Have you ever wished you could experience the classic days of floppy disks, even if you missed that part of computer history? Now you can enjoy a modern version of it with an open source project called RFIDisk.
RFIDisk is a creative project that lets you use 3D printed floppy disks as shortcuts to launch games or apps on your computer. The trick is that each floppy disk has a tiny RFID tag inside, similar to the technology used in contactless payments. When you put one of these special disks into the 3D printed drive, it scans the RFID tag and instantly opens the game or app linked to that code on your PC.
Think of RFIDisk as a blend of a retro floppy drive and a modern RFID scanner. It does not actually read the old data from the floppy disk, but instead turns the disk into a physical key that launches programs.
To use this project, you need access to a 3D printer to make the drive and the disks. You also need to install the RFIDisk software, which runs on Linux. After printing the drive case, you attach a small OLED display that shows information about the game or app, put it all together, plug it into your computer, and configure which programs to launch for each RFID tag.
While it might sound a bit complicated and it only works on Linux for now, RFIDisk is a fun way for fans of retro tech to combine nostalgia with modern convenience. Imagine sorting through your own collection of colorful floppy disks and using them to boot up your favorite games and apps—just like the old days.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/if-you-regret-not-living-through-the-floppy-disk-era-why-not-try-this-3d-printed-linux-project-that-uses-the-cartridges-to-launch-games/
