BANGALORE: Even as people invest in new technologies to make their life at home easier, more often than not, the part about securing their house with locks is glossed over.
However, the industry has not lagged behind and the total worth of the locks market is expected to be around `3,000 crore. Many players are coming out with new products and keyless entry to houses are pretty standard fare nowadays. Some companies even offer locking solutions for windows.
Lock manufacturer, Godrej for instance offers Knock N Lock, a new technology which transfers data based on a series of knocks. There are no keyholes and the system does away with the concept of carrying conventional keys around.
According to the product description, the locks are impossible to pick or drill and can work in extreme weather conditions as well as the point of contact is not vulnerable to corrosion. Godrej has gone one step ahead and ensured that the system cannot be disturbed by electromagnetic and radio frequency interference as well.
The solution also includes a small fob which has programmable access codes which ensures that strangers do not have to access your house even if you lose the key. Also, the same fob can be used for multiple doors in the house which mean that one does not have to carry a lot of keys around.
Another company, Assa Abloy, offers digital locks for windows. "I live in a ground floor apartment and my bedroom windows overlook a parking lot. I have currently installed bars across the window to prevent access, but the concept of digital window lock is appealing," said Keerthana R.
Even the age old padlock has seen many improvements in technology over the years and now locks which have the dimpled keys made electronically are sold widely. These provide a higher amount of security as they cannot be easily duplicated.