Gun storage company develops biometric access control unit

Firearm storage company Vara Safety has introduced a mounted handgun holster equipped with a fingerprint sensor for easy and secure access, Ammoland reports.

The Vara Safety Reach was developed after the company’s founder and designer Timmy Oh interviewed more than 1,500 gun-owners about firearm safety in the home. The Reach plugs into the wall to power the sensor and the lock, and also includes a backup battery. The holster part of the unit is removable, and a different insert can be purchased to use it with different gun models. A backup key is included for manual firearm removal. The firearm can be withdrawn as from a regular holster when the authorized user’s thumbprint is matched as he or she draws it from the Reach.

“We have optimization features for Reach’s biometric scanner that are better than that of the sensors found in smartphones,” Oh explained to Ammoland. “In fact, our sensor can accommodate a degree of moisture and still function properly, as tested by other leading safe companies using the same sensor.”

The button to release the magazine from the firearm is covered by the unit, and the screw to unfasten the Reach from what it is mounted to is covered when it is in use, to keep it safe from button-pushing children or potential thieves making off with Reach and the firearm inside.

The company says its production pilot units are currently being tested for battery life and actuation data.

Reach retails for $299, according to the Vara Safety website.

Fingerprint biometrics are often used for access control, and have been applied to weapons locking systems before, but seemingly not in mounted holster form.

Article Topics

access management  |  authentication  |  biometrics  |  fingerprint sensors