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Will Parallax RFID reader work through the vent in my school looker? — Parallax Forums

Will Parallax RFID reader work through the vent in my school looker?

Wesley219Wesley219 Posts: 1
edited 2014-10-27 16:27 in General Discussion
I was thinking about using a RFID reader to unlock my locker a school, but the locker is all metal and only has a small vent. If I was to place the reader right in the vent will it work? This maybe a stupid question, but I am new to Arduino and any RFID device.

Comments

  • ErlendErlend Posts: 612
    edited 2014-10-26 02:40
    Depends on the size of vent openings, but judging by how close and alligned it needs to be to work (in my setup), I doubt it will work - unless you use an RFID button that you can stick/dangle through the vent opening.

    Erlend
  • bill190bill190 Posts: 769
    edited 2014-10-26 07:54
    I would get permission from the school principal before installing any wiring or electronics in your locker. Other people may see this and get a bit excited... Lock down the school, call the SWAT team, etc. You know how touchy schools are these days!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-10-26 09:30
    Try Parallax tech support.

    Can you give more info on the area of the vent?

    Also, check out Faraday cage, if you haven't. Essentially that is what you're working with and it is important to understand what happens to the RF signal.

    And hate to be that guy, but you could always get a reader from Radio Shack and if it doesn't work out return it.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2014-10-26 10:58
    Bill is right. This is a good way to get suspended (damaging school property), or even arrested. Pick another project.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2014-10-27 09:15
    Hello,

    Based on the limited information I would have to say this won't work anyway. My memory of vents on lockers is that there's really no reasonable opening for the RF energy to work through. The locker door would essentially be a shield. Add the holes and at best you still have a Faraday cage, but I'm guessing slots and that will not really work in this case.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2014-10-27 16:20
    Maybe use some other approach to lock/unlock.

    RF is shielded by the metal. How about Light/IR?

    Instead of RDIFF-Key use some IR/LED emitter sending pulses of IR or light? That should penetrate the vent openings. TV-remote and IR sensor?

    Sound would be another way.

    Maybe RDIFF is not the right thing but you can still solve the problem at hand...

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • ValeTValeT Posts: 308
    edited 2014-10-27 16:27
    What about a passcode?

    That way you could use an LCD and a keypad instead of experimenting with RFID. I wanted to do this as well last year, but didn't get around to it. During my research though, I determined that I was going to use an LCD and a keypad instead of RFID for exactly msrobots's reason.

    Best of luck on finding a solution!
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