PROJECT
PROPOSAL
MECHATRONICS & EMBEDDED SYSTEM LAB
Project Title
RFID-Based Door Access and Attendance Management System
Project Members
Mohshina Mohona, Maisha Osman Umama, Shila Sarkar, Md. Fahim Hossain Abir
Estimated Project Duration
2-3 weeks
Introduction
Controlled access and accurate attendance tracking are essential requirements
for modern laboratories and restricted facilities. Conventional methods such as
physical keys and manual attendance registers are prone to misuse, inefficiency,
and data inconsistency. To address these issues, this project proposes an RFID-
based door access and attendance management system that provides secure
entry control while automatically recording attendance data.
The proposed system is cost-effective, reliable, and suitable for deployment in
academic laboratories. It is designed with scalability in mind, allowing future
integration with a centralized backend system.
Objectives
To design a secure RFID-based access control system
To restrict laboratory access to authorized users only
To automatically record attendance with accurate timestamps
To minimize manual intervention in attendance management
To develop a system that is modular and upgradeable
System Overview
The system utilizes RFID cards or key tags assigned to individual users. Each
card contains a unique identifier (UID) which is verified by the system upon
presentation. If the UID is authorized, the door locking mechanism is
activated and the entry is recorded as an attendance event.
Operational Flow
User presents RFID card to the reader
System reads and verifies the card UID
Authorized access triggers door unlocking
Attendance is logged with date and time
Door automatically re-locks after a fixed interval
Key Features
RFID-based authentication using unique card identifiers
Automatic electronic door locking and unlocking
Real-time attendance logging with timestamp
Offline data storage using SD card
Admin-controlled user registration and removal
Audible and visual feedback for system status
Hardware Design
The system is built around a microcontroller unit that interfaces with an RFID
reader, real-time clock, data storage module, and an electronic locking
mechanism. All components are selected to ensure reliability, low cost, and
ease of maintenance.
Software Design
Firmware developed using the Arduino framework
SPI communication with RFID reader and SD card module
I2C communication with real-time clock module
UID-based authentication logic
CSV-based attendance logging format
Protection against duplicate attendance entries within a short time
interval
Data Management and Admin Access
Attendance records are stored locally on an SD card in CSV format. The
administrator can access these records by removing the SD card and inserting it
into a computer for review, analysis, or upload to a centralized system.
User registration is handled through an admin-controlled enrollment process,
where new RFID card UIDs are securely stored in the system database.
Security Considerations
Only registered RFID card UIDs are permitted access
Lost or compromised cards can be disabled by removing their UID
Door remains locked in the event of system failure (fail-secure)
No sensitive personal or biometric data is stored
Applications
Laboratory access control
Student attendance management
Office and workspace security
Restricted area monitoring
Future Enhancements
WiFi-based attendance synchronization
Integration with MESL web backend
Web dashboard for attendance analytics
Multi-factor authentication (RFID + biometric)
Entry and exit tracking
Conclusion
The proposed RFID-based door access and attendance system provides a
practical, economical, and secure solution for laboratory management. Its
modular design and scalability make it suitable for immediate deployment as well
as future expansion.
Bill of Materials (BOM)
Sl. Quan Approx.
Component Specification
No tity Cost
ESP32 Development Dual-core MCU with
1 1 600
Board WiFi
2 RFID Reader Module RC522 (13.56 MHz) 1 200
3 RFID Cards / Tags ISO 14443 Type-A 5-10 300
Solenoid / Magnetic
4 12V DC 1 1200
Lock
5 Relay Module 1-Channel, 5V 1 150
Real-Time Clock
6 DS3231 1 200
Module
7 SD Card Module SPI Interface 1 150
8 Micro SD Card 8-16 GB 1 400
9 Power Supply Adapter 12V, 2A 1 500
10 Buzzer 1 50
11 LEDs and Resistors 1 set 50
12 Connecting Wires Jumper Wires 1 set 100
13 PCB / Breadboard Prototyping Board 1 200
14 Servo Motor MG996R 180 degree 1 360
Estimated Total Cost: ~ 4560 BDT