Arduino RFID Security Access | Hacker News Reader

Arduino RFID Security Access

appdelegateinc.com

21 pointsdawsdesign11 comments

A setup like this is written up in detail in the book 'RFID toys' by Amal Graafstra. Using this same rfid reader, maybe even an Arduino, or maybe it was one of the other projects in the book that used an Arduino. The disadvantage of this setup is that you need power at the door, unless you want to replace the batteries on your door every couple of weeks. I still want to make something like this but for a hidden door - I've got an rfid chip implanted in my hand and I want to be able to unlock a hidden cabinet by waving my hand in front of it :)

Under what circumstances did you decide to get an RFID chip implanted in your hand? I'm genuinely curious.

Just for the experimentation really, to get some first-hand (pun not intended) experience with it. ('it' being both rfid and implanting stuff). Body hacking for hacking's sake, if you will.

It was quite anti-climactic, really. Turns out there aren't really any good applications for it, except for the 'fun' things like the 'hidden vault' I mentioned. It's quite an undertaking though to make something like that production quality. For example you need a way to unlock the vault even when there's no power. It would probably require some hidden mechanical mechanism that is actuated by a certain series of events. Like most experiments, I mostly lost direct interest after the proof of concept worked. Still if I ever have a proper workshop and a few weeks, or if I ever build a new house for myself, it would be nice...

I found much the same thing with mine. I had mine implanted because a friend owned a piercing shop and offered to do it for free.

Since then I haven't had much practical use for it except for the odd POC project.

The friend that did mine though uses his with a pass code for the front lock on his apartment. I've also considered something for my laptop to automatically unlock it when my wrist is in range.

Yeah the unlocking thing I got to work, I used it for a while to log onto my machine at work. Wasn't as much of an improvement as I thought it would be. The book I mentioned has a project on how to build an rfid reader into a keyboard, maybe it works better, not convinced though.

Where do you have yours? Is it more in the webbing between your index finger and thumb, or further up your hand? Mine is between the index and thumb but I did some manual labor a couple of weeks ago and I started to feel it. Does yours ever bother you?

I have seen that book before and was either going to grab it or did and it's sitting in my pile of unread books back in Canada.

I have mine in the back of my wrist about an inch up my arm from where my wrist bends back. It is out of the way of everything. I rarely remember it is there until I go to scratch my wrist.

Of course the downside is that I have to twist my wrist around in a slightly awkward fashion to get it to register.

It's much easier to debug and get it to work using a software serial library like newsoftserial, as (in the article) you cannot use the serial port at the same time as the usb serial (it is handy to have a serial session to the device for debug printouts and the like).

http://arduiniana.org/libraries/newsoftserial/

You can still get debug serial working if you set it to 2400 baud.

Interesting, the rfid card I've worked with (I did a similar thing) only worked at 9600 baud I think.

Actually, I'm doing a follow up piece and this library makes it possible. Thanks!

I got really excited about this, so I immediately went to my local Radio Shack and picked this up. Sadly, my hopes of reading my work ID, passport, and store purchases were dashed when I saw the reader only works with the EM4100 family of RFIDs. I'm not sure what that means other than it won't ready anything I've stuck next to it other than the two supplied RFID tags.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com