Biometric Killswitch

[TylerEvil]

Originally Posted by stugray

Places I have worked actually had a phone booth that you walked into and did a retinal scan. If you failed the scan, the booth locked you in and guards had the option of gassing you by remote.

Angel think the bio scanner is a nifty idea, but i think you need to add in this gassing feature. Sounds like you are on a military base, and should have access to some form of gas to use. I vote Tear gas, but don't ask me to test it.

[GT86_PRAGUE]

Originally Posted by Arcadien Angel

Okay, so hear me out. I need an opinion on an idea I've been brewing up.

I'm kind of an electronic junky, so I tend to buy or make electronics that I may not always need. Like for example: Do I NEED a kill switch on my Scion FRS while it's parked on a military base? Probably not.

But it's kind of cool (assuming you don't mind having to hit the switch every time you enter/exit your vehicle, which I don't), and it IS functional in the sense that it would certainly help that much more in the event of a possible car theft. Not to mention, possible insurance rate reduction?

So if I haven't already sold you on this, allow me to continue to the next part of my thought process: Biometric killswitch. Right? RIGHT? Right. Allow me to address some points of interest.

-"But Angel, that would be crazy expensive". False.

Fingerprint scanner: $32. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13007

Arduino Uno Micro controller: $25 Amazon.com: Arduino UNO R3 board with DIP ATmega328P: Computers & Accessories

-"But Angel, the 12V car battery would fry those boards." False.

7805 (12V -> 5V) Voltage Regulator: http://www.researchcell.com/wp-conte...it-Diagram.jpg

-"But Angel, unless you have a switch to turn on/off the biometric sensor/Arduino micro controller each time you use it, then it would drain the car battery because it is always on." Also false, but good try.

Is there not a sensor in the driver's seat that tells the car if someone is sitting in the seat of not? Let's say that that same sensor supplies power to the biometrics when someone sits in the driver's seat. Boom.

-"But Angel, it's kind of silly waste of money, don't you think?"

I bought vertical doors for my car. I think you should shut your mouth.

So when the scanner "approves" of the fingerprint, it can pretty much do any of the following:

Act as a pushbutton start, and start the car.
Supply power to a pushbutton start.
Supply power to the stock ignition switch.

Of course there will be a bypass in the event of an emergency, a malfunction with the system, or if a mechanic or someone similar needs access o the car.

Please let me know if you have any better ideas, or if you are interested in updates on how the project goes.

I would like to have this but with keypad (like in Transporter movie) but OEM looking.


Which doors did you get? How much do you need to open them to the side before they go up?

[SomeoneWhoIsntMe]

fingerprint scanning is relatively insecure, from a security standpoint you'd be better off adding a keypad and requiring a strong password to start the car.

on the other hand, from a practical standpoint, putting any kind of security to start the car is a stupid idea. what happens when you stall your car pulling out into traffic or on railroad tracks? not to mention, this makes it incrementally more difficult to steal your car, at best.

if I were you, I'd just buy car insurance.

edit:

to expand on that, your fingerprints are unique to you, but that $30 fingerprint scanner doesn't scan your entire fingerprint, it does something like compare a few points on your finger, or something whacky like measure the resistance of your finger if it's really cheap. to allow for things like your finger being on the scanner a slightly different angle than last time and the other varying conditions that they're supposed to work under, they allow some margin of error. the effect of this is that there's some percentage of the population with fingerprints close enough to yours that will be able to unlock your biometric scanner. biometrics are better than nothing, but they're not secure.

[Arcadien Angel]

Originally Posted by SomeoneWhoIsntMe

fingerprint scanning is relatively insecure, from a security standpoint you'd be better off adding a keypad and requiring a strong password to start the car.

on the other hand, from a practical standpoint, putting any kind of security to start the car is a stupid idea. what happens when you stall your car pulling out into traffic or on railroad tracks? not to mention, this makes it incrementally more difficult to steal your car, at best.

if I were you, I'd just buy car insurance.

edit:

to expand on that, your fingerprints are unique to you, but that $30 fingerprint scanner doesn't scan your entire fingerprint, it does something like compare a few points on your finger, or something whacky like measure the resistance of your finger if it's really cheap. to allow for things like your finger being on the scanner a slightly different angle than last time and the other varying conditions that they're supposed to work under, they allow some margin of error. the effect of this is that there's some percentage of the population with fingerprints close enough to yours that will be able to unlock your biometric scanner. biometrics are better than nothing, but they're not secure.

What the FP scanner actually "unlocks" is still up in the air. Whether it starts the car, supplies power to ignition, or just unlocks the shifter much like the brake pedal does.

I have insurance. This is much less for actual security purposes and more so just because it looks cool and is very unique. And hell, if it does help, then I'll be glad I had it.

There will always be a bypass feature in the event of a malfunction with the scanner. And you still need the key to unlock the door. So it will not make the car any less secure.

Thank for the input!

[Arcadien Angel]

Originally Posted by GT86_PRAGUE

I would like to have this but with keypad (like in Transporter movie) but OEM looking.


Which doors did you get? How much do you need to open them to the side before they go up?

Hey there!

The keypad idea is pretty cool, especially if it's like the Transporter Movies. But the aim I was going for here was to be as quick as possible. Unless the key code is very short, it would take less time o just scan a finger. Which, from testing it out on my scanner, only takes less than a second.

I ended up going with Vertical Doors Inc brand. Very good quality, long history of good service and products. They up out about 30 degrees like the oem hinges, and then go up. So even if you don't pull them up, there is still just enough room to get in if you turn your body a little.

Thanks for the input!

[GT86_PRAGUE]

Originally Posted by Arcadien Angel

Hey there!

The keypad idea is pretty cool, especially if it's like the Transporter Movies. But the aim I was going for here was to be as quick as possible. Unless the key code is very short, it would take less time o just scan a finger. Which, from testing it out on my scanner, only takes less than a second.

I ended up going with Vertical Doors Inc brand. Very good quality, long history of good service and products. They up out about 30 degrees like the oem hinges, and then go up. So even if you don't pull them up, there is still just enough room to get in if you turn your body a little.

Thanks for the input!

I would love to see that doors in action - I was wondering if they will be usable in tight parking spaces to gain some advantage.

Hit 4-5 keys on keypad is not that much slower and if I someone else need to drive it I just tell him the code. Bio get dirty in time and unreliable and complicated if you ever share your car. But feel free to go with bio, I want keypad :-)

[Arcadien Angel]

Originally Posted by GT86_PRAGUE

I would love to see that doors in action - I was wondering if they will be usable in tight parking spaces to gain some advantage.

Hit 4-5 keys on keypad is not that much slower and if I someone else need to drive it I just tell him the code. Bio get dirty in time and unreliable and complicated if you ever share your car. But feel free to go with bio, I want keypad :-)

Fair enough. : ) Different folks, different strokes.

I'll post some pics/info once I get back home in the next few days.

[B-R-Z]

I'm an electronics\DIY geek myself and this would be a fun project to show friends and what not, but like someone already said, it would be easy to find the wires feeding it and bypass it all together.

[Packofcrows]

Bump to see if you ever did the install?