Access Control Moves Into The 21st Century And Beyond - Post Revisited

We originally posted this article in September 2010 and have seen a great many views of the page. There is absolutely no doubt that advancing technology is influencing many significant parts of our daily lives and with new products from Aoptix Technologies like the one pictured here, we will soon be seeing this advanced wizardry in everyday use.

The AOptix InSight™ VM iris recognition system takes the qualities that make the originalInSight system so extraordinary and wraps them up in a new form factor that is compact and visually appealing.

It is functionally the same as the original InSight system and delivers the same unprecedented capture volume, 2 meter standoff distance, and advanced imaging and image quality metrics for outstanding ease-of-use, throughput, and matching accuracy. The VM also relies on the same deployment-tested communications interfaces, maintaining a focus on ease-of-integration and standards compliance for biometrics and ID management, IT infrastructure, and physical access control.

Form and Function

The InSight VM’s new shape isn’t just about looks. At less than 9 inches wide and deep, the VMis uniquely well suited to applications where footprint space is at a premium. We've created a system for end users, integrators, and architects that is purpose-designed for applications including:

• Immigration control programs, especially sleek installations at immigration counters
• eGates or expedited, automated immigration programs
• Checkpoint booths
• Government and corporate access control including turnstile, revolving door and standard door installations

Now, the power of the InSight iris recognition system is available to open up a new range of applications.

View the source below to visit the company's site and see a video of just how the unit works.

I suggest that the reality of total secure access control, using iris recognition technology is upon us. Perhaps the Star Trek future is becoming a reality?

I can see many positives in this kind of system, especially for companies requiring secure access to controlled locations, like vaults, computer rooms, drug storage facilities, hospital bacteria free zones, even the presidents office.

What do you think?

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Hosse & Hosse - A Brief History Of keys

Keys have been in use since nearly 4,000 years ago, according to clay tablets that depict keys used in the Babylonian Empire. The first of these keys looked nothing like the historic keys we might imagine today. Some, in fact, may have been as long as an arm and quite heavy. No way you’d have a keychain filled with these keys.

Similar keys were used in Ancient Greece, most likely to lock temples and other structures of significance. They keys were so large that women carried them over their shoulders. You can view one of these at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston—the key that once locked and unlocked the Temple for Artemis Hemera in Arcadia.

The Beginning of Modern Keys

Where we begin to see the stirrings of modern keys was Rome. The Romans took the technology developed by the Greeks and refined it for more common use. Of course, only those with belongings to protect were concerned with locking their doors. The keys of this time resemble the skeleton keys we think of when “historic keys” some to mind, but they weren’t quite as advanced.

A Step Up in Technology

During the 6th century, European keys took another leap forward. Lever tumblers within locks were created, so keys could be even more specialized. One look at these keys, and you can see exactly how they may have preceded our modern keys. These keys also featured more decorative accents, which often featured crosses or the shape of a bishop’s miter.

Fast-Forward…Way Forward

Lock technology didn’t advance much for hundreds of years. The advancements that were made mostly occurred in England, most notably the double-tumbler lock invented by Robert Barron in 1778. Then in the 1860s, Linus Yale, Jr. of Massachusetts brought us right into the future with his cylinder lock. From that point on, lock technology grew by leaps and bounds.

While we still use some variation of the models produced by Linus Yale, Jr., we also have some technology the Ancient Greeks and Babylonians might have considered supernatural. Current transponder keys make it possible to enter and exit a vehicle without even touching the key.

And, believe it or not, Hosse & Hosse can help you with historic locks and transponder keys. The lock mechanisms from Ancient Greece are no longer in use, so we can’t help you there. However, if you’d like to repair a lock or produce a duplicate key for your home built in the 1800s, we can. We can also reproduce the transponder keys for your cars and keycards for digital commercial locks if you lose them.

That’s one of the most fascinating things about being Nashville’s locksmith and security hardware provider for 150 years. We’ve seen it all, and we can still do it all, too.

Hosse & Hosse Safe & Lock have been proudly serving Nashville Tennessee for 150+ years, providing the region with locksmith and safe sales and services, architectural hardware, entry systems and good old fashioned customer service.

Hosse & Hosse are the oldest continually operating locksmith company in Tennessee and the 7th oldest business in Nashville Tennessee. Located in 918 Woodland Street, Nashville TN 37206, they continue to serve residents, businesses and institutions with premium quality lock products and services.

(article reprinted with permission)

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Keebunga - Waterproof Key Case

Kickstarter is a well known crowd funding platform that pairs developers with investors but sometimes a product fails to make it to it's target.

The Keebunga looks like a really intelligent product that would benefit any beachgoer.

Designed to withstand pressure to a depth of 90 feet, this simply designed yet intelligent product could be the life saver beachgoers have been seeking.

Beachgoing, often means leaving your chip key (car key) somewhere dry and protected from the elements but you cannot guarantee the security of where you leave it...that it will be there when you return.

With Keebunga, simply take your (expensive) chip key with you when you swim, surf, dive or ski, confident it will still work when you return to your vehicle.

Electronics and water are not complimentary to each other, hence why a product like this, seems just oh...so smart,

If you go to the beach....you know what it's like to go for a swim, concerned that nobody will nic your stuff that you leave on the beach while dipping. With Keebunga, that issue is solved.

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Uberella - The Humble Umbrella Redesigned

 This concept umbrella is designed with an intelligent 3 wheel combination lock, preventing theft of your weather protector.

Still a design concept, it won an award at last years Red Dot Awards.

Simple to produce and said to come in many different colors, will this product get made?

Maybe...

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Keyponents Transparent Lockable Sliding Lid Outlet Cover

Here is an interesting, if novel product that can be helpful to those intending to secure an electrical socket, switch, cable connection etc.

Simple to install and obvious in it's appeal, the Keyponents Transparent Lockable Sliding Lid Outlet Cover enables communal rooms in hotels, conference rooms, schools etc, to secure the switches from prying hands. Set the ambient room temperature and leave it secured from tampering. Prevent your cable wall connection from coming out. prevent little children from putting their hands where they dont belong.

Want to make sure no one but you can access a particular electrical socket?

Another, 'why didnt I think of that' product!

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HP Warning - The Internet Of Things Products May Be Crap

If you can monitor your own house across the internet. so can everyone else


Today's shiny new security products that are sold just about everywhere, have all the bells and whistles and will even make you coffee in the morning (yeah, right), are quite the rage, arent they?.....or are they?

HP recently completed a study to determine the effectiveness and quality of 10 leading brands of home security products that use real-time monitoring of access control and security for their effectiveness. The result (from this study), indicated that every home security system (tested) contained significant vulnerablities including but not limited to password security, encryption and authentication issues.

HP's Fortify On Demand security service recently tested the offerings from 10 different companies based on video cameras, motion detectors together with cloud and mobile based communication protocols. It found none of the systems required the use of a strong password and 100% of the systems failed to offer 2-step authentication processes.

Connected home security systems are becoming one of the more common Internet of Things (IoT) products that we can all see, touch and use easily today and many manufacturers are climbing aboard this runaway marketing train, to eake out some market share with fast to manufacture components that lack fundemental data security protections. It is almost as if they dont care about peoples data security and given the alarming increase in data theft over the last couple of years, are they selling us short?

Check out the article in the source below for further details...

Having been involved in commercial, residential and industrial security around the world, across the last 2 centuries, we continue to recommend a separation between perimeter security products (deadbolts, door handles etc) and electronic add-on products, like cameras, card swipe access control products and alarm systems.

Using a mechanical security product as your first and last line of physical security is necessary to keep you secure today.

I continue to recommend high-security key control and mechanical access control solutions to all consumers , intent on maintaining the safety and security of their dwellings, offices, institutions and families.

I do believe that the 2-step authentication process will be a major factor in the coming years to protect all users of a security system, because our protection and the protection of our fellow workers, our children and our loved ones, is far more important than having the latest and greatest, you beaut widget that sings for us.

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SOPL - The Society Of Professional Locksmiths

The Society Of Professional Locksmiths (SOPL) just introduced a new flyer that will be available at many up and coming trade shows.

Here is what it looks like...

The SOPL is the pre-eminent organization for the modern day professional locksmith. This fraternity of locksmith professionals, is seeing massive growth of it's member base, thanks to it's core education and training modules, modern discussion forums, member benefits and knowledgeable industry instructors, suppliers and significantly experienced locksmith tradespeople.

The opportunities presented by industry respected administrators in SOPL, bring to life modern and exclusive products, services and training for existing technicians wishing to improve their business accumen and industry knowledge or for those new to the industry.

To find out more details or to join SOPL click on the source below

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Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - Buy Now Link Working Again

Our very popular Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock has been selling like hotcakes until recently when sales just stopped to a halt.

Thanks to a returning customer, we just discovered that the buy now link was indicating the product as sold out.

It is not. We have corrected the link and apologise for any inconvenience.

Thanks Lisa.


Click on the picture to the left if you would like to order.