Seeking Innovative Solutions

• By Lester LaPierre
• Sep 08, 2025

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. You may recognize these terms as the “5 Phases” of a grieving process, but they could easily describe the phases one goes through before adopting any new or emerging innovation or technology, especially in a highly risk-averse industry like security. However, the desire for convenience in all aspects of modern life is finally beginning to turn the tide from old school hardware as the go-to towards more user-friendly, yet still secure, door solutions.

Emerging Trends
Emerging trends in door security and opening solutions are being influenced by three major forces: digitization, convergence, and usability. To paraphrase a famous quote from a classic movie: "I just want to say one word to you. Just one word...Frictionless." In this context, "frictionless" refers to technologies such as facial recognition, mobile-based security access control, and other innovations that can enhance efficiency and security for end users, security administrators, and integrators.

For end users, the primary objective is to create "friction-free" interactions with doors, making the process seamless and user-friendly. For administrators, streamlining security operations — such as changing access permissions and managing user accounts — can lead to significant savings in time and resources, eliminating the need to handle physical hardware like fobs, keys or cards. For integrators, friction-free devices such as wireless locks can be installed much more quickly than traditional wired locks, reducing their time spent on-site.

Facial identification devices, while wired, combine advanced technology with modern design to provide secure, affordable and user-friendly access for various applications. They are designed for doors and barriers like turnstiles and feature speed, precision and robust security — making them ideal for high-traffic areas where quick, touchless entry and exit can help reduce congestion.

Individual Verification
Their advanced algorithms enable rapid facial liveness detection and verification of thousands of individuals, including those wearing masks. Imagine integrating motion sensors, typically found in commercial lobbies and supermarkets, with facial identification systems that can scan at long ranges. This combination offers a hands-free solution for secure environments straight out of a science-fiction movie.

On the digitization front, physical access is rapidly shifting from cards and keys to phones and wearables. Mobile credentials stored in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet are moving from pilot to mainstream because they ride on platforms people already trust and carry everywhere. At the same time, cloud-first access control has broken the old model of on-prem servers tied to a single building. Modern systems offer browser-based administration, automatic updates, and scalable licensing that stretches from a single door to distributed portfolios — features that became essential with hybrid work and 24/7 facilities.

Convergence is the second major driver, blurring lines between IT and traditional door hardware. Doors are no longer standalone endpoints; they are nodes in an ecosystem that include identity, video, intrusion, visitor management, and building analytics. Integrators and manufacturers are prioritizing unified platforms where an event at the door — say, an unusual access pattern — is cross-checked with cameras and HR data to automate a response.

In the field, the hardware itself is becoming more capable: smart readers and controllers run lightweight AI to spot tailgating, detect door-held-open conditions, or dynamically adjust schedules during emergencies. Wave-to-unlock using BLE/NFC, automatic unlock when a trusted device is in proximity, and intercoms that blend video verification with one-time PINs are now common asks.

Precise Device Ranging
The next usability leap is driven by interoperability standards and new wireless communication technologies. Ultra-wideband (UWB) enables precise device ranging, so doors can unlock hands-free only when the authorized user is truly at the threshold — no taps, no lag — delivering a “walk-up, walk-in” experience while keeping interactions local and preserving privacy.

Finally, organizations are thinking more holistically about safety and continuity. Commercial doors play a significant role in lockdowns and life-safety egress. Modern systems aim to reconcile security with code compliance by supporting role-based overrides, local fail safes when networks drop, and accurate event trails for audits. AI can be used here, too, in anomaly detection (e.g., repeated access attempts outside patterns) and capacity analytics to inform staffing or emergency planning.

As mobile credentials mature, the winners will be solutions that blend strong security with near-invisible operation — doors that recognize you, open when they should, and stay locked when they must. The trajectory is clear: smarter, more interoperable openings that treat identity as software, reduce ownership friction, and deliver experiences people like using every day.

This article originally appeared in the September / October 2025 issue of Security Today.