Top all-time · #8209
Steven Hoefer
Personal blog · grathio.comhardwareprogramming
Steven Hoefer writes Grathio Labs, a personal blog at grathio.com about hardware and programming. Since 2009, 9 different Hacker News readers have linked it 12 times, most often “Unlock A Door With A Secret Knock”. It is still writing: the last post was on 2026-10-22, and you can follow it by feed.
Too few sampled comments (7) to say how often HN recommends it.?
Why HN links it
HN readers link Steven Hoefer's maker-style electronics posts, including the secret-knock door lock, Arduino wireless and glove projects, and teardown comparisons of everyday products.
Summarised by Claude from a sample of 7 HN comments that link here. Each comment is marked recommending, critical or neutral (citing without judging); how this works.
Doing, Making, and How-To
Most-linked posts?
- Unlock A Door With A Secret Knock3 people · 4 mentions · first linked 2009-11-05
- Tacit Project. Haptic Sonar For The Blind.2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2011-08-22
- Teardown: Same Product, Fifty Years Apart2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2016-09-07
What Hacker News says?
I remember reading in MAKE about a gumball machine that only dispenses gumballs when a secret knock is performed. I'm sure something like that can be adapted for this purpose. http://grathio.com/2010/05/secret_knock_detecting_gumball_ma...
Comment linking /2010/05/secret_knock_detecting_gumball_machine/
on “Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?”Submitted Unlock A Door With A Secret Knock as a story · 57 points
HN discussionHere is are instructions and code for a free version: http://grathio.com/2011/08/meet-the-tacit-project-its-sonar-...
Comment linking /2011/08/meet-the-tacit-project-its-sonar-for-the-blind/
on “I have magnets implanted in my hands”Submitted Rock Paper Scissors Playing Glove as a story · 21 points
HN discussionIn the early 2000s there was a lot of talk about KitchenAid switching to plastic gear housings. They switched back after a few years either due to backlash or warranty issues. Here's a cool comparison of wahl hair clippers from 50 years ago and a modern pair: http://grathio.com/2016/08/teardown-same-product-fifty-years...
Comment linking /2016/08/teardown-same-product-fifty-years-apart/
on “The Pyrex Glass Controversy That Won't Die”Submitted Tacit Project. Haptic Sonar For The Blind. as a story · 7 points
HN discussionActually here is a new review that oomlout linked from their twitter feed. http://grathio.com/2009/09/review-of-the-arduino-expermentat...
Comment linking /2009/09/review-of-the-arduino-expermentation-kit.html
on “Cheap Arduino Wireless Communications”Submitted Secret Knock Detecting Door Lock as a story · 5 points
HN discussionBy the same guy that made the secret knock detector. http://grathio.com/2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock....
Comment linking /2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock.html
on “Rock Paper Scissors Playing Glove”Submitted Teardown: Same Product, Fifty Years Apart as a story · 2 points
HN discussionApparently I missed the original as well! - it's at: http://grathio.com/2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock....
Comment linking /2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock.html
on “Knock Lock – Unlock a Door with a Secret Knock (2009)”I know this guy. Here is the direct link to his project. http://grathio.com/2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock.... This little project really exploded on him, it's been on a bunch of high profile websites in the past couple of days, knocked his server offline, etc, etc.
Comment linking /2009/11/secret-knock-detecting-door-lock.html
on “Microcontroled knock lock door”