Celestial Sec

"Guarding What Matters, Seamlessly Connected."

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Inspiration

In a country where safety and security have become more critical than ever, we at Celestial Sec are driven by a powerful mission: to protect what truly matters. Our journey began with a deeply personal experience—the growing concerns over rising crime rates and the vulnerability of our homes and loved ones. Witnessing the impact of theft and break-ins on families and communities fueled our determination to create a solution that goes beyond traditional security measures.

Our project is not just about developing technology; it’s about empowering individuals and families with the tools they need to protect their homes and lives.

At Celestial Sec, we believe that security is a fundamental right for all, it is our commitment to enhance your protection and give you the confidence to live without fear.

What It Does

Celestial Sec is a security solution designed to enhance the protection of your property through innovative locking hardware. At its core, our project involves the development of a smart door locking system that combines technology with user-friendly Here’s what our system offers:

  • Smart Locking Hardware: We have developed a sophisticated locking mechanism that integrates both physical and digital access controls. This hardware includes a keypad for entering codes, an NFC card reader for secure access, and an alarm feature for additional security.

  • NFC Card Access: Our locking system supports NFC (Near Field Communication) cards, allowing users to register up to 20 different digital keys. If a card is lost, it can be easily replaced with a new NFC card of the same name, ensuring continued security without the need for reprogramming.

  • Web Dashboard: The accompanying web-based dashboard is designed with remote management capabilities in mind. Although currently limited by our local server setup, the system is intended to allow users to control their gate from anywhere with an internet connection. Planned features include locking or unlocking the gate, activating the alarm, and managing NFC card users—all from a single, intuitive interface.

  • Real-Time WebSocket Communication: The system uses WebSocket technology to ensure real-time communication between the hardware and the web dashboard. This allows for immediate execution of commands and provides users with timely updates on their security status.

  • Fail-Safe Operation: In the event of an internet connection failure, the locking system is designed to engage the electromagnetic lock automatically, securing the gate until connectivity is restored.

  • Secure Data Handling: Sensitive data, such as local passwords and NFC card IDs, are securely stored in EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). Additionally, session data is managed through Express sessions, ensuring robust security for user information. The WebSocket connection automatically closes for any users attempting to access the system who are not registered in our database, providing an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access.

How we built it

We began our project from scratch, prioritizing the utilization of a pre-existing PCB as the hardware core, which had already been functional, executing similar tasks. This foundation enabled us to achieve the hackathon aspirations. We successfully accomplished our goals by establishing communication between our webpage and the existing hardware using the WebSocket communication protocol, in conjunction with engaging the Bluetooth Web API.

For the local device software, we utilized Arduino code along with essential libraries, notably including Esp8266 libary which does http request the Websocket library and ArduinoJSON responsible for doing stringify and parse each . In terms of web technologies, we employed HTML, CSS, and JavaScript/Node.js for both the backend and frontend. Specifically, we used Express.js modules to establish a more effective environment for communication.

Challenges we ran into

Essentially, as every project developing does, we face quite a few challenges. We initially encountered significant difficulties in updating profile images when users modified their settings. To address this, we employed an Express.js extension module called express-file-upload. Subsequently, we faced challenges with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) in the web Bluetooth API, largely due to the novelty of the technology we were working with. Our unfamiliarity with the characteristics associated with the HM-10 module needed an extensive documentation review and troubleshooting. This were the most remarkable:

  1. We needed to manage multiple Bluetooth connections individually, which led us to develop a single class capable of handling this task.
  2. We aimed to establish a stable connection with the HM-10 module.

  3. We wanted to allow Bluetooth connections only within our devices, so we code it to send a specific keycode to ask connection

  4. After that when it came to sending and receiving messages between our web dashboard and hm10 module, we solved the receiving part by setting the communication to receive how long is that information package before getting the message and make room for it. In the other hand we divide the information packages into smaller ones of 20 characters long.

  5. Lastly but not least we face a nomenclature problem when we were getting the GATT service, turns out that sending the message with the wrong nomenclature and after reviewing that we manage to solve it.

Accomplishments That We're Proud Of

We are immensely proud of the following achievements:

  • Innovative Security Solution: Successfully developing a door-locking system that integrates physical and digital security measures to enhance property protection.

  • Seamless Integration: Combining hardware and software into a cohesive system that functions reliably and efficiently, providing users with real-time control and monitoring capabilities.

  • Enhanced Data Security: Implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive information and ensure secure communication and data storage.

  • User-Friendly Interface: Creating an intuitive web dashboard that allows users to manage their security system effortlessly.

  • Impactful Project: Addressing a significant issue of rising crime rates with a solution that has the potential to improve safety and provide peace of mind to our users.

These accomplishments reflect our dedication to innovation, security, and user satisfaction, driving us to continue improving and expanding our solutions.

What We Learned

Our journey through this project has been a remarkable learning experience for each of us.

We learned how to integrate complex hardware with reliable software, navigate the challenges of real-time communication, and implement robust security measures. But beyond the technical aspects, this project taught us the importance of teamwork, communication, and adaptability.

This project has shown us that by leveraging our diverse skills and perspectives, we can create solutions that are greater than the sum of their parts.

Additionally, we've all gained a deeper understanding of the importance of user-centered design. Creating a product that is not only functional but also intuitive and easy to use was a challenge that pushed us to think creatively and empathetically about the end-user experience.

Overall, this project has been an incredible learning journey for all of us. We've developed new technical skills, strengthened our ability to work as a team, and grown as individuals. We are excited to continue applying these insights and skills in our future endeavors, knowing that we've built something impactful together.

What's Next for Celestial Sec

We are constantly striving to enhance our technology and deliver an even more robust and secure solution for our users. Here’s what’s on the horizon for our project:

Transition to ESP32

We are planning to upgrade from the ESP8266 to the ESP32 microcontroller. The ESP32 offers significant advantages over its predecessor, including enhanced processing power, greater memory capacity, and integrated Bluetooth capabilities. This transition will enable us to deliver improved performance and more advanced features in our locking hardware, ensuring a more reliable and responsive security system.

Enhanced WebSocket Security

Security is at the core of our mission, and we are committed to strengthening the communication protocols between our devices and the web application. We are implementing a more secure WebSocket communication system to authenticate and verify that only authorized devices can connect to our network. This added layer of security will protect against unauthorized access and ensure that our users’ data and interactions remain private and secure.

Moving to Production

As we refine our technology and enhance its capabilities, we are preparing to transition from development to production. This step involves rigorous testing, quality assurance, and scaling our solutions to meet the demands of a broader user base. Our goal is to deliver a polished and reliable product that seamlessly integrates into everyday life, offering peace of mind and advanced security for homes and properties.

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