Until now, smart locks have been mostly limited due to complex and costly hardwiring or insufficient battery power. With wireless power, the front door is being transformed by providing easy installs and constant power for smart locks and other smart accessories. This allows for upgraded features in access, data, connectivity options, and security.
Many businesses rely on smart lock features to keep their doors open for clients and closed to unwanted visitors. However, traditional methods for powering such locks have proven extremely limiting. Hardwiring a smart lock requires running wires through walls and through custom made hinges and/or doors, which can be costly at best and impossible for various applications. The alternative, a battery powered smart lock, runs the risk of outages at critical moments and, therefore, has limited features available.
With wireless power, smart lock designers don't need to choose between functionality and preserving battery life. Rather, companies and homeowners can be assured that their smart locks will remain powered with the latest features. Let's explore how wireless power is revolutionizing the front door.
1. Wireless power offers easy install & maintenance
Hardwiring smart locks is complicated and dealing with dying batteries is a hassle. Without the need to hardwire or recharge batteries, wireless powered smart locks can be installed wherever needed. This includes retrofits where power is not available and sometimes not allowed, or costly and hard to wire locations in new buildings such as locations with limited regulations for running wires.
Furthermore, wireless power makes it easy to maintain smart locks both in regard to power and function. With wireless power, batteries remain charged at their optimal levels which extend their lifespan and ensure power in case of power outage. The abundance of power also allows property managers to change entry codes from a distance as often as necessary without concern for battery life.
2. Wireless power offers upgraded features
Without power limitations, wireless powered smart locks can offer upgraded features that require more power. Such features include facial recognition, voice assistance (Alexa/Google Home), door status, and remote access. Many of these features require power-hungry technology or continual use that drains even the best batteries.
With wireless power, manufacturers can also add features like video streaming upon alerts, dynamic wireless connectivity, night lights for dark corridors, and much more. Such features are part of any modern security system and adding them to smart locks will greatly increase security in all types of buildings and applications.
3. Wireless powered smart locks benefit all users
Smart locks with wireless powered features are a huge asset to an array of applications from hotels and resorts to commercial property managers and Airbnb hosts. They are also super useful to homeowners, MDU apartments or condos, and anyone who wants a smarter home with better security and a smart lock that will never leave you locked outside with a dead battery.
For hospitality and commercial applications, wireless power provides time and cost saving efficiency since smart locks can be easily maintained through user-friendly apps. For all applications, wireless power offers increased safety and security since access can be easily granted, modified, or revoked.
AirCord technology: The ultimate wireless power
At Wi-Charge, we are committed to the future of safe, sustainable, and efficient wireless power. Our AirCord technology beams energy to devices from distances of 30ft or more and can be applied to nearly any device. One R1 transmitter can save roughly 5,000 AA batteries, while providing 100x more power than a battery.
Whether you're a device manufacturer, business owner, or tech columnist interested in the future of wireless power, we'd love to hear from you. Please don't hesitate to contact us here.