SwitchBot Lock Vision series uses 3D facial recognition to unlock

SwitchBot introduced its SwitchBot Lock Vision Series of smart deadbolts at CES today. The new locks use facial recognition as a primary unlock method, which the company positions as a more foolproof and hands-free means of securing your home’s front door.

A 3D structured-light facial recognition system is the big attraction. By projecting thousands of infrared points onto a user’s face to create a depth map, the lock aims to prevent spoofing via photos or videos. SwitchBot claims the system works even when the person in front of it is wearing glasses, a hat, or heavy makeup, and that all the biometric data the lock’s camera captures is stored locally on the device itself, versus in the cloud, for enhanced privacy.

The SwitchBot Lock Vision Series supports Matter over Wi-Fi, allowing it to work with all the most common smart home ecosystems–Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings, among others–without requiring a smart home hub.

The lock is powered by SwitchBot’s DualPower, DualBackup system: a 10,000mAh rechargeable battery that should last up to six months on a full charge handles day-to-day use, and there’s also a CR123A backup battery inside that kicks in should the primary battery source become drained (SwitchBot says the backup should last up to five years or 500 emergency unlocks). Should that backup fail while you’re out, there’s a USB-C emergency port for temporary operation.

There will be two models in the series: The standard SwitchBot Lock Vision supports facial recognition, PIN codes, NFC, a physical key, geofencing, and app-based unlocking. The higher-end SwitchBot Lock Vision Pro adds palm-vein and fingerprint recognition to those technologies. Palm vein recognition uses near-infrared sensors to map vascular patterns inside the hand. The manufacturer says this technology works even when users have with wet or dirty hands–issues that can trip up a fingerprint scanner–and that it works even in low-light conditions.

The locks are designed to integrate with SwitchBot’s existing ecosystem, including its video doorbells, enabling broader smart home automation through the SwitchBot app.

SwitchBot hasn’t announced pricing or a release date but says more information will be available closer to launch. SwitchBot hasn’t disclosed a BHMA or ANSI grade for the Lock Vision Series, which are commonly used benchmarks for mechanical lock durability.

If you’re attending CES in person, SwitchBot is exhibiting its wares at Venetian Booth #52655.

This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart locks.