Key Holder With Automatic File Backup
By Richard Eastmond
This keyholder has a mini wireless computer inside it that makes it easy for a person to plug in a USB drive, which is then backed up to after they hang up their keys.
Type: Commercial
About them: I'm a software developer who's getting started creating physical things after spending a long time making software things. I've spent a few years learning about electronics, and just got my first 3d printer. My handle, ThinkLearnDo, is based on my coming up with ideas, learning how to make them, and then doing it! My fascination with electronics started with Arduino, then I got my hands on some NodeMCU boards. Being able to make wifi electronics projects was a blast and I can't wait to make more!
Social:
What inspired you or what is the idea that got you started?
Offsite backups to protect my important data have always been something I wanted to set up. However, I didn't want to pay a monthly subscription or be forced to trust external companies like Google, Amazon, etc., with my private data. I came up with the idea of having a USB drive I could take with me, and this keyholder with automatic file backup is the result.
What is your project about and how does it work?
This keyholder with automatic file backup makes it super simple to keep a backup of your files with you when you take your keys. It has a USB port available to plug in your USB drive when you hang up your keys. When you get home at night, plug in the drive with your keys, and overnight your backup system can make a backup while you sleep. Then in the morning, when you take your keys, you have a copy of your files and data that goes with you everywhere. In order to protect against lost USB drives, the files are encrypted, keeping them safe from prying eyes.
What did you learn by doing this project?
This was my first project with the Omega2+ single board computer. I've never had to make a circuit board that could handle that kind of current draw or that had USB data lines that had to be laid out correctly, so that was a first for me. I learned how to make and mount encrypted containers in Linux, then getting that same code to work on the Omega2+ was a challenge in itself. This is my first project using my own 3d printer, which was a exciting and very rewarding. Taking a 3d model and printing it as a physical thing is awesome! I also learned about different backup systems and how to make them useful in this setup, where the USB drive could be removed while the backup was running.
What impact does your project have on others as well as yourself?
The biggest impact for me has been the peace of mind I get from having my family photos, videos, git repos and other important files with me all the time. When I read about ransomware attacks, I think of how my backup would be able to protect me from that horrible situation. I wish more people had that kind of security. When I go on long trips, I don't have to worry about the computer systems I left at home, I have all the data I care about with me.
