Wanna hear something surprising? Your average door handle can have up to 400x more bacteria than your toilet. That’s right – 400!

Researchers at the University of Arizona found that “everyday door handles are often hotspots for bacteria”. Being used so frequently and by so many people, it’s only reasonable to assume that bacteria is present on handles – but 400x more than your toilet?! As a senior in high school, this fact surprised me and I expect it’s probably not something you wanted to hear either, especially in the midst of a pandemic, but there may be some hope – in the form of this Instructable.

This contactless door unlocker automatically unlocks and opens your door once it senses your hand. Using an Arduino, a distance sensor and a servo, this project is relatively easy to set-up and doesn’t require too much prior knowledge.

Ready to embrace the new, contactless normal? Then let’s get started with this project!