Preview: Fermax BlueTooth Access Control System

Fermax BlueTooth Access Control System
Web Site Address: www.fermax.com (Spanish Company)
Cost: Aprox. $1000

Just released on to the market is the Fermax BlueTooth City Receiver. I have done some investigation and have had information sent to me by Fermax on this new and exciting product. The Bluetooth receiver acts as an access control system that remembers up to 40 different Bluetooth devices to control access to a facility.

In a nutshell this is basically a BlueTooth receiver that can be programmed to remember up to 40 individual BlueTooth equipped Blackberry’s (or any other mobile phones equipped with BlueTooth) and give a pulse command from 1 to 99 seconds in duration. The device has been manufactured mainly for access control but with only a 12 Vac/Vdc input at 100mA it could be fitted almost anywhere you require the convenience of key or card free access.

More details after the jump The unit is a stand-alone device (130mm x 128mm) that you program to recognize up to 40 individual handsets. Once programmed and connected up to the access control (eg. electric self locking door in a secure office or small apartment block) all you have to do is walk into the area of the door and it will recognize your signal and open the lock for you. Once you leave the area the lock will re-arm itself securely behind you. The range can be set from 2 to 15 meters so you can eliminate false openings.

Another handy feature is that you can set the device to also request a PIN from any mobile phone coming into the area. This can be set up to request from recognized or un-recognized handsets so if you have friends coming to your apartment or business associates coming to your office, you just tell them the PIN code previously (email or sms) and they can enter the premises themselves without you having to meet them at the door.

The whole system is stand-alone or can be integrated into an existing security system. Programming is done via BlueTooth from a set administrator phone. If a phone is lost it can be deleted from the system and if you upgrade to a new BlackBerry in the future (the 9xxx looks great thanks BGR) you will have to be added back into the system. As for the whole debate on security these days, well you are probably more likely to loose you keys than your BlackBerry and how many people do you hear of locking their BlackBerry in the car, dropping it down a drain or loosing it under the couch or behind the fridge!

With an IP56 weather proof rating it is pretty well rain proof and can be hidden away in the ceiling or other recesses to be kept away from vandals. Other applications apart from setting it up in your office or residence would be in your car. You could connect it to an immobiliser, alarm system or central locking system in your pride and joy and the whole thing would unlock and/or disarm when you get close by.

Now for the painful bit. At around $1000 USD it is by no means cheap but does compare to some high end Biometric readers and card swipe systems.

As delivery is coming from Spain, I have about a 6 to 8 week wait for the unit to arrive and I can start testing it in the real world.

I will write up a full review after testing and post it as soon as I have fully tested it. Until then visit the web site above for more details and availability. (Don’t forget to click the English icon if you can’t read Spanish)

Until then……

Ps. Sorry about the lack of screenshots but the web site is not BlackBerry friendly…..