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Optical Lock Foils Thieves

Posted by michael on from the light-reading dept.

opticsorg writes "A UK inventor has come up with a way to make what is thought to be an unpickable lock. The Optilock contains a bundle of up to six input optical fibers on one side of the lock barrel and a corresponding number of fibers on the other side. When a special key is inserted into the lock, it connects the fibers in a unique routing pattern opening the lock in a fraction of a second. Light then flows around the circuit until the key is removed and the circuit is broken."

5 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Unpickable? by climberkid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Accually saying that this is an "unpickable" lock is risky. I mean, look at the efforts by the RIAA to prevent P2P, or the anti-burning CD's with the corrupt files that crash computers, someone fixed that with a sharpie. I think that making statements like that is seriously underestimating human potential.

  2. Copyright Reference by 4of11 · · Score: 5, Funny

    But if they did pick it, at least they wouldn't be circumventing copyright restrictions. Because that would be terrible.
    /obligatory slashdot DMCA reference

  3. Re:But it requires a power supply. by pagercam2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This isn't true the only lock currently approved for DoD Spin locks is self powered it uses a LCD that indicated the current number being pointed to rather than a marked dial. You have to spin the lock a few time to generate enough power for it to work and then you dial in the combination. Batteries are a big no no in any sort of lock. If people are behind the door a mechanical override is given, the deadbolt or other locking mechanism is mechanical and as long as all mechanical items are internal it is allowed. The old drill throigh the locking bars is always a possibility but as with encyption its no really unbreakable just unbreakable in a reasonable period of time.

  4. Re:Unpickable, huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    It is entirely possible that there *is not* an override. I used to work in a bank, and part of my responsibilities were to lock up the main safe at night. It was time-locked, and once the lock was set there was *no* way to get that safe back open again until they unlocked. The entire mechanism was mechanical - there was no electricity to cut. The internal clocks had to be wound everyday. This was so much of a concern that :

    1. We had to physically check and make sure that no-one was in the vault (stray teller, somebody left their kid, etc) before we closed it.

    2. There was an O2 tank & mask in the vault in case someone *did* get locked in.

    3. Be really, really careful at setting the timers correctly because if it wasn't open in time for the next business day, we were screwed (no, this wasn't a three-day weekend...)

  5. Sneakers by CyberVenom · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do any of you remember the old (and surprisingly realistic compared to newer crap) hacker movie "Sneakers"? When they are trying to break into the office to steal the chip, Redford comes to a door with an electronic lock. After getting an earful of explanation (which we don't hear) from his partner back in the van about how the military deals with that kind of lock, he agrees to try a new lockpicking method. He kicks the door, and the bolt pops out of the doorjam...