The TappLock uses your fingerprint to keep things safe

By Lulu Chang Published January 30, 2016

Biometrics seem to be all the rage these days, because really, unlocking things with your fingerprint just seems to take you a step closer towards becoming a secret agent. So if you want to access more than just your smartphone with the tap of your very unique finger, look no further than the TappLock, heralded as the world’s first smart fingerprint padlock. Pishon Labs, which recently launched the TappLock Indiegogo campaign, has already raised over $55,000 from 458 backers, and still has 27 days left to go. See? Everyone wants to feel like an undercover spy.

The next generation lock does away with keys, combinations, and really anything else that you might forget. Instead, it relies solely on your most individual identifier — your fingerprint. According to the Tapp team, this padlock “unlocks with a tap in under one second, using the one thing you always have with you — your unique fingerprint.”

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The lock makes use of a “cutting edge encrypted fingerprint sensor,” and allows you to access whatever you’ve kept locked up in just 0.8 seconds. And if you try to force the lock open, the built-in alarm will sound, hopefully scaring intruders away.

Water resistant and long lasting, the TappLock might be the easiest form of security you’ve ever come across. The original version has a lithium polymer battery that will last up to three years on a single charge, whereas the TappLock Lite has a replaceable battery that’ll work for up to six months.

If you’re not the only person who’ll be using the TappLock, you can use your smartphone to grant up to 200 people (or at least, store 200 fingerprints) for the lock to recognize. Moreover, with the ability to customize the time, location, and duration of access, you’ll always maintain full control over your valuables.

The lock will send notifications to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and better yet, actually doubles as a portable phone charger that uses a magnetic touch and go system to boost the battery life of your smartphone, tablet, or just about anything else.

Right now, you can buy the TappLock Lite for about $30 or the TappLock for $65 — both early-bird prices accessible only to Indiegogo backers. So if you trust in your fingerprint, consider heading over to the crowdfunding platform and picking out a color you’d like for yourself, family, and anyone else you trust.

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Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

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