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Intelligent Lockers: Are They the Future?

Posted In Home Technology & Gadgets - By Techtiplib on Friday, August 16th, 2019 With No Comments »

Fast paced modern living, higher need for multitasking, and learning to live with less space, all make lockers a necessary part of our lives. But lockers themselves are in for an upgrade.

Think about it for a second. Let your mind run through your last week. How many lockers did you use? Gym Lockers. School Lockers. A kennel for the family pooch. Cart and purse lock ups at grocery stores. Storage lockers for all that stuff. Airports. Train stations.

Lockers surround us on the daily, silently pitching in when we need them most. While often the unsung hero, lockers are now catching the attention of the tech industry. “Lockers have been in demand for decades, but with a recent tech boom and interfacing technology with the lockers themselves, it’s creating a whole new market.” Says a spokesperson for Premier Lockers, Australia’s locker and storage experts.

Intelligent Lockers: Are They the Future?

Ready for the Upgrade

With innovations bringing in big changes in locking mechanisms as well as bonus features like phone chargers, lockers are posed to move up a level. “It will be interesting to see how companies strike a balance between useful addictions and too much tech” says Premier Lockers. “We have clients that are really interested in the added security that tech innovation brings, but because it’s still so new some are hesitant to ask for more.”

Premier lockers says that RFID locks, QR codes, and other types of secured and personalized locking mechanisms have become highly sought after in professional industries, like healthcare and police forces. While these groups jumped on the digital locker train early, the ease of access and restriction that digital lockers supply are finding their way into more and more different types of businesses.

Online shopping giant Amazon has also taken advantage of the convenience that digital lockers can afford. Using the burgeoning technology to bring security and accessibility to their clients. Lockers are self-service kiosks that can be found in a multitude of locations, and allow any client expecting a parcel a convenient place for pick up. Which means that you can expect to snag your packed even outside of traditional delivery hours, like evenings and weekends.

Patrons are sent a delivery confirmation via email, that has a six digit code used to open the locker with the package inside. This system allows the units to be used safely and securely by any number of people- as lockers aren’t tied to individuals. Keyless digital systems are also a fantastic addition for anyone needing to snag their items in a hurry. Using a phone or code, you’ll not have to work about forgetting your gym key at the office.

Personalization and Automation

Perhaps because of their convenience, lockers have found renewed vigor across multiple platforms and markets. Integrating style and design alongside of the technological upgrades means that they also look the part. “The different styles available make it really easy for retailers to integrate locker security into their own aesthetic and brand” Premier Lockers says that many businesses hesitated to add lockers in the past, because while they might be useful, they can pull away from the look and feel of venues and lobbies.

“The more traditional idea of what lockers look like, and what they are capable of doing, has really been expanded in the last few years.” Like doggie lockers, recently launched in Seattle, Washington, that look like a traditional dog house and even have embedded climate control to keep your pooch comfy while you do your grocery shopping.

Integrating style and tech isn’t always cheap. The University of Texas recently pumped out $10,500 for each locker in their Texas Longhorns locker room. The lockers provide players with a 37-inch television screen and high-end pocket door system to really make those bad boys pop. Stainless steel drawers with custom made storage sections and a ventilation system that removes sweat and stink.

While it’s unlikely that massive adaptations such as these will be seen as commonplace anytime soon, the tech involved in making them could be easily parted out and added in where it makes the most sense. Like ventilation systems in gym lockers and climate control for food delivery lockers. “It’s these big innovations, that can be deconstructed and utilized in different fields that are really opening up the market for a wider number of businesses.” Premier Lockers said. “I don’t know that I’d need to pay $10,000 for one, but I wouldn’t be upset to find a charging station or 37-inch TV set in my next work locker.”

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