BLOG > Open Sourcing the LibeTech QR Code Lock System

This project was featured on Hackaday.com on 09/17/2012
This project was featured on QR Code Press on 09/24/2012

Closeup of the LibeTech Door Lock System
Closeup of the LibeTech Door Lock System

The LibeTech QR code-based entry system is a unique way to do away with traditional keys and swipe cards. Using a simple web interface, approved users are added to the system via their email addresses. Once added, these users are sent a QR code via Email, that when held up to the system, allows them to unlock the door.

LibeTech was a project that I developed a few months ago in my *free time* while I was a Senior at Cornell University. Three friends had entered the annual business plan competition with the idea to ease and customize the check-in process at hotels.  Fascinated by the idea, I joined the team as a technical director. I had been looking for an opportunity to play with the beaglebone linux microcomputer for some time, and this was the perfect opportunity.

LibeTech ended up making it to the finals (top 5 out of over 30 teams) in the business plan competition, and we won both the Verizon and GE Innovation awards at BOOM 2012.  After giving it a lot of thought and talking to industry professionals, we decided that attempting to bring this product to market would not be the way the go for a number of reasons.  Instead, I’ve decided to release the project under open source licenses.

All the materials needed to recreate this system are now available on my LibeTech portfolio page.  You’ll also find more photos, a video detailing the inner workings of the system, and more technical info.  Go check it out!

29 comments

  1. Thanks for sharing this project! :)
    Do you have a wiring diagram of this project? Especially from Beaglebone to the door strike via the diode?
    /Mathias

  2. Hi,
    I am trying to replicate this project and I couldn’t find the parts list anywhere, do you think these parts will suffice?
    – BeagleBone
    – USB webcam
    – 1N5232B Diode
    – Any N-channel MOSFET
    – Door Strike and
    – LED’s

  3. I am always getting this error when I execute entry.py file
    sh: ./exec_zbar.sh: Permission denied

    Please let me know how I should proceed from here.

    1. Thanks! but I already tried those commands and it didn’t work. Is there anything else that needs to be changed in the files you provided except the the one’s you mentioned in Readme file

    1. If you are executing from within the directory, are you sure to preceed the command with “./” ? use chmod to change the permissions to 777

      1. yes, I did use ./ before the command and changed the permissions to 777 also using the chmod. Also, in the pkgconfig folder there was this zbar file with
        prefix=/home/jeremy/Documents/beagle-compile
        I tried changing this to my own directory but it didn’t work..
        And thanks for taking your time off from your busy schedule and replying so quickly :)

  4. Here is the error:

    root@beaglebone:/media/BEAGLEBONE/LibeTech-QR-Entry-master# python entry.py
    Starting ZBar
    ZBar is Running
    sh: ./exec_zbar.sh: Permission denied

  5. And after the permission denied line, this stuff appears

    sh: ./exec_zbar.sh: Permission denied
    tail: cannot open `tmp.txt’ for reading: No such file or directory
    Traceback (most recent call last):
    File “entry.py”, line 38, in
    val = subprocess.check_output([“tail”, “-n”, “1”, “tmp.txt”]).strip()
    File “/usr/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py”, line 544, in check_output
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd, output=output)
    subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command ‘[‘tail’, ‘-n’, ‘1’, ‘tmp.txt’]’ returned non-zero exit status 1

  6. got past the permissions denied error.. have to store the directory in the root folder to make any changes to it or else they won’t get saved.
    However there is this new error:
    /LibeTech-QR-Entry-master/zbar/bin/zbarcam: error while loading shared libraries: libzbar.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

    Can you tell me in which folder these library files should be placed?

  7. hai sir, I’m interest with your project and I’ve downloaded all sources. but I not understand what should I do first to start. sorry because I don’t understand the programing languages. can I know step by step tutorial to use your project in my house

  8. Hi Jeremy,

    I don’t seem to have luck in contacting you ( tweeter or else…).
    Anyway here is my problem:
    Installed the webserver files on my server ( hotel) but when i go to http://www.myhotel.be/keys/index.php and arrive in the Libetech form page i get this error once submitted:

    Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘{‘ in /users/2/web/00/00/55/78/12/keys/submit.php on line 66

    Can you please help me? i’m using Dreamweaver cc to upload the code by copy/pasting.
    Could it be a php5 problem?

    Kind regards

    Pietro

  9. Hi Sid, have you managed to make it work with the Beaglebone Black? I’m starting also to mount all the necessary hard and software….hope it works !
    If it worked for you please give me some clues as Jeremy does not seem to answer any more comments…

    thanks

  10. Do you have any plan to have video series on beaglebone similar to what you had on Arduino? Those are excellent videos.

      1. Those were excellent learning videos. I hope that Element 14 sponsors another video series either on beaglebone or Arduino Yun.

  11. greetings, first of all, kudos on the LibeTech QR code lock system. Many thanks for making the project a creative common license.
    I like to create something similar using qr-codes and smartphone for access control, although the scheme is different and for other purpose, could you refer a publication of your LibeTech so I can formally address it in my publication? I tried searching your name on google scholar, but the result does not mention anything about LibeTech. Or if you have any other references that you use for the project is highly appreciated.
    thank you in advance.

  12. Hi brother Jeremy,

    Why i always get error while im running entry.py ?
    The error is exec_zbar.sh – no such file or directory

  13. hello,

    Hope this message reaches you will.

    I need a way to contact you I have a big project witch is under the government and we need something similar to your technology / product. pleas if you read this reply by your email or phone number or any way of communication hence our project is really important.

    Thank you for your help and we are waiting for your reply.

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