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The Intelligent Door Handle
Poromenos writes "Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed the intelligent door handle. It combines a camera, buzzer, RFID locks and various other systems inside the door, making keys obsolete. RFID chips for opening doors will offer 'added advantages for elderly or handicapped people, saving them the trouble of wielding keys or holding the door open in order to get inside the building.'"
Keys are a tried and tested, secure and relatively intelligent way to secure a house.
I would hate to be locked out of my house because of a power cut (battery charge doesn't last forever), or ignored because I'm drenched (and can't be recognised).
This is a solution searching for a problem.
(Having said that, electronic locks in addition to manual gives best of both worlds (like incar central locking)
liqbase
When it comes to something so fundamental and critical to a building in terms of entering and leaving (access) one criterion comes to mind as necessary. I don't see any mention in the article, I've got to assume this is considered. Does anyone know if there is code to this requirement?
My question is this: what is the behavior of a door with that kind of technology in total failure mode? What happens in a fire or some catastrophic event where the door
Is it designed to quiesce to a state whereby it behaves as an unlocked and openable door? I get nervous sometimes when I see technology used this way. (I'm pretty comfortable with the old pin/tumbler systems, and am perfectly aware they're not foolproof, nor the most convenient...)
RFID chips are just another kind of key. We've been using them on campus longer than I've been here for dorm access. We use normal metal keys for room access.
Only significant differences I can see is that the RFID chip will eventually run out of juice and die (my ID card has been going strong for over two years so far tho), and it's alot easier to "change the locks" if you lose your RFID key.
An RFID key is extremely useful to my family. My mother has really bad arthritis in her hands which makes it difficult for her sometimes to hold items like keys. My grandpa is also better off holding on to his walker instead of reaching out to keys. Though this doesn't take into consideration the fact that both are technologically inept.
Ooo man the floppy drive is broken. No wait. The computer is just upside down.
does it make a 'wooosh' sound?
> An RFID key is extremely useful to my family. My mother has really
> bad arthritis in her hands which makes it difficult for her sometimes
> to hold items like keys. My grandpa is also better off holding on
> to his walker instead of reaching out to keys.
Two excellent examples. Despite my own preference for mechanical keys and locks, this example indicates that something like this can provide real value to a lot of people.
It would be just like a normal door on that front. If you want to get out, you just open it. If you want to get in, you have to unlock it.
There's no need for a failure mode or anything else. The internal knob would have a bog-standard mechanism that opens the door despite the lock. The external knob would be affected by the lock. An electronic lock still has a mechanical lock at its heart. It can unlock that mechanism by activating a solenoid, but there's no reason not to have all the usual levers in place.
We've had electronic locks with keypads for decades now. These questions have long since been answered. The only change here is that an RFID activator unit has been put in place of the keypad activator unit.
Really, I'm stunned that people are responding to this article in the way you are. How can you not know about electronic locks? How can you think these kinds of building code requirements haven't been worked out for them? This technology was around before I was born.
It saddens me to see people saying "I don't know about these newfangled gadgets" in a case like this.
Ok, some people have expressed some very basic concerns in regards to emergency situations. I would like to point a few simple things out.
1) House locks keep people OUT not IN, which is the goal here as well. I'm sure there would be simple mechanical method of opening the door in case of emergency, like turning the same deadbolt style lock that exists now. Difference is, this has the option of being opened from the outside using some tech and a motor.
2) LOCKS KEEP EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OUT NOW. This is why we carry such things as a rabbit tool, spreaders, and the traditional set of irons (axe + halligan). We break the damn lock. No problem.
Ok, so I came up with two simple points. But they are good ones nonetheless :)
... but I wouldn't trust a car with a Start button.
Ignore this signature. By order.