This is an automatic sliding door made primarily of glass intended for the entrance to a church. The door has embedded sensors such that it can detect both the proximity and approach velocity of a prospective worshipper. The opening mechanism is a very slick affair and is capable of fully sliding the door ajar in only a fraction of a second. So far, so normal. However, the opening mechanism on this door is only triggered when the following two conditions are simultaneously met: a) The worshipper is within 10cm of the door, and b) The worshipper is approaching the door with a closure speed corresponding to a determined jog.-- EnochLives, Feb 17 2015 Analogous idea, but for aeroplanes Underground_20airport [hippo, Feb 18 2015] I have this visual. The_20Church_20of_20No-Pants [blissmiss, Feb 20 2015] The chosen category is appropriate, but a perusal of the other options yields so many potential alternative interpretations...-- normzone, Feb 17 2015 Excellent. [+]
Can I also recommend the Elevator of Confidence? The lift only appears in the nick of time if you run briskly towards the open lift-shaft.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 17 2015 The moat bridge of conviction?-- Voice, Feb 17 2015 I think I saw this door in the film "Th13teen ghosts". It could close in the same slick manner - only they hadn't got all the bugs out.-- Loris, Feb 17 2015 The Bungee Jump of Eternal Optimism. Actually no, wait, that's my career profile.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 17 2015 <Sound of rapid footsteps>
<THUD>
<Vader>
"I find your lack of faith ... disturbing. "
</Vader>
A bit like the trompe d'oeil bridge in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" except that was there all the time, just not easy to see.
A door that only opens if you run at it has amusing possibilities as a security device ...-- 8th of 7, Feb 17 2015 To get to this church, simply board your train at Platform 9 3/4.-- AusCan531, Feb 17 2015 ^.-- FlyingToaster, Feb 17 2015 The car version of this was in some TV show I saw way back (mid '90s?). It was a spy show of some sort, and the only way into the "secret HQ" was to drive at 100km/h down an alleyway towards a brick wall; which slammed open and shut as they went through.-- neutrinos_shadow, Feb 17 2015 That sounds kind of badass. What show was it?-- Voice, Feb 18 2015 Awesome. It would be asking the faithful to put their money where their mouths are. This idea is analagous to asking the Pope to NOT drive around shielded by 4 inches of bulletproof glass on all sides.-- 21 Quest, Feb 18 2015 Then they could fall into a moat and get caught by a padded plank that extends at the last second, the trust catch of perpetual positivity.
I think you could make this a complete obstacle course. Are you gullible, er, trusting enough to follow the path of blind faith? If so, they're serving treats inside. Try the Kool-Aid.
[+]-- doctorremulac3, Feb 18 2015 This could be extended to include the Giant Rolling Stone Ball, the Volley of Arrows, the Tipping Floor Slab, the Wall Of Unexpected Spikes, the Pendulum Scythe … have faith, and KEEP RUNNING …-- 8th of 7, Feb 18 2015 A proof of faith in automation, more suitable for a tech university than a church [+]-- piluso, Feb 19 2015 And is a proof of faith in power supply too-- piluso, Feb 19 2015 The last I knew, the Pope was fond of cruising around in an old Renault. That takes as much faith as anything. If you were to shoot at it you would probably improve how it runs.-- RayfordSteele, Feb 19 2015 Door of inertia more like it. It would let smartphone-occupied gum-chewers pass, while filtering out contemplative types. On second thought, maybe that's the people you want in church, I don't know. [+] for cleverness anyway.-- the porpoise, Feb 19 2015 And if it doesn't work - "Faithplant"!-- AusCan531, Feb 20 2015 ^ Like a pet door when the lock is engaged.-- cudgel, Feb 20 2015 Yeah, but would he be wearing pants or not, that's what I want to know. (of course, see link).-- blissmiss, Feb 20 2015 They already know ... the builtin spyware in the kernel has been reporting your every move, keystroke, mouse click, plan, thought and dream to Redmond every minute of every day since you first powered up the machine.-- 8th of 7, Feb 21 2015 //What on earth does the word “faith” actually mean, anyway, and does it have any relationship at all with "unfaithful"?//
Good question. Having read the Bible several times I've come to think of the words "faith" and "trust" as synonyms. The key point being that they are faith/trust _in_ something (or someone), generally outside your ability to control. Usually exercising faith is associated with taking some sort of social risk. In the current context it's faith that the door opening mechanism will work as advertised, with the possible risk of injury to body and/or ego.
I think the word "unfaithful" is entirely different, at least in a Biblical context, and is usually used to refer to marital unfaithfulness, or the spiritual equivalent. i.e. Idolatry.
I think a two-door version of this invention would be interesting, where each door is triggered by the other person. I.e. Two people run simultaneously at two doors. Each only opens if the other person doesn't bottle it. This would really be a test of faith in friendship.-- EnochLives, Feb 21 2015 The lame, toddlers, pregnant, blind, drunk, etc. use the back door.-- popbottle, Feb 22 2015 //marital unfaithfulness, or the spiritual equivalent. i.e. Idolatry// This doesn't quite work out does it? Do you mean that every person has to have their own deity, because worshipping the same god as someone else is bad? That's not what isolatry usually means... so every man has to share just one wife, and anyone who wants a different wife of his own is bad?-- pocmloc, Feb 22 2015 random, halfbakery