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Lifehacker
Sometimes, old people fall and they can't get up. It's a fact! Designer Haishan Deng has proposed a simple, timed bathroom doorknob for folks who are prone to such accidents, living alone, or clumsy.
While HDMI may be the greatest home theatre connection known to Man, there can be instances when it comes unplugged accidentally. The universal hd EZ lock was designed to prevent such travesties.
While some of us invest points into intelligence to become doctors, others of us pour those stats into perception and agility to take a different route...
Posted by Nick Broughall at 1:00 PM on November 7, 2008
True story*: After having my bike stolen for the third time in as many months a few years ago, I had the exact same idea as the SmartLock from designer Mike Lambourn. Except instead of dye and pressurised gas inside the cable lock, I envisioned explosives and shrapnel to teach the bastards a real lesson. Obviously, it never got off the ground - it's fairly difficult to buy explosives in today's terror-filled society. And besides, this is a much better idea - the dye the SmartLock sprays will mark the bike, the crime scene and the criminal, making it easier for the cops to catch the perp. And even if they wash off all the dye, the cable also includes Smartwater, a special invisible liquid that is practically impossible to remove and can be detected by police using UV sensors.
There are all kinds of keyless door locks on the market these days, but this DIY version utilises a touch-sensitive system powered by an arduino that offers a cheap, secure and discreet method of entering a locked room. To gain access, the user must touch a wire jutting out from the door in a specific sequence. Yeah, this project is super-ghetto, but it would be awesome integrated into the doorknob itself.
Wireless deadbolts have been on the market for a while now, but the new Remock Lockey seems like a decent solution for doors you want to secure inside a home. The remote controlled lock is placed on the inside of a room and can only be opened with a remote control "key." It runs on store bought batteries, but the system will automatically shut down when the power is low so you don't have to worry about getting locked out. All-in-all it doesn't seem like a bad deal for around $US163, especially if you need a serious solution that prevents your Mum from bursting into the room during your "private time." Unfortunately, only Korean teenagers can have this wireless peace of mind at the moment. [Funshop Korea via DVICE]
In collaboration with Nissan and NTT DOCOMO, a Japanese mobile operator, Sharp has developed what they claim is the first mobile phone that also functions as a keyless entry and ignition device for cars. Rather than building a new system from the ground up, Sharp has simply opted to include Nissan's existing Intelligent Key technology in a phone. The system will function like any of the many other wireless keyfobs on the market today, authorising the driver to enter, exit and start his or her car without ever poking any keys around.
An iPod case that doubles as a secure bicycle-lock-style chain for your iPod... I can't work out if this is marketing madness or shrewd targeting of a small customer sector by Masterlock. I mean, you'd have to work in a very crappy office environment indeed if you felt the need to chain your iPod to your desk while you skipped off for a coffee. Maybe it'll appeal to kids into baggy pants adorned with multiple chains. Hmmm. It's not uber-secure, consisting of a metal shell for the 'Pod and a three-digit numeric-combination lock and security cord, but it may deter the casual thief. Available for iPod classics and first and second gen nanos from later this month, prices starting at US$15. [RegHardware]
Why would the noble locksmith have a bone to pick with geeks? Because they are beating them at their own game, that's why. A growing number of amateur lock picking enthusiasts are intimidating the professionals with their skill--a group comprised mainly of computer geeks who draw parallels between network hacking and lock busting. According to Paul Bentley, president of the Association of Ontario Locksmiths: "This is a skill that can do a lot of harm, that's why we kind of protect it."
Posted by Nick Broughall at 11:47 AM on June 4, 2008
