Your Fantasy Keysafe

This page lists the 'fantasy' features that such a key safe could have. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions.

I see the key safe working in one of two ways, depending on how it's engineered:

• Standard timer unit - the safe has a timer inside with a display and buttons, which can be used to set the timer. This would be very simple to make (all the tricky bits are inside the standard timer unit) but not have a great range of features since it's just a timer.
• Microprocessor unit - the safe has a small computer inside which is programmed with software to act as a timer with a range of 'interesting' features. The time would be set by running a cable out of the safe into a PC and using PC software.

  Features for this device could include:

  1. Configuring how long you want it to keep the safe locked for
  2. Configuring how much randomness to include, eg open in between 10 and 12 hours
  3. Configuring more complex opening, such as opening the safe for 10 minutes in 3 hours, then locking again for another 3 hours
  4. Configuring whether or not to display the time ticking down
  5. Test mode for the safe mechanics

  I see the software working in one of two ways:

  • Run a 'terminal emulator' on your computer to talk to the safe. This would be easy to develop and work with any type of computer, not just a PC
  • Run software on your computer (would probably have to be a PC) that would talk to the safe. Much more attractive to use, and if the software were web based it could be controlled by someone else. But much more work to develop, more error prone etc

If you're interested, the basic idea is that it's based on a standard digital safe which you can buy then snip one of the wires in order to allow the timer or microprocessor to control it - so that answers any questions about how secure it would be.

Take a look at the safe I've already built (base on the 'Standard timer unit' plan above) here.

I think this should be availble from anyone's local hardware or stationary store. I'd be very interested if you could let me know how much a safe like this is in your local area, and where that is (what store in which country).

The Microprocessor I had in mind is a AVR board which is very cheap and resonably functional, specifically this ATtiny26 board.

I'm just trying to find out if there's a potential market for these things. If you're interested in the idea, you could help me out a lot by answering the following questions:

1. If there was a website selling one of these, how much would you pay for it? More or less than £50 or £100 or $100 or $200 or what?
2. Would either/any of the above styles be suitable?
3. What other features would be a 'must'?
4. What other features would be nice to have?
5. If 'buying' it involved buying a small timer box with screw terminals from the website, then going to your local hardware or stationary store and buying a standard digital safe (usually about £30/$50), taking a panel off the inside, cutting a wire and putting the ends of the wires into the screw terminals, does that sound like too much work? Would that put you off buying it? This is because the safe is the heaviest part to deliver, but they're quite commonly available so it's a waste of delivery cost to ship the safe.
6. Would web-based control of the safe be a desirable feature or a 'deal breaker'?
7. What sort of computer do you have?
8. Any other comments you have