Institute of Art Design + Technology
Dún Laoghaire

Mattie Hogan 

BSc [Hons] Creative Media Technologies

I am a graduated 4th year CMT student with a keen interest in Audio,Visual and Electronic applications. For my final year project I decided to build a tone controlled locking system. The thought process behind my project was to build something that incorporates as much as possible from what I've learned in CMT. Throughout my time in CMT I have been able to try my hand in an array of software practices such as coding with a variety of languages such as C++ and Python, along with getting myself familiar with the Adobe suite applications. I was also able to gain familiarity with practices such as Data Analytics, Sound Engineering, AV Production and Electrical Engineering.

Tone-controlled Locking System

The tone-controlled locking system works by a microphone capturing the frequency from a tone generator and processing it through an Arduino to unlock the locking system. This is done by inputing an expected frequency and setting a threshold which will cause the lock to only open if the expected frequency is detected.


Tone-controlled Safe

My thesis is based on a tone-controlled safe that I built for my final year project. The prototype for this project was built using a combination of a 12V solenoid lock, single channel relay module, High Sensitivity Microphone Module, Arduino Uno and a 555 tone generator. The basic idea was to build a home made safe that would be controlled by a particular tone and would only open when the expected frequency was detected. The safe was built out of acrylic and was laser cut to the dimensions of 200mm x 100mm. My thesis shows a step by step run through of the process and how the prototype was built from the beginning of the year.