January 15, 2015

Add secure access and logging to your garage door with Raspberry Pi

As the idea of home automation becomes more prevalent, many Raspberry Pi enthusiasts are turning to the platform for adding connectivity around the home, and one popular example is hacking the garage door opener. One example of this has been published by Instructables member AkiraFist whose garage door system is controlled via SMS text message and also logs access by time and video snapshot.

The hardware is quite simple - consistiing of a Raspberry Pi conencted to the intermet with a camera, and some external circuitry connected to the up/down button on a garage remote control fob. This saves having to construct a separate transmitter circuit. Then some clever software is used to parse an online SMS service (Twilio in this example) for commands to open or close the door, check the status or even shut it all down. Image data is logged to a webserver or this could be sent to Dropbox or other storage solutions.

An interesting interactive system that could also be used with a motion detector for security systems or other control-based projects. Either way, visit the project Instructable for complete details. And for more, we're on facebookGoogle+, and twitter - so follow us for news and product updates as well.

If you need to add external circuitry to your Pi, one option is to use our PiBreak board. It provides labelled breakout pins for all GPIOs, a large prototyping area with solder pads, and power rails for easy power connection:

Furthermore the PiBreak also includes mounting hardware to firmly attach it to your Raspberry Pi using a nut, bolt, and spacer - and is compatible with all revisions of both model A and B Raspberry Pi computers. For more information about our PiBreak board, our Getting Started guide, and to order - visit the product page.

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