Designer has a shot at security The classic advice ‘don’t try this at home’ certainly applies to residents who want something more vigorous in the way of protection. In the UK a home automation specialist has come up with a novel approach to keeping intruders at bay.
A BB gun has been integrated onto a
pan-tilt servo system that uses a four-channel USB servo controller to allow PC control.
Using a standard security camera, the unit doubles as a remote video surveillance device. A servo relay is attached to the electric firing mechanism in the gun and the PC software that controls the unit can be used manually or in autonomous mode with motion tracking.
This turret, designed and manufactured by British custom installer Vaughn Rupp of vCrib, was made with ServoCity servo brackets, a Phidgets servo controller, Swann camera and video input using an ATI video card. The software for this project was custom designed by Vaughn.
“Combined with Virtual Crib home automation software the gun comes online when the home alarm is triggered,” Vaughn says.
“Depending on conditions set in the automation software, the turret can be informed of the direction of the intruder and authorised to fire at moving targets.
“Resident safety is ensured by the software instructing the gun to go offline in ‘normal’ situations, and also by overriding the gun by cutting power to it with an appliance module. Items in the house can be protected by creating ranges that the gun is allowed to shoot in.”
Vaughn says different types of guns can be mounted onto the pan-tilt system. The unit can control up to a 2.7kg load.
“A system like this is very flexible in which parts can be used to build it. The gun used in this example is my favourite, but is just a cheap generic toy made in China.
“Testing and safety warranted only the use of an airsoft gun. But water guns, metal BB guns, paintball guns, tasers and small-calibre side arms could also be used.
“Some of these options can be dangerous or illegal, and much care and research should be done before attempting to use any option that could cause damage to property or carbon-based life forms.”
