lithium flowers bloom

Lockouts are irritating. especially when you live in a dorm, at midnight, your roommate is sleeping, and backup keys are two hours away.

Here’s the self-service solution.

I should have made a much more complex combination lock with multiple sensors and flexible customization functionalities, but it’s two in the morning… so maybe next time…

Secret revealed.

It’s kind of low tech in the backstage. All we need are: arduino, plus a servomotor, and, gravity. 8 quarter coins are used as weight. So it’s basically a two dollar solution! (what? the arduino? breadboard servomotor and all the lab kits? well…)

More pictures:

bonus video – playing servomotor with force sensor (warning: not fun to watch at all)

Thanks Li for the force sensor! We”ll have to talk!