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Tech News
A hardware tinkerer describes building a concealed lock that opens with a secret magnetic gesture rather than a simple magnet swipe. The design uses SparkFun's $100 magnetic imaging tile, an 8x8 grid of Hall-effect sensors read via SPI, paired with a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller to drive a servo and lock mechanism.
A newly reviewed MagSafe wallet features a side-mounted eject button that fans out up to three stored cards with a single press, letting users grab one without detaching the wallet from their iPhone. It's built from machined aluminum in multiple colors, uses 32 magnets for MagSafe attachment, and includes RFID-blocking material for 13.56MHz frequencies.
MIT researchers led by Giovanni Traverso developed a battery coated in a rice-paper-like material that can power swallowable medical devices and then be fully broken down and absorbed by the body. The team tested the battery in pigs by powering an RFID tag that transmits data from inside the body and a device that electrically stimulates the stomach to release hunger-regulating hormones. The work, published in Nature Chemical Engineering, replaces toxic metals, organic electrolytes and plastic casings found in conventional batteries with non-toxic alternatives like magnesium and molybdenum.
Vinich has released a new MagSafe wallet designed to mimic a classic foldable wallet rather than the typical slim card holder look, aiming to complement leather iPhone cases. It offers over 15 color options, including an aged leather aesthetic and a Desert Titanium finish for caseless iPhones, plus room for three to five cards and a couple of folded bills.