Modular Security System Is Portable Too

diy_security_system

Hackaday reader [Oneironaut] wrote in to share a modular, portable security system he built for himself.

He likes visiting the Caribbean, but his favorite vacation spot is apparently rife with cat burglars. He enjoys sleeping with the windows open and wanted to find a way to scare off ne’er do wells. At home, there are a few different buildings on the property he owns, and he was looking to keep curious trespassers away.

The alarm system was built using a matrix keypad that interfaces with an ATMega88 micro controller. The micro controller handles all the logic for the system, triggering an attached “pocket alarm” when ever the sensor is tripped. Like most household alarms, it is armed and disarmed via the keypad, giving the user 60 seconds to enter the disarm code if the alarm has been mistakenly tripped. A wide array of trigger methods can be used, from mercury switches to motion detectors, since his alarm uses a simple plug interface that accepts any two-wire sensor.

Now, no one is claiming that this is high security by any means – the alarm addresses a couple of specific scenarios that apply to [Oneironaut], which may also be applicable to others out there. At the end of the day, the alarm is more meant to scare an intruder into fleeing than anything else, and in that respect, it works perfectly.

Continue reading to see a quick video demonstration of his alarm system in action.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k20qBRfN_hw&w=470]

11 thoughts on “Modular Security System Is Portable Too

  1. It’s both sad and a little funny that a year or two ago this would have been accepted as a good build, but now the post needs a paragraph justifying that it’s not meant to be a high security system.

    F’in trolls.

  2. @kernelcode

    What do you want ? Everyone to sing koombaya
    and hold hands everytime a new post is put up?

    It’s a PUBLIC announcement of your “hack”.
    Which means by definition, it’s subject to
    the whims of anyone reviewing it.

    Good, bad, or indifferent. Comes with being
    a public post. You don’t have the thick skin
    to handle a negative review, then don’t be
    in politics (or post anything here).

    Regarding the ‘hack’. Probably easier to
    just order a ready made device for $20 from
    any one of a number of vendors.

    As a technical exercise, it’s great if you
    have the free time to build it. Some of us
    don’t.

  3. Thanks for posting my project HAD.

    Yeah… it might look a little suspicious in your luggage! Ironically, the only thing the Dominican customs people ever gave me problems with was some food I was bringing… never the electronics!

    The alarm lives in an old abandoned building now… don’t want anyone going in there and falling through the old floor.

    Cheers!
    Brad

  4. Well, it may be cheaper than plywood in the holes.. But, If a kid goes missing and gets found 6 months later in your cellar, I doubt this electronic marvel is gonna keep you outa jail.

    When the local Pharmecuticals Conglomerate decides to utilize your convenient Cemetary Services. You think you can work up a good plausible deniability speech?

  5. So much negativity! Like most hacks this one has uses beyond what is written. Do you have kids? Want to keep to keep them out of someplace? Use the appropriate sensor and mount the unit out of their reach. Want to keep em out of your pool area? A waterproof cabinet and a reed switch/spash sensor combo would go a long way.
    Or build it for a kid. My grandson would love this to use to keep his younger brother out of his stuff.
    This build also has a component of a code entry pad that could be pulled out and used for many other projects.
    You also have a great set of documetation. The maker here documents everything with a well laid out website (not instructables crap). For a novice this is a goldmine.
    Yes you can buy these commercially. SO WHAT? If you not into making things why are you looking at HAD?
    Finally to all the bitchers – please preface your comments with how many projects you have had published on HAD so we can know if it is worth listening to you.

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