Awesome jake! Thanks for writing back and for all you and the access group are doing. Roger that re: not cc'ing building list -- after this message, I'll un-cc that list.

Yes, IMO to save time, RFID'ing the front door directly at this point is probably worth doing, rather than piloting a mechanism first in the Omni Office or similar -- but I'd leave that to your/access group's best judgement.

I remember hearing about that wheelchair motor -- if it's the same one, last I heard Robb had wanted to use it to raise/lower a projection screen for the stage..? So I didn't think of it for this project, but if we can use it and save ourselves some money, that's great!

I realize you may have already considered this aspect but as a DIY opener will also need to comply with code requirements, do you think you can design a system measurably compliant with:

- opening / closing force (<5lb) and speed (max. N seconds to close) requirements throughout the swing, during automatic operation and manual operation per ANSI/BHMA A156.19 for low-energy-operated doors, ICC A117.1, ADA and whatever may be found in CBC?

- req'd UPS / backup battery power for opener, for N many operations (need to look it up)

- compliant location of upper and lower door actuators (buttons), assume this will be no issue

If it's helpful, here is a decent article I found that glosses the subject of codes for low-energy openers:

http://www.constructionspecifier.com/understanding-new-accessibility-requirements-for-doors/

Given the above, and I realize I only now just brought this up to you, but I guess my only concern about any DIY implementation is, if you / access group has the time to implement it relatively soon..? E.g., do you think it might be possible to complete in the next 2-3 weeks or so..?

I realize perhaps that is an unfair question to ask before you've really started hacking on it, but I'm also trying to be realistic and pragmatic wrt to how busy everyone is and the understandably extended timelines of volunteer labor in general that comprises the bulk of omni efforts --

If after reviewing the door req's, you think a DIY system is doable in the next 2-3 wks, let me know how / when I can help hack on this and I will follow up with you and access control group directly -- and perhaps we can set a date to meet up about it?

Best,

David

On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 12:20 AM, Maureen Muldavin <muldavin.m@gmail.com> wrote:

If you are working on RFID cards any possibility that the entrance to
sudo/ccl could get a card reader? Been wanting access control for
awhile.

On Sun, Jan 15, 2017 at 11:46 PM, Jake <jake@spaz.org> wrote:
> i brought in a wheelchair motor a while ago that I think could be made into
> a
> power door-opener pretty well.
>
> I can work on a proof-of-concept for that and then be able to show you what
> I
> mean, and then we can see if it will be good enough for our needs as opposed
> to
> spending $2800 on a "proper" door opener.
>
> as for the RFID cards, Alex and I have been working on implementing the card
> reader thing for a little while and I think I can add it to the front door
> pretty relatively easily.., and I guess i'll do that first, rather than
> trying
> to do a storage closet first?
>
> as always, if anyone wants to participate in this process they should
> definitely jump in, otherwise it's subject to my chaotic schedule.
>
> technical questions about making this happen should be sent to the access
> list
> and possibly the sudoroom list, but probably not the building list as it
> will
> be a major distraction if we get into the weeds of microcontroller boards
> and
> door server code...
>
> also, yes I do have the box of RFID stuff you ordered and i've been working
> on
> it~
>
> -jake
>
> On Sun, 15 Jan 2017, David Keenan wrote:
>
>> Hi Jake / access control folks -
>>
>> So now that our front door is publicly labelled as accessible, we need to
>> install an automatic door opener & remote button (kickplate & hand-height
>> or a long bar) to make it legal.
>>
>> Reason I bring this up to you guys is, the opener system will need to
>> integrate into our existing/future access control somehow. The quote I got
>> is $2800 (50% parts, 50% labor) for a package including the Open Sesame
>> Model 233 (brochure
>> <http://www.opensesamedoor.com/index_htm_files/open_sesame_brochure.pdf>,
>> spec
>> sheet <http://www.opensesamedoor.com/index_htm_files/specs_model233.pdf>),
>>
>> made in San Leandro.
>>
>> Also, some of us met last week re: sketching out Omni's accessibility
>> plan,
>> and Yar suggested this might be a good time to also implement RFID system
>> for the front door, if that was possible? In part because, proximity to an
>> RFID fob is more accessible than a card swipe which (after thinking about
>> it) I realized requires a pincing motion that is likely not ADA... because
>> of the excessive door opening pressure and iffy slope on the front
>> landing,
>> we need an RFID & auto-opener.
>>
>> So -- I'm not sure if any more work has been done on the RFID systems I
>> put
>> in sudo a little while ago (stashed in under-stair storage area), might it
>> be possible to integrate these into the door opener? I note in the
>> brochure
>> they offer a keypad access option - perhaps an opportunity for 2-factor
>> authentication like Marc had talked about? Anyhow what do you guys think?
>>
>> I apologize for not helping y'all more with a better access control system
>> (helping spaces post-ghostship consumed my bandwidth), but as there is now
>> renewed pressure I want to help as I can. Would installing a trial
>> RFID/throw on the Omni Office for example still be helpful towards getting
>> this nailed down? Lmk
>>
>> Fwiw - I see the opener as pressing at this point not just 'cause its long
>> overdue, but because every day our front door is labelled as accessible
>> when it's technically not, is actually a not-insignificant liability issue
>> (accessibility lawsuit). Plus of course, we are still under scrutiny by
>> the
>> city, nimby neighbors trying to call us out for bogus reasons, etc etc.
>> And
>> per building code the front door must be made fully accessible before any
>> other accessibility work starts on the rest of the building - at some
>> point
>> an inspector's gonna notice since they all go through that door..anyhow.
>>
>> Let me know how myself & those of us working on accessibility might be
>> able
>> to help -
>>
>> Best,
>> David
>>
>