Reverse Geocache Gift Box

We’ve just passed the holiday season, where gifts are often exchanged between friends and family members. Such presents are typically inside of brightly colored wrapping paper, which one simply tares open to reveal the treasures inside.

What if you wanted the opening process to be more involved – a gift, or at least a challenge, in itself? If that sounds interesting, then check out this reverse geocache box by Trent Wyatt that opens only when in the correct position on the Earth’s surface.

The box is documented on GitHub and in the video below. It uses a GPS unit to determine its location, which is read by an Arduino Nano when powered up via a red interface button. An LCD screen displays the distance to your target, as well as how many tries you have left to get into position. If you are in the programmed position when checked, the Arduino plays a celebratory tune, and uses a servo to open the lid's latch.

One really neat feature of this device is its ability to turn itself off via an Adafruit pushbutton power switch breakout. This preserves power to its two 3.7V LiPo batteries while you make your way to the designated spot.

As of now, there are still a few to-do items for this setup, and there’s little room in the enclosure for the actual gift. One could, however, reasonably stuff a (properly insulated) ring in-between the wiring and electronic components. This would be a nice nod to the reverse geocache proposal box that we featured a few years ago, which may have inspired this gift box.