Westinghouse Nucli Is the Smartest Deadbolt Lock You’ll Meet

Just when you thought you’ve seen everything a smart lock can do, Westinghouse came up with Nucli. It’s the world’s smartest deadbolt lock and it’s packed with every feature you’ll need in keeping your front door safe against intruders or even unwanted guests. Curious? You may want to set your pre-order today or better yet, get your hands on what’s currently the best home security system, Frontpoint.

Nucli is a smart lock and doorbell in one. Its external part, which you install outside your door, is housed in an alloy metal casing and is weather-proof. You have three color options to choose from:

• Satin Chrome (the original)
• Oil Rubbed Bronze
• Polished Brass.

It’s integrated with the following features:

• Keyless Entry:
  • There are four ways for you to enter your home without a key. You can enable its fingerprint recognition, use your smart phone or type in a pin code to open your doors. There’s also the option to use the key fob in remotely locking and unlocking your door.
  • You can give out a maximum of 50 virtual keys. You’ll have enough access to share with each of the family members at home or your employees, in case you’re running a business.
  • This also eliminates the need to create duplicate keys which can actually put your home or property at an increased risk.
• Motion Detection
  • The smart lock comes with a Passive Infrared Motion Sensor.
  • It monitors for any movement in your front door and sends you an alert in case it finds something that needs immediate attention.
• Camera
  • The smart lock is packed with an outdoor camera boasting a 170 degree FOV.
  • It’s activated by motion. Once someone reaches your front door, it starts streaming.
  • Aside from speaking with your guests, the camera enables you to see who’s dropping by for a visit or to save their images. The smart lock has a 1 GB Non-volatile memory.
• Automatic Lock
  • Inside Nucli, you’ll find a 6-axis accelerometer. If it finds your door closed, it automatically locks itself. This eliminates the paranoia most of us experience when rushing out the door for work.
• Doorbell
  • Pressing your Nucli will enable it to play an MP3 file. You can program and load it up with the type of music you prefer.
• LCD Touch Screen
  • On its front, you’ll find a 16M colored LCD touch screen pad which you can use to key in your electronic codes or lock and unlock your door.

On its internal part, the one you install inside your door, you can find the following features:

• Two Way Communication
  • The device is packed with a speaker and noise cancelling microphone.
  • These features enable you to communicate with your guest or the delivery man even without opening your door.
  • If you’re in the middle of a meeting or your hands are full, they can simply leave you a voicemail. You can listen to it over your smart phone or your computer.
  • Internal LCD Touch Screen
  • It lets you view what the camera sees at your front door. You can consider this as a more advanced peephole.
  • You can also use it customize your locks or set who can or can’t enter your home.

• Battery Aperture
  • Nucli works on rechargeable batteries. A two-hour charging time can last for around six months. You can use the USB slot on the bottom of the device when recharging.
  • In case you forgot to replace or recharge your batteries, you can use any 9V battery as emergency power source.
  • Westinghouse includes its Integrated Supercapacitor System so you can still open your doors even if your batteries get extremely lo
  • You can purchase additional batteries and replacement chargers once the devices start shipping.
• Manual Unlock Knob

The smart lock can support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Z Wave automation protocols. You can connect it with the other smart devices you have at home. If you have an existing home security system, you can easily sync them together. In case you are still looking for top notch security for your home, you should consider getting Frontpoint, our most popular Do It Yourself system. To control Nucli, you need to download the app. It’s compatible with devices running on iOS, Android and Windows and can accommodate multiple users.

Through the app, you’ll be able to:

• Remotely lock and unlock your doors
• See who’s at your front door even if you’re not at home
• Listen to voicemails
• Share access
• Speak with the delivery man or your neighbor
• Check on your door even if you’re a hundred miles away
• Receive alerts

The app can support third party integration. If you have an app in mind or already have one completed, you can integrate it in the existing Nucli app. However, you should take note that this feature is still in beta testing and you’ll need to download the Nucli.com web portal first. Currently, Westinghouse is working on two development kits for the smart lock. To know more on how you can customize your Nucli, you can leave a comment on its Indiegogo site while waiting for the main website to launch or send them an email directly at [email protected].

Nucli is very easy to install. It requires no drills so you won’t have to worry about breaking anything during the process. All you need is a Philips head screwdriver. The smart lock can be installed by screwing the fixing plates on the surface of your door as well as the locks that join them. It’s compatible with wood, metal and fiber doors.  You can use the smart lock on its own or operate it through a Z Wave controller, your laptop or your smart phone.

Interestingly, Nucli can be set up to require two credentials before it can allow someone to enter your door. Aside from your fingerprint, you can also require a combination of pin codes, with a maximum of 10 digits. This can greatly enhance your home’s security. Other than the credential requirements, all the information you include in your smart lock, such as fingerprint patterns and pin codes, are encrypted securely.

Westinghouse brought Nucli to Indiegogo for crowd funding.  It’s not usually how it goes, particularly with a company with around 120 years of experience in the business. However, by bringing the product directly to its market, Westinghouse was able to advertise, get immediate feedback and draw funds for its production.

Quick facts and pricing about Nucli:

• Nucli was introduced with a $299 price tag for early backers
• Shipping of the initial batch is expected to start December 2015.
• Formal release in U.S. market suggested to happen in the mid 2016 and assumed to retail at $399 – $100 higher than its crowd funding price.
• The price stated above will also include a one year warranty for both labor and parts
• Other than the smart lock, you can also order a spare USB charger for $39
• You can also purchase two additional batteries for $13.

Nucli is set to revolutionize the market of smart locks. The rave about it is actually similar to what makes Frontpoint our top rated home security system. With all the clever things Nucli can do, such as fingerprint recognition, camera and voice features, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if a large number of household doors would want to exhibit the brand. After all, it was heavily backed in its crowd funding campaign and reached more than $147,000.  In case you missed it, you can still set your pre-order and make your door lock smarter today.

THE CHECKLIST:

Nucli functions both as a smart lock and a doorbell.
It works on batteries which you may need to recharge every six months.
You can still access your smart lock even if it’s very low in power through its Integrated Supercapacitor System.
Nucli enables keyless entry to your home in four different ways.
It has two LCD Touch Screens for easier control.
You’ll be able to see, speak with and be notified if you have guests.
It can be used alone or synced with the other smart devices you have at home.
You can give out a maximum of 50 virtual keys.
Development kits are currently being developed.
Nucli has an automatic lock feature.