Electronic Laptop Lock, Gadgetry
Spring 2013

For the gadgetry course at Carnegie Mellon University, I invented an electronic laptop lock and built two fully functional prototypes. The idea behind the device was that old fashioned mechanical locks are too bulky for individuals to carry around on a day-to-day basis and also require a sturdy locking point to be effective.

The first iteration of my device, shown below, consisted of an ATtiny microcontroller, four buttons, a speaker, an accelerometer, and a multi color LED for feedback. The user activated the lock by plugging it into the computer and inputting a four digit code. Once locked, the device would sense both motion and being unplugged, triggering an alarm. For the second iteration, I shrank the form factor down to a USB stick by removing the mechanical buttons and allowing users to enter key combinations via their keyboards. 

Skills used for this project include:  

• Designed custom circuit boards in Eagle integrating microcontroller and several sensors
• Programmed alarm behavior to sense disturbance based on accelerometer data and laptop connectivity
• Programmed security options allowing for reconfigurable and unique passwords
• Manufactured custom enclosures focusing on form factor and usability