Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Emerging Tech
  3. News

You may never have to recharge a smart lock ever again

Lockin launches battery-free V7 Max Vein Recognition smart lock at CES 2026

Add as a preferred source on Google
Lockin
Lockin
CES 2026
Read and watch our complete CES coverage here

Lockin just made a massive splash at CES 2026 with the debut of the V7 Max, a smart lock that looks more like a piece of high-end consumer tech than a piece of door hardware. It even walked away with the “Best of Innovation” award. The headline here is that this is the world’s first smart lock to ditch batteries entirely in favor of wireless optical charging, effectively ending the era of “low battery” anxiety for homeowners.

The V7 Max runs on Lockin’s new AuraCharge technology

Instead of asking you to swap out AA batteries or plug in a USB-C cable every few months, it draws power wirelessly from an indoor base station using eye-safe optical beams. It works at a range of up to four meters, providing a steady stream of energy that isn’t dependent on the sun like older solar models.

To address the obvious safety questions, Lockin secured certifications from TÜV Rheinland and SGS, proving the optical beam is safe for humans and pets. It’s a “set it and forget it” system that functions perfectly regardless of whether your front door is in a dark hallway or a shaded porch.

Recommended Videos

Security is where the V7 Max really earns its “Pro” status. It uses triple biometric authentication, combining palm vein recognition, finger vein scanning, and 3D face unlock. Vein recognition is widely considered the gold standard for home security because it reads patterns beneath the skin, making it almost impossible to spoof with a photo or a high-res fingerprint lift.

The lock also features LockinAI, which acts as a digital bouncer for your porch

It can distinguish between a neighbor and a delivery driver, alert you if someone is loitering with bad intent, and even index your video footage so you can search for “red car” or “package delivery” rather than scrolling through hours of clips.

Design-wise, the V7 Max was crafted by Hartmut Esslinger (the man behind Apple’s early “Snow White” design language), and it shows. It’s incredibly thin at just 15mm and features dual 5-inch touchscreens on both the inside and outside of the door. It also doubles as a high-end video doorbell with two HD cameras that give you a full panoramic view of your doorstep.

Importantly, it supports the Matter standard right out of the box. This means it’ll play nice with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings without needing a proprietary bridge or hub.

Lockin didn’t stop with the V7 Max. They also showed off a refreshed version of their bestseller, the Veno Pro Wireless, which now supports AuraCharge. For those who prefer the sun, they previewed the Aeon, a solar lock using next-gen perovskite panels that can actually charge even on cloudy, overcast days.

The V7 Max is expected to start shipping in early 2026, with preorders opening up right after the show concludes on Amazon and the official Lockin website.

Moinak Pal
Moinak Pal is has been working in the technology sector covering both consumer centric tech and automotive technology for the…
Everything is not okay with DuckDuckGo and its AI
A coordinated Reddit campaign appears to have tricked multiple AI search assistants into spreading false information.
The DuckDuckGo logo.

DuckDuckGo has built its reputation on privacy-first search, but this week, its AI assistant landed in hot water for an entirely different reason. Apparently, Duck.ai confidently claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump had died of rabies earlier this month, complete with fabricated details about Vice President JD Vance, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and fake supporting news reports. None of it was true.

A fake Reddit campaign managed to fool Duck's AI

Read more
Stanford scientists built an AI that can design healthier, greener burgers
The new system balances nutrition, taste, cost, and environmental impact to create better recipes.
Burger, Food, Food Presentation - Man picking a burger

Artificial intelligence has already helped write code, discover drugs, and generate videos. Now, it's trying to make a better burger. Researchers at Stanford University have unveiled BurgerAI, a new AI system that designs burger recipes by balancing taste, nutrition, sustainability, and cost. The surprising part? In blind taste tests, diners liked some of the AI-created burgers just as much as, and in some cases more than, a popular fast-food burger.

BurgerAI is designed to invent recipes, not copy them

Read more
OpenAI reveals its most advanced GPT-5.6 model, but you can’t access it yet
GPT-5.6 brings new reasoning, autonomy, and cybersecurity capabilities, but its rollout is currently limited to government-approved customers.
OpenAI ChatGPT 5.6 Sol Terra Luna Announced

OpenAI has officially taken the wraps off GPT-5.6, its most advanced family of AI models to date. There's just one catch: unless you're one of a handful of approved customers, you won't be able to try it anytime soon. Instead of a broad launch, the company is beginning with a tightly controlled preview while it works through a new U.S. government review process.

GPT-5.6 is here, but only a few people can use it

Read more