What is the future of smart access?
We all know that traditional mechanical locks and keys are a thing of the past. Using them leaves you vulnerable to security risks if a key is lost, stolen, copied or simply loaned to someone who doesn’t have the right to use it. So what is the solution?
The introduction of smart keys
More than 20 years ago, iLOQ alleviated these kinds of security issues by creating digital keys (also known as smart keys). The keys are identical in size and shape making it pointless to try to copy them. Individual access rights are programmed to the key. If it is lost or stolen, locking system administrators remotely and in real time block it, rendering it useless if someone finds it. And each time the key is used, it leaves a trace. This prevents or helps to solve instances of misuse if a key is loaned to someone who doesn’t have authorized access.
Digital keys are great, and particularly iLOQ’s where one key contains all the access rights a person needs to move around the places they live or work. However, as Bob Dylan once said: The Times They Are A-Changin’ and physical keys, no matter how smart they are, are also on the way out.
Smart access with a smartphone
iLOQ was way ahead of the game by taking advantage of NFC technology and cloud-based access sharing to create a solution, introduced to the market in 2018, where locks are opened using a smartphone. This solution enhances convenience and also the user experience.
What is NFC technology?
NFC – near-field communication – enables two devices to exchange data when they are close to each other. Almost all modern smartphones are NFC-enabled. In the case of iLOQ, access credentials are sent to iLOQ’s app running on the smartphone. When the phone is held against iLOQ’s lock, it shares those credentials to open it.
The NFC induction of the phone has another benefit for iLOQ users – it provides the power needed to recognize the credentials and open the lock making batteries obsolete. This increases reliability as battery-powered locks are unreliable in extreme weather conditions and access is impossible if the batteries have run out. It also reduces the time, cost and environmental impact of travelling to replace batteries and disposing of them at the end of their life.
What other technologies are out there?
Other technologies are also coming to the fore to give us access, for example, to our phones, banks or premises. The most common is biometrics where our fingerprints, faces, voices or even irises are used to identify ourselves.
However, there are several perceived disadvantages with using biometrics, namely:
- privacy concerns
- data security risks
- accuracy (false positives or negatives)
- lack of standardization
- ethical and legal issues
- accessibility issues
- high implementation costs
- potential for surveillance and abuse
Biometrics, NFC or a combination of the two?
Biometrics and NFC are ideal for different use cases. Biometric identification is often used in high-security environments, such as government facilities, whereas NFC is more commonly used to gain access to our homes and the places we work.
Biometric hardware, such as a facial-recognition camera, requires a substantial investment. NFC technology, however, uses devices that are readily available, like smartphones.
Perhaps, to provide the highest levels of security, and also the best user experience, the future lies in a combination of the two.
In properties, NFC would provide the first level of access. This makes administration easier and more cost-effective for property mangers when it comes to granting access to short-term tenants or for visitors or deliveries. For long-term residents, providing a biometric solution, such as fingerprint access, may be faster and more convenient.
For high-security environments, such as financial institutions, an NFC-enabled device would allow a customer to authorize a high-value bank transaction, but the added level of security would come from having his facial features analyzed.
Whatever the future holds, you can be sure that iLOQ will be at the forefront of emerging technology to make life smarter, more secure and more sustainable.
