Digital Media needs your help!

Digital Media
#1

At the member meeting I mentioned the need for RFID padlocks in the Digital Media room and after doing more prodding I kind of doubt that QuickLock is a realistic solution. (thequicklock.com) I sent their CS dept an email asking for more details, but my hopes aren’t high.

I feel that having a RFID lock system with a log attached to it is the only realistic way to give everyone access to the small and expensive equipment in Digital Media that tends to walk away.

Also, some gear has limited use if one isn’t allowed to take it off campus or even out of the room.
Without some sort of automated logging system we can’t have true accountability.

Having combination locks on the lockers like we do now is less than ideal.

Should I even teach a class on a piece of gear if the solution to getting access is giving out a combo that can be shared with anyone?
(this is not a rhetorical question, I’m kinda new here)

So in a perfect world we would have one of those fancy interlocks on each locker.
Then we could put one set of gear in each locker and when a person completed the class they would have access to that locker.

By badging in and out we would know who had what last, and if they have it longer than the allotted time maybe the device could send automated messages to the chair and vice chair (have I mentioned that position is still available? lol) who would follow up with the member who checked it out last.

I would need the help of folks smarter and more capable than myself to install such a system of course because I don’t have the hardware or software knowledge to pull off something like that.

So I hope there’s a helpful soul out there who wants everyone to have access to mics and cameras and stuff!

Willing to bribe this theoretical hero in reasonable amounts of their favorite food or caffeinated/alcoholic beverage for the duration of the project.

I’ve even got some photo/video gear that I’m not using that I would definitely loan and potentially donate to DMS if there was an accountability system in place.

Here’s a series of emoji and gifs(html5 actually) to emphasize how important this is to the future success of Digital Media!

If I’m crazy and this just won’t work please let me know. Please excuse any typos it’s been a long week and I’m hungry.

ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)
ಠ╭╮ಠ
~(˘▾˘~)
(~˘▾˘)~
༼ ºل͟º ༼ ºل͟º ༼ ºل͟º ༽ ºل͟º ༽ ºل͟º ༽ here’s all the folks who want access!

┬┴┬┴┤(･_├┬┴┬┴ someone said there were mics?

(｡◕‿‿◕｡) <— Digital Media chair once there’s a high-tech solution in place to show off on tours.



4 Likes
My thoughts on the horde of quality tools
#2

Was done for some resources in 3D printing for a while. It certainly wasn’t a perfect solution IIRC but did work reasonably well the majority of the time.

1 Like
#3

This has got me thinking, thanks. Tried some google fu regarding a Wi-Fi enabled RFID cabinet lock and see a lot of things but no good fits. Perhaps something like this that can tie back via Wi-Fi to our AD system: https://securitytoday.com/Directory/2017/03/RFID-Combi-Cam-electronic-locker-lock.aspx

@StanSimmons, have you possibly come across any options in this area?

1 Like
#4

Your google-fu is much better than mine!

I’ve been looking for a pre-packaged solution to this problem mainly because I don’t have the skills necessary to DIY.

I understand that Mitch from 3D fab created their lock system, and that would be ideal for the lockers in DM but I wouldn’t even know where to start on putting something like that together which is why I’ve come here asking for help.

#5

Looking over the build components @themitch22 posted here:
https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/rfid-locking-cabinet-locker/31294

It should be fairly easy to wire up. @denzuko looks like may have handled some/all the code that we should be able recycle and point to a different AD group. Brian in one thread suggested the latch below which I think would be ideal for the lockers:

2 Likes
#6

That system just runs a raspberry pi + POE and the code I and a few other members worked to flip a relay on/off via gpio.

Basically it means, provide the hardware and which AD group you want and I’ll work with you guys to get it implemented.

1 Like
#7

@apparently_weird @denzuko

These guys are rock stars. Gotta love that DMS flavor of teamwork!

1 Like
#8
#9

A goal is theft detection. Does the existing software log access?

1 Like
#10

Since there are snippets of log files in another thread, I’m inclined to say yes. It’s checking the AD group for that person, so it seems “common sense” there would be a record. I’ll work up one locker to proof it out, then the rest can be outfitted easily. I think a nice stretch goal would be to add a pressure resistor in the mix to light a LED to indicate the equipment is checked out.

1 Like