Introduction: CarontePass: Open Access Control for Collaborative Spaces

Currently we use CarontePass to access Kreitek, our Hackerspace from Tenerife (Spain)

This carontepass is an improvement of the previous project (v1)

Step 1: Why? (+Features)

It is difficult to create a makerspace (or other collaborative space) but once you have the tools you want them to be used as much as possible.

They also have users who want to use them. We only need one thing, that can be used on a schedule.

But here we have a big problem, if we have 30 users for example... Do we have to make 30 copies of door keys? What happens if one gets those keys lost? Did we change them all? It would be a serious security breach.


CarontePass is born of this necessity, that the users can enter with total freedom and control.


Features:

  • Low Cost System:Less than 60$, for me it is a key factor of the project knowing that it is easier for it to be installed anywhere in the world.
  • RFID-NFC.
  • Server-Client Structure: We have a local server with a raspberry and each door a Wifi ESP8266 as client. So we can have all the doors we want.
  • API: The system works with requests to an API through wifi.
  • Access control for monthly payment, if the user has not paid the fee the system does not authorize access
  • Web administration and visual portal for user statistics.
  • Telegram: Bot of telegram to which you can ask who is inside the space at the moment, also serves to put messages in groups when the space is opened or closed.
  • Internet of things (IoT)

Step 2: Hardware and "Bill of Materials" (BoM)

SERVER:

  • Raspberry Pi 3 (with charger and microsd)

CLIENT (Doors):

  • ESP8266, I use the Wemos
  • Relay
  • RC522 (RFID)
  • Electric lock

Step 3: Software

All software is available on Github, be free to modify it.

The software is made with Python, Django and Arduino.

Installing it is like a Django application, if you do not know I recommend this tutorial.

The commands to install it on the raspberry are:

  1. git clone
  2. pip install -r requirements.txt
  3. python manage.py makemigrations
  4. python manage.py migrate
  5. python manage.py createsuperuser
  6. python manage.py runserver

Edit with your data: settings_local.py and wifi data in esp82266

In django create the user "caronte".

Note: When you pass an RFID card through the reader it will appear on the web, in the Devices section. It appears as a tag, it selects a user to assign the tag to and put it as NFC. The system differentiates the new tags in this way.

In the github there is also the Telegram Bot code.

Step 4: Extra: Internet of Things

Being an internet of things project this allows to add other uses.

For example it is the integration with the iBoardbot, that when entering each person to the space the slate says hello and the name of the user.

Also I am now with the integration with Domoticz, with this I want the last person to check the condition of the windows and doors so that everything is closed properly. Also check the ligths, If there is no one why there is a light on?

The project can be added many improvements, all are welcome and I hope you find them as useful as us.