Control4 + Yale making more news!

Assa Abloy has already brought NFC-based door locks to some Swedish hotel rooms, but one of its subsidiary companies is now looking to bring them to your doorstep, as well. Earlier this month, Yale Locks & Hardware unveiled what it hopes will be the first NFC-enabled residential lock to hit the US market. With this system, all you'll need to do is wave your smartphone in front of one of Yale's Real Living line of motorized locks, which will then automatically open (as long as you've been authorized to do so). Demoed at this year's CEDIA Expo, these revamped locks are also compatible with either Zigbee or Z-Wave home automation technologies and support Assa Abloy's Mobile Keys software, which allows users to securely load all of their digital keys on their handsets. Pricing and availability remain unclear, but you can unlock more details in the brief demo video and full press release, here: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/20/yale-demos-nfc-enabled-residential-locks-germaphobes-rejoice-v/

FYI, the current generation of the Yale locks that will ship compatible with Control4 will not have NFC built-in.

They were showing NFC in the locks at the show, but the shipping models will not be NFC initially. I don't know the schedule for having NFC built-in, but you should be aware.

They're still awesome locks, even without the NFC built-in, and IMHO, it's as easy for me to enter my code on the buttons of the lock as it is to pull out and unlock my phone, start an app, and push a 'key' button to have it unlock...

RyanE

P.S. Fun Fact: This demo happened before the show floor was 'open for business'. In the video (and even in this picture) you can see Control4's Tech Crates for the show, and all the garbage on the aisles of the show floor...

Different.

So I assume that those of us with iPhones would have to launch some Yale app in order to unlock the door with NFC? No thanks, that sounds like a huge hassle. I'd much rather just punch in a code than mess with that. Might be a different story if that app can stay resident in the background.

Yeah, if the NFC hardware could signal the phone that it needed to start up the NFC handler, which could start the 'Key Management' app with the right key, so it was just a 'tap and go' sort of thing, that'd be OK.

It certainly is a cool demo and has a lot of 'WOW', though.

RyanE

Yeah, if the NFC hardware could signal the phone that it needed to start up the NFC handler, which could start the 'Key Management' app with the right key, so it was just a 'tap and go' sort of thing, that'd be OK.

It certainly is a cool demo and has a lot of 'WOW', though.

While not quite NFC, this is possible - and we are doing it - with Bluetooth on an iPhone. As soon as you are in range ( ~ 30 feet ) the accessory attempts to pair with the phone, if successful, the app is launched on the phone, and the transmission of data begins. Phone doesn't even need to come out of your pocket / purse.

It then becomes a software config on the phone side as to whether or not the data is automatically sent, or if human interaction is necessary to begin the data stream.

Now, we don't do locks - but the concept of a wireless device, and automated operation of a device without interaction is something we do very well.

Thanks

D.

Thanks Neter66! That's just plain awesome!