Smart Door Locks: The future of secured homes today

The home is supposed to be one of the safest places that gives us comfort.  But it’s not safe from petty crimes like burglary and theft. Luckily, technology has made its way into stepping up security for our homes with nifty gadgets – one example is smart door locks.

In a nutshell, smart door locks are small devices that either stick onto or replace your normal deadbolt door lock. These enhance the overall security of your home by having smart and convenient features such as remote locking and forced entry detection, which then lets you know if any door in your home happens to gets compromised.

By complementing your existing door lock, a smart door lock can  add a level of security and a a little more peace of mind for anyone at home. Since the inception of the internet of things, a variety of home fixtures have been “smart-ified” – and door locks are no exception. Many tech startups are very concerned about the development of door locks linked to PCs, smartphones, and other mobile devices like tablets and smartwatches. And for the past few years, the tech industry has seen a rise in the smart door locks available in the market.

Most smart door locks you can buy right now have their own set of unique features, but having remote access to the lock is essential among them. Take August, for example. The August smart door lock features an auto-lock, auto-unlock capability that senses any of the recognized family members as they approach the door, and automatically opens and locks the door for them. Another popular smart door lock is Kevo from Kwikset, which offers touch-enabled lock and unlock feature. With your linked smartphone, Kevo will unlock the door for you with a single tap on the door lock itself.

Smart door locks are based on existing wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. With a single pairing setup, you can link your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch onto the door lock. From there, you can control the lock from anywhere, at any time of your convenience. And as a fail-safe, smart door locks also have backup keys that you carry around in case your device’s battery dies or you lost or misplaced your phone.

There are also some new comers to space such as Boltivate. Their device is  compatible with your pre-existing deadbolt lock that creates a wireless lock. One of the many features of Boltivate is that it will will notify you of any disturbances by an email and phone call, asks “Are you safe?” If yes, no action will be taken. However, if you are not safe, Boltivate will immediately alert the police.

Thanks to existing technologies, many households are already taking advantage of stepped-up security and convenience brought by smart door locks. These gadgets are also relatively cost-effective, with prices hovering between $100 and $200. As technology advances, smart door locks might see more secure features in the near future, such as biometric recognition. But right now, smart door locks prove that they represent the future of secured households.