MASTERCARD: RESTROOM FOR ALL

In the midst of the controversy of the North Carolina Bathroom bill, we created a priceless experience that showed acceptance matters to Mastercard: a restroom that accepted all humans. To access it, people only had to prove one thing, their humanity. When they placed their hand on the sensor, LEDs lit up to the throb of their heartbeat and wirelessly unlocked the door. How’d it work behind the curtain, er, stall? The team developed a custom API for a Bluetooth-controlled lock with a pulse sensor and an Arduino Yun microcontroller that wirelessly communicated with the restroom lock.

This debuted at the NewYork City PrideFest in 2016. While people lined up to tinkle, hearts pumped up to flutter.