Simple Internet Gizmo

Recently I published an instructable called the "Arduino Internet Gizmo" which combines a RFID card reader, an Arduino, and a bunch of LEDs and other components to create a device that uses RFID cards to display favorite web pages in a web browser. It's a cool instructable but its construction requires laser cutting of acrylic sheets, lots of parts, soldering, and wiring. This instructable shows how to build a very simple of version of the Gizmo that can be constructed in less than an hour.

The gizmo works by placing a RFID tag on the top of the gizmo. The gizmo then reads the RFID tag and sends the tag number via USB to a program running on a PC. The program looks up the tag number and the associated web site and then invokes the default web browser to open a new tab to display the web page.

The Simple Internet Gizmo is fun to use, makes an excellent desk toy, and sure beats using a mouse and keyboard to load your favorite web sites.

This video demonstrates the Simple Internet Gizmo:

I made this at TechShop.

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Step 1: How it works

1 - 1 - Simple Internet Gizmo Overview.png

The Simple Internet Gizmo consists of a Sparkfun RFID card reader mounted in a plastic single gang electrical outlet box connected to a PC using a USB cable as shown in the diagram. When a RFID card when it is placed near the reader, the reader sends the unique tag number on the card to the PC via USB. On the PC, a Python program is running in a loop waiting for data from the RFID card reader. When it receives the RFID card id from the reader, it looks up the RFID card ID in a table to see what web site is associated with that card. If it finds the card in the table, it opens a new tab in the default web browser for the computer and loads the web site. If the RFID card ID is not in the table, the Python program creates a simple HTML page with an error message and the RFID card ID and displays the information in a new tab in the browser.

Details on how the software works is covered in step 10.

lafnbear says: Jun 12, 2012. 2:23 PM

My instructional/elearning bent made me think: This would be a great just-in-time learning tool for a shop or manufacturing environment. Make a picture/nametag card for each tool, production station, etc. in the shop, with an RFID tag on the back, and hang them on a pegboard next to an internet-connected computer. Each tag's ID would be set in the table to go to a webpage (internal or external) with operating instructions, important specs, safety warnings, etc. about that tool or production station.