:44 UTC] No.45657983[source]▶
Does the product live up to its name? By which I mean, how often will chickens get squished (or more likely, maimed) because they fail to get out of the way of the door as it closes?

Power windows in cars often come with automatic reversal mechanisms, which are designed to detect obstructions and prevent the window from closing on them. I don't see mention of such a safety feature here, though.

Maybe making the Chicken Squisher 3000™ close very slowly would reduce the likelihood of a squish event? In the video, it's not like the door slams shut, but it's not slow.

Or maybe chickens, dumb as they are, have quick enough reaction speed that the danger of squishing is negligible.

replies(2): >>45658119 #>>45658376 #
1. ethersteeds ◴[21 Oct 25 16:54 UTC] No.45658119[source]▶
I was curious about this as well. He mentioned using a slow speed in mid-span and ramping up at the end, but without some safety a grizzly accident is possible.
replies(1): >>45659968 #
2. hex4def6 ◴[21 Oct 25 18:51 UTC] No.45659968[source]▶
Yeah, agree. My concern would be a chicken sticking it's head through the gap to take a peek as its closing, and getting stuck.

I think the OP may have mitigation (or at least the possibility to mitigate).

This looks like an open-loop system (eg, the MCU doesn't know where in the swing the motor is), which makes it a bit more difficult. But it looks like they have limit switches.

Not quite sure how it determines the point to go to 100% power, but I assume it's a timing thing. I can't think of a good way to determine the difference between "chicken neck stuck in door" vs "snow / ice preventing door from closing" without some sort of position feedback.

I suppose you could have a timeout -- it gets 3 seconds at high power, and if it hasn't triggered the door close limit switch, it opens completely, then tries again. This would probably be ok, as long as 100% power doesn't decapitate the chicken...