“Clicker” Hacking

September 23, 2005 by 20 Comments

Clicker

Here’s another IR hack released at Toorcon.  SurveySays (from Midnight Research Labs) is software that will intercept signals from remotes or “clickers” that universities use for test and quiz taking in class. According to the site, there are over a million of these remotes out there at hundreds of schools (UC Berkeley and SFSU to name a couple around [sith]’s area). SurveySays will display the most commonly given answer by the classroom on the screen and will also issue a trigger after every round. You can send in this answer automatically, for you or for a group of friends =). Have fun!

[thanks sith]

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Build Your Own Generator

September 22, 2005 by 18 Comments

generator

This generator is built from an old alternator and a 2-stroke gas engine. The site has some suggestions on component mounting and properly sizing the drive pulley. The importance of getting an alternator with a built in voltage regulator is also covered. You could use this to charge a race car battery between rounds or add a power inverter to power AC items. Of course you could build a gas powered blender instead.

[thanks Howard and jon]

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Ask Hack-A-Day

September 22, 2005 by 31 Comments

swipeless

You may have heard that MasterCard is rolling out swipeless cards. I was alarmed by the quote: “point to the success of ExxonMobil’s SpeedPass system”. You mean the RFID system that was cracked and TI refused to acknowledge? There has been other RFID spoofing work that has proven that the action of reading the card makes it more insecure. What do you think of this new rollout and what percentage of your body will you be covering in tinfoil (freezer grade, shiny side out)?

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Robotic Sentry Gun

September 21, 2005 by 70 Comments

sentry gun

Reader [aaron rasmussen] and his brother Ezra built this awesome robotic sentry gun. The gun is an airsoft replica of an FN P90 and fires 6mm BBs. Pan and tilt are controlled by two hobby servos using a simple controller. Aaron wrote custom software to watch the usb webcam and track targets. There is a video on the site of it being tested

IPod Nano Docks

September 21, 2005 by 5 Comments

nano truck

Here are two reader submitted iPod nano docks. [ian] found this guide for mounting the nano in a truck. The headunit already has a line in so Kevin just chopped up the nano’s retail packaging to make a nice holder.

I didn’t realize this, but the dock adapter that comes with the iPod doesn’t work with current products or at least not the mini dock. [Caius Durling] trimmed up his adapter a bit and installed it in his mini dock.

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Toorcon – Closing

September 20, 2005 by 4 Comments

Toorcon was a really a wonderful experience. I met lots of readers and other interesting people in a very social environment. It’s really cheap and I would encourage you too attend next year.

I’ve posted the few photos I have to Flickr. While you are over there you might as well join the Hack-A-Day photo pool. Quinn’s photos are much better than mine; I didn’t have to haul around a Canon EOS D30 though. Pictures of me: one, two. The guys from EVDO-Coverage also have a photostream. They provided EVDO to hackers in need at the conference and will probably be sending me some fun hardware to play with.

I’ll be updating the posts with slides as soon as they get posted.

Once again: I’d like to thank the organizers, speakers, and Hack-A-Day readers for making the conference such a fun time. I hope to see everyone again at REcon, Shmoocon, and Toorcon next year.

That’s it for Toorcon coverage. Back to business as usual tomorrow.