Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

HiJacking the iPhone's Headset Port

Posted by Soulskill on from the universal-mod-slot dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at the University of Michigan describe how to hijack the iPhone's headset port to power peripherals, establish bi-directional communications with them, and interface various sensors, all without jailbreaking your iPhone or having to pay thousands to access to the Apple Dock Connector. This makes it possible for students, hackers, and DIYers to extend the phone's functionality to the physical world. The team is giving away 20 HiJack modules/programmers to enable new apps."

13 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. How does Square do it? by CWCheese · · Score: 2

    Seems like the Square credit card swipe dongle is doing something similar. Does anyone know if the method is same as Hijack?

    --
    Have a Day!
    1. Re:How does Square do it? by Belial6 · · Score: 2

      Yep, the "Researchers" have discovered that it is possible to do something that has been in commercial use since last year.

    2. Re:How does Square do it? by Jake73 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Probably. This is called a modem.

  2. This is a modem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    These guys have rediscovered the modem, circa 1982.

    I've done something similar using a Bluetooth headset. Open up the headset and remove the microphone. Use a PWM output of an embedded microprocessor to read the sensor and drive the microphone input. Send data to the host with FSK modulation.

    With the Bluetooth headset, your sensor is wireless as well.

    1. Re:This is a modem by Announcer · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think their idea of driving one of the audio channels at 22Khz, and converting that to DC for (a tiny amount of) power, is darned clever! This is "Hacking" in it's purest form! You are working completely within the parameters of the existing hardware, and yet doing stuff the original designers never intended. Bravo for creativity and inventiveness!

      To borrow from Mr Spock; "Fascinating."

      --
      Willie...
  3. Re:Question: by Kadagan+AU · · Score: 4, Funny

    So you want to have a 1 cubic inch device hanging out of your headphone jack with a "back" button on it? Seems like it would be a pain in the ass, and make it more difficult to store your phone in your pocket or holster or wherever you like to carry it.. Or keeping the device in your pocket and only inserting it when you need to hit "back" is also tedious.

    --
    This space for rent, inquire within.
  4. AKA a modem by mrnick · · Score: 3, Funny

    Who would have ever thought you could hook a phone up to a modem? OMG! LOL

    --

    Encryption: I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend your right to encrypt it...
  5. Apple might not like this... by Chris+Huelsbeck · · Score: 2

    Won't Apple just reject any app that tries this kind of "mis"-use of the headphone jack? I doubt that they would allow this...

    1. Re:Apple might not like this... by ScentCone · · Score: 2

      There certainly are apps that use it with Apple's blessings. Square is the obvious and rather cool one (works on the iPod, iPad, and some 'droids, too).

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  6. Re:Question: by Grizzley9 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Back button"

    In all my use on the iPhone, I'm not sure this has ever been needed? I'm not even sure where you would use a back button besides in Safari and it already has one.

  7. Re:Question: by s73v3r · · Score: 2

    The back button on Android isn't consistent in what it does. It varies from App to App, and can switch you between apps. A back button on an iPhone app is going to be consistent in what it does.

  8. Re:Question: by Belial6 · · Score: 2

    When it switches you between apps, it is following your trail back the way it came. On the iPhone, the button isn't even consistently there. As far as consistency goes, Androids back button sweeps the floor with iPhone's.

  9. USB by markdavis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Stupid Android phones with their easy, accessible, standard USB ports and connectors!!! Takes all the fun out of it!