like hearing aids that allows for a remote to control the hearing aid.

I think it would be nice to interface with some device with a simple low speed inductive 'serial interface'.

This would be useful for debugging, and is cheap enough to insert for any devices like modems.

And, with a simple handheld 'dumb terminal' device, you can log in to any devices using this serial technology.

What this can be for, is to quickly reprogram a hardware device or debug a device, without opening the case to expose the traces.
-- mofosyne, Nov 25 2010

A lot of devices have a hidden serial console interface left over from their development, and it's often possible to do all sorts of interesting things to a device if you can get access to this console.

This generally involves opening up the device, identifying the relevant PCB tracks, and fitting a TTL-to-RS232 level shifter so you can plug it into a PC with a normal serial cable.

With an inductive interface instead, you wouldn't need to do anything at all to the hardware, and you could roam the streets with your handheld terminal inflicting mayhem on embedded systems left right and centre.
-- Wrongfellow, Nov 25 2010


// inflicting mayhem on embedded systems left right and centre //#

That is just SO much fun ... MUHWHAHAHAHAHA !
-- 8th of 7, Nov 25 2010


Btw, its not really that feasible to conduct 'wardriving' using this technology, as inductive near field communication is by its nature very small. The range we are speaking of, is to the range of less than a meter, or even only just 10 cm.

This is because magnetic fields lose strength really rapidly. Which is good enough for a on the field technician, or production diagnostics. But pretty useless to hackers without physical access to the device.

So, you gotta be pretty close to it, to cause any problems.
-- mofosyne, Nov 26 2010



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