CES 2026: The Ultraloq Bolt Sense Smart Lock Uses Palm Vein and Facial Recognition to Unlock Your Door

[MacRumors]

The Xthings Ultraloq Bolt Sense is a smart lock that incorporates biometric authentication and Matter support. The Bolt Sense is able to identify a person through 3D facial recognition and palm vein authentication.

Xthings says the dual biometric approach is meant to be more secure than traditional biometric unlocking methods, but it may also exist because few companies have managed to master facial recognition as accurate as Face ID. The extra palm scan, which identifies an individual's sub-surface vein pattern, ensures that facial recognition won't fail. With biometric unlocking, users can open the door hands-free, and the palm scan works even when the hands are wet.

The Bolt Sense combines biometric unlocking with active approach sensing, advanced infrared, and adaptive low-light performance, so it works in the daytime and at night.

Xthings isn't launching the Ultraloq Bolt Sense until the second quarter of 2026, but the Ultraloq Bolt Mission, a Matter-enabled smart lock with Ultra Wideband, is available for purchase as of today. The $300 Bolt Mission uses UWB for automatic hands-free unlocking as the homeowner approaches.

It also supports unlocking via the Apple Home app, NFC, the Ultraloq app, a PIN, a physical key, or the Apple Watch. It does not support Apple Home Key, and the UWB only works with the Ultraloq app. The Bolt Mission uses 8 AA batteries that need to be replaced every six months, or users can purchase a rechargeable lithium battery pack that lasts for up to 1.5 years before it needs to be charged.

Along with the two Bolt locks, Xthings also debuted the Latch 7 Pro, a latch-style smart lock that will support Matter over Thread and Aliro, a universal smart lock standard that Apple is involved in. It's set to launch later this year.

Article Link: CES 2026: The Ultraloq Bolt Sense Smart Lock Uses Palm Vein and Facial Recognition to Unlock Your Door

 

[Minato1990]

This is doa in cold weather places.
I live in cold ass Montreal in the winter why the heck would I take my gloves off for this.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I installed this mechanical key code maybe 14 years ago. No issues. These can be bought online for as little as $29 on a sale. No battery. No wireless. No bs. Just buttons and open.

This style mechanical push button door opener has been on the market since 1970. What I see with many of the more advanced door openers is increased complexity, cost and potentials for failure and invasion of privacy. Oftentimes simplicity is the best approach. At least in my life that’s been the case.

 

[polyphenol]

Despite looking, I haven't found the bit that says someone inside can ALWAYS get out - even if it has been locked remotely. Which is surely essential for safety?

 

[dba415]

This is doa in cold weather places.
I live in cold ass Montreal in the winter why the heck would I take my gloves off for this.

you are presumably going indoors, why wouldn't you take off your gloves?

 

[johntherazz]

Am I being overly cautious if I feel reluctant to let a random company that I know nothing about make a 3D scan of my face, when that’s exactly the same data which unlocks most of my devices now, and in turn gives access to all my passwords, bank accounts, etc etc?

 

[d-klumpp]

Hard to imagine how a palm scan can be "hands free."

 

[lovehateapple]

waiting for apple to release their own smart lock with FaceID. Would love to have a lock that has UWB NFC, but not require being on wifi.

 

[punkwood]

I installed this mechanical key code maybe 14 years ago. No issues. These can be bought online for as little as $29 on a sale. No battery. No wireless. No bs. Just buttons and open.

View attachment 2593927

This style mechanical push button door opener has been on the market since 1970. What I see with many of the more advanced door openers is increased complexity, cost and potentials for failure and invasion of privacy. Oftentimes simplicity is the best approach. At least in my life that’s been the case.

People are already losing the ability to maintain enough concentration to read several paragraphs of text. Many youth are learning to read at all at a much delayed rate. Perhaps companies are perceiving the effort needed to punch mechanical buttons with your fingers is next to go. Would not surprise me. Automate everything is the MO these days.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

People are already losing the ability to maintain enough concentration to read several paragraphs of text. Many youth are learning to read at all at a much delayed rate. Perhaps companies are perceiving the effort needed to punch mechanical buttons with your fingers is next to go. Would not surprise me. Automate everything is the MO these days.

There’s lots of money in selling perceived convenience and in this case that’s what it is. They are selling a perception of convenience for money and people aren’t stopping themselves to ask if they need it. A basic mechanical code or key lock gets the job done perfectly fine and is reliable and cheap. People should save their money and use it on items of value and real purpose.

 

[4tune8chance]

I installed this mechanical key code maybe 14 years ago. No issues. These can be bought online for as little as $29 on a sale. No battery. No wireless. No bs. Just buttons and open.

View attachment 2593927

This style mechanical push button door opener has been on the market since 1970. What I see with many of the more advanced door openers is increased complexity, cost and potentials for failure and invasion of privacy. Oftentimes simplicity is the best approach. At least in my life that’s been the case.

Snap, I have one of these also

 

[captrlp]

If my only choices were Ultraloq or no lock…I’d chance an unsecured home. While their products are ok, their customer service is beyond horrendous!

 

[omarjanak]

I installed this mechanical key code maybe 14 years ago. No issues. These can be bought online for as little as $29 on a sale. No battery. No wireless. No bs. Just buttons and open.

View attachment 2593927

This style mechanical push button door opener has been on the market since 1970. What I see with many of the more advanced door openers is increased complexity, cost and potentials for failure and invasion of privacy. Oftentimes simplicity is the best approach. At least in my life that’s been the case.

You are absolutely right. Just like the old thermostats. I hate the new ones non works.

 

[StaceRumors]

The problem with the majority of these locks is that they put all the costs into the electronics and typically include the cheapest of mechanical lock cylinders that can be defeated with a simple bump or rake. So despite the advanced biometrics and $300 price, this probably offers no more protection than the base $20 lock at your local big box store. Fine if you’re willing to spend for the convenience, but be cautious if you think you’re going to be any more secure. (Lock picking lawyer has done quite a few videos showing that tech companies have made some of the worst locks.)

 

[subjonas]

Hmm interesting but I don't think biometrics is the best solution for most people. It should just work like Car Keys (with Express Mode on)--unlock automatically when you get in proximity if you have your phone or smart watch on you, which most everyone should except kids. No need for any scanning. If on the rare occasion you don't happen to have your phone/watch, then as a backup you should be able to enter a PIN code (which it should force you to memorize by requiring it once every two weeks or so).

And for those who may say someone could take your phone and get into your house, that's true of regular keys.

 

[Mr_Ed]

you are presumably going indoors, why wouldn't you take off your gloves?

I live in a warm place and even I know removing your glove(s) is easier said than done if you are carrying something. The lock reportedly supports several methods anyway but I can see its “big and flashy” feature of biometric identification being the least useful one.

 

[subjonas]

Despite looking, I haven't found the bit that says someone inside can ALWAYS get out - even if it has been locked remotely. Which is surely essential for safety?

What do you mean? All locks have a mechanical turn knob thing on the inside as far as I know.

 

[t76turbo]

I have had a few of their locks over the years. Bought locks for 2 family members too.

They are usually good WHEN they are working. But all but one has died just outside warranty. I will NEVER buy another from this company.

 

[Analog Kid]

you are presumably going indoors, why wouldn't you take off your gloves?

Suddenly, Jack London comes to mind…

The trouble with him was that he was not able to imagine. He was quick and ready in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in their meanings. Fifty degrees below zero meant 80 degrees of frost. Such facts told him that it was cold and uncomfortable, and that was all. It did not lead him to consider his weaknesses as a creature affected by temperature. Nor did he think about man’s general weakness, able to live only within narrow limits of heat and cold. From there, it did not lead him to thoughts of heaven and the meaning of a man’s life. 50 degrees below zero meant a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against by the use of mittens, ear coverings, warm moccasins, and thick socks. 50 degrees below zero was to him nothing more than 50 degrees below zero. That it should be more important than that was a thought that never entered his head.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Hard to imagine how a palm scan can be "hands free."

Agreed, this is lame. Apple is going to introduce a hands free retinal scan deadbolt. It will be called--wait for it--the iLock Pro.

 

[jole]

"more secure than traditional biometric unlocking methods" is irrelevant as long as there is a keyhole: the included mechanical lock that can be picked in seconds.

 

[Arran]

Hard to imagine how a palm scan can be "hands free."

Quite. They've redefined "hands free" to mean "a hand must be free"!

No deal.

I have a Schlage encode+ and an Apple watch with express mode home keys enabled. I can walk up with bags of groceries in each hand, wave my wrist somewhere near the lock and it opens.

That's "hands free".

 

[maxfromdenmark]

This is doa in cold weather places.
I live in cold ass Montreal in the winter why the heck would I take my gloves off for this.

so you don't need to take the gloves off for finding a key in a pocket? And what is the difference to take the gloves off just 10 seconds earlier than usually (I assume you are not wearing the ones all the time when at home?).

 

[svish]

Always interesting to see these kinds of new things at CES. Waiting to hear the price on the model with palm authentication.

 

[wikiverse]

I installed this mechanical key code maybe 14 years ago. No issues. These can be bought online for as little as $29 on a sale. No battery. No wireless. No bs. Just buttons and open.

View attachment 2593927

This style mechanical push button door opener has been on the market since 1970. What I see with many of the more advanced door openers is increased complexity, cost and potentials for failure and invasion of privacy. Oftentimes simplicity is the best approach. At least in my life that’s been the case.

These are incredibly easy to break into. The buttons (and numbers) develop wear patterns when they're regularly pushed, and it doesn't matter what order you input the code, it still works. So all someone needs to do is identify the buttons and they can break in with as little as one attempt.