subject: Keypads: Punching Our Way Into The Future [print this page] People are fascinated by futuristic security systems present in movies. The earlier movies introduced mechanical security with digital keypads and later moved onto the realm of electronic security with such state-of-the-art devices as retina scanning.
Star Wars probably wasn't the first, but who can forget the intricate security systems used aboard the "Death Star" or "Millennium Falcon" space ships? You could out run the rebel forces only by activating the door keypad first. With a giant swoosh the doors whisked open long enough to permit Luke, Leah and Hahn Solo to enter or exit. I also loved the closing of the giant tunnel which dissected the "Death Star". The space ships had to fly sideways to narrowly escape just as the giant ship slammed shut. Good thing they always escaped or we wouldn't have the six episodes that we do.
I'm not sure which came first the "Jetsons" or "Star Trek" but they both used the "beaming" system to enter their homes and ships and to keep out the invaders. What a great invention. Talk about your overprotective mom's fantasy of beaming her children directly to school, never having to encounter the "outside" world at all.
Mission Impossible is the sovereign of high-level security devices with laser beams, infra red, retina scanning, and voice activated entry devices. Tom Cruise had to be so ingenious to get around all that and obtain whatever it was he was after.
James Bond has the highest level of security possible to keep his car safe. His personal rubber keypad enabled him to start and drive his car from a remote distance. Good way to keep it out of the bad guys hand, and he drove it at 80 miles per hour. Way to go Bond.
Ocean's Eleven documented the advance security systems of casinos with their endless surveillance cameras, vaults, and even DNA analysis. The laser beams and heat and weight recognition were no simple obstacles to overcome.
What does all this mean for our future? As the criminals get more advanced so do our systems. The rubber keypad is paired up with advanced computer technology to keep our homes safe. I read on-line today that the security of the future is vein recognition. Our computers, phones and other devices will be activated using vein maps on our fingers. Supposedly it doesn't change through time. Where was that in James Bond or Mission Impossible? Is it possible that we have surpassed even the movies for our state-of-the-art ideas?
