Philips’ new smart lock will talk to the hand, with built-in palm scanner

Philips has introduced a new smart door lock that can be unlocked by scanning the home owner’s palm.

The new Philips 5000 Series Smart Deadbolt includes a palm scanner that will enable authorised users touch-free access.

The model, which is on sale in the US for $359.99 now after its original announcement at CES 2024 in January, includes “palm vein recognition” which the company says is 99.9% accurate, is suitable for users of all ages and can even account for dirty hands.

As well as the palm recognition, the lock also supports a mechanical key (the very thought!), a PIN code, and the company’s home access app.

The device can register 50 individual palm vein patterns, which should be enough to allow access to everyone ever likely to require regular access to your home. That additional functionality could make it easier to enter the property if you can’t reach for your keys or phone.

At the time, Philips described this as the ‘world’s first residential palm recognition smart deadbolt’ and you can see the feature set demonstrated in the video below.

Beyond the external touch-free unlocking, there’s also a sensor that’ll unlock from the inside automatically as it senses you approaching, and then automatically lock itself as you leave the premises.

The proposition builds on plenty of existing functionality like the geofencing that senses when you’re approaching with the app in tow, automatically unlocking as you approach.

It’s also possible to set custom codes for people you need to have access, such as dog walkers or cleaners, and there’s also support for Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls. Although it’s good to know that the device itself can figuratively, at least, always talk to the hand.