Product /
Dec 5, 2017

Is This the Most Secure Digital Lock on the Market?

Otto Lock entry

All photos courtesy of Otto

A new Silicon Valley company has designed a keyless, stainless steel smart lock that the firm says is the most secure on the market.

Created by designer Nico Lylyk and a team of engineers with experience from Apple, Microsoft, and GoPro, the Otto Lock eliminates the need for keys or a keypad, ensuring it is not pickable or hackable, the company says.

“The proposition of taking the key out of the lock enabled us to redefine interaction with the object,” says Lylyk. “It presented the possibility of creating a lock which, for the first time ever, doesn’t have a differentiator between inside and outside--an innovative concept that treats these areas as equally important and brings them even closer.”

The lock’s physical strength and original encryption system have withstood tests by a fleet of robots simulating several hundred years of use. It meets ANSI/BHMA A156.36 standards for auxiliary lock testing.

Otto’s sleek, corrosion-free stainless steel body appears identical on both sides of the door, giving it a minimalist design and appealing symmetry, the company says. It can replace most deadbolts in short and long backsets, and fits doors 1.66 to 2 inches thick. A circular piece of machined glass acts as an mechanical button and protects Otto’s display.

Otto assembly

Otto assembly

 

Users can unlock the Otto remotely through the Otto smartphone app using Wi-Fi, or manually by pressing a glass panel to input a four-digit code. It will also open when authorized, bluetooth-enabled smartphones approach the door and a user presses the glass panel, meaning homeowners can give permission to trusted friends and contractors. From the inside, the lock can be opened by turning the dial or pressing the glass panel.

“It was fundamental to preserve the scale and proportion of traditional door hardware without compromising the functional aspects,” Lylyk says of the design. “This resulted in an unprecedented, category-defining product which, while completely new, feels immediately familiar. Otto is one of the most rigorously designed and engineered products on the market today.”

Internally, the Otto houses 22 custom-designed gears made from marine-grade stainless steel, bluetooth and Wi-Fi hardware, a custom-made radar and accelerometer, an LED glass display, the adjustable bolt, two lithium batteries, and a custom coin cell backup battery. Depending on usage, Otto’s batteries will last between two and four months.

Otto packaging

The Otto comes in sustainable cork packaging

 

The unit is 2 inches in diameter, and is available in three finishes, including steel silver, mineral black, and natural gold. It comes in five pieces, including a motor, ring, battery pack, bolt, and strike cup. The sustainable, two-piece packaging is made of recycled Portuguese cork. Otto is available for purchase in b8ta retail stores or at meetotto.com.