Intellikey

[plugspin]

This could go in either "This Old (or unusual) Lock" or "Kook Keys" but I put it here since the product is called Intellikey. I seem to recall encountering these in the wild but I forget where. Anyway this is a sales demo lock stand with 2 keys. I don't have the programming gear to go with it, and since the batteries have died it doesn't appear the keys operate the lock any more.




In the 2nd pic I'm trying to power up the lock with a power supply since the batteries died. This was a couple years ago, I haven't had a chance to mess with this since then.

[PhoneMan]

That's pretty cool! How does the electronic part work? is there a chip in the key like the newer car keys or is it something else?

[selim]

i'ts more like a circit board. I took the rubber covering off one of those keys, pretty cool. I think I sent the key to jeff, maybe he'll post a picture.

[PhoneMan]

Looking up that patent number, it appears to use infrared light and the key seems to be powered off of the lock itself. They are still manufactured too, the website has a 90's looking vid of how it works.

[MBI]

My memory might be failing me here, but I believe Medeco might have licensed this tech for a while when they first started delving into electronic locks. I have a Medeco key somewhere around here, if I remember right the key blade looks like the one in your pic. I think it was part of a sales demo kit because the bow of the key is transparent plastic so you can see the electronics inside.

It's got me curious now, I'm going to see if I can find it so I can take pics to post here, make sure I'm not thinking about something completely different.

[plugspin]

It's funny you mention that MBI, I recall seeing one of those electronic Medeco demo keys on ebay some time ago and it struck me as resembling the Intellikey.

[IxViRuSxI]

That's a pretty cool concept. Probably tried to develop a lock for the future back in the 90s and it didn't work out as planned.