People looking for an easier way to open combination locks can thank hacker Samy Kamkar for creating a 3-D-printed robot designed for such a purpose.
The gadget, called the Combo Breaker, is capable of opening up any lock used at high schools and gyms in 30 seconds, according to Wired. The introduction of the device follows several weeks after Kamkar found a way to open a Master Lock by hand in only a few minutes.
"The machine pretty much brute-forces the lock for you," Kamkar said in a YouTube video explaining the practice. "You attach it, leave it, and it does its thing."
Features of the Combo Breaker include an Arduino Nano microcontroller that acts as the gadget's brain, a stepper motor for spinning the dial (or double shaft stepper motor if you want the more advanced version), and an analog feedback servo for lifting the shackle. The 500mAh 3S Lipo battery gives the robot the ability to last between 30 to 120 minutes on a single charge.
The high-tech lock breaker also comes with a servo motor for tugging the lock to see if it's open yet and a 3-D printed harness for holding all of the parts together, TechCrunch reported.
Kamker has provided instructions and a step-by-step video on the device's site so others can learn to build their own Combo Breakers, Gizmodo reported. Those interested in the gadget will have to spend $100 to put their Combo Breakers together.
