New Key From Miwa Lock Automatically Unlocks Building Doors

TOKYO (Nikkei)--Key manufacturer Miwa Lock Co. has developed a new type of key that can unlock an apartment building's automatic doors by simply being carried in the owner's pocket or bag.

The new key contains an antenna, a microcontroller and a battery. When it receives radio waves transmitted by a wireless communicator installed at an apartment building's common entrance, it confirms the carrier's identity and unlocks the door by transmitting the information via radio waves.

While a single wireless communicator can only detect radio waves in a radius of 1.3 meters, dead space can be reduced by installing up to four of the devices.

The key is priced at 7,000 yen and the wireless communicators will cost 40,000 to 80,000 yen each. In addition, key-holder authentication control equipment installed in the building superintendent's room will cost around 500,000 yen.

Sales will begin this month, and Miwa Lock is targeting annual sales of 300 million yen by the third year.

(The Nikkei Business Daily, March 1 edition)

• 
• 
•