Hacker House Smartphone-Connected Door Lock
The team at YouTube channel Hacker House always deliver when it comes to clear, detailed tutorials, and their newest project, ‘How to Make a Smartphone-Connected Door Lock’, is no exception.
Using a Raspberry Pi-powered deadbolt actuator, multiple users can remotely unlock a door via a smartphone app.
The build can be attached to your existing lock, so there’s no need to start pulling out the inner workings of your door.
The app will also notify you when the door has been unlocked, offering added peace of mind when you’re away from home.
For a full run-through, check out their video below.
You’ll need access to a 3D printer for some of the parts and, as a way to support their growing channel, the team provide printed parts for sale on eBay.
You may also wish to check out their other Raspberry Pi projects too. They’ve made a lot of cool things, including a Facebook Chatbot, a Portable Arcade Console, a Smart Mirror, and a Motion-tracking Nerf Turret.
And in celebration of hitting 50k subscribers, the team are giving away two Raspberry Pis! Just subscribe to their channel and tell them how you would use one in your own project to be in with a chance of winning.
If you have built your own Raspberry Pi-powered lock or security system, we’d love to see it. So go ahead and share it in the comments below, or post it across social media, remembering to tag us in the process.
6 comments
Stewart Watkiss
I’ve been thinking of ways of doing something similar myself.
One concern I have is that in the event of a fire and potentially loss of power any lock system on an escape route must still be able to open; but the door must also not unlock in the event of a power cut.
I think their solution of connecting over an existing lock mechanism is a good idea. As the servo is held on with tape then a quick tug should be enough to expose the original lock – don’t be tempted to screw it in place if you don’t have another way of opening the door.
Niall Saunders
Not quite so straightforward if your door locks are not ‘American Standard’!
And, on the basis that many (most??) UK home insurance policies require you to remove your door key from the door lock (to avoid nullifying your insurance policy), then an excellent project like this may be less than suitable in certain circumstances.
Which is a shame really, as it could give rise to tinkerers really having to think very carefully about how to implement security, convenience and fail-safe operation all at the same time.
Cheers,
Niall Saunders
MikeG
Looked through the small print of my insurance policy (Direct Line, hardly a nice player) and cannot find any restrictions.
Robert Quattlebaum
I’ve got my setup connected to an NFC reader:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl5KW1p3LQ8
Ben
Nice idea, might work on internal doors or on shed/garage doors where the doors are not multipoint locking doors that create a wall like have in the UK.
If that was my main door security knowing it was locked would be the least of my security worries.
BUT an interesting and thoughtful use for Yale Lock users to modify? But you do loose the convenience of actually doing it manually. Perhaps a cheap method for the elderly/less able with a remote button.
It does give the bases for many other motorised ‘helping hand’ ideas.
Jordan
Amazing! Using the servo is the best idea! Lov eit!
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