Remembering to lock your computer when you get off your desk is easier said than done. One leaves his or her desk a number of times during the day. Whether it is to grab a cup of coffee or getting up to attend a phonecall, we tend to leave our computer as it is without bothering to lock it. This is where Halberd from Untethered Labs comes in and takes care of these things on its own.
Halberd automatically secures the workstation when the user walks out of range. It has been launched at Kickstarter. “Halberd represents the state of the art in our field,” said the company’s Sid Potbhare. “It makes the entire experience for both the retail and enterprise client not only efficient but also secure.”
The device works on Bluetooth and locks the computer on its own when the user walks away and unlocks it when the user comes back. The smart key also keeps a login session active even if you’re not typing. This allows you to think clearly on something without having to log in again and again.
Halberd has an all-metal design and an accelerometer for motion detection. It is highly durable and can lock down the computer with a press of a button. The system uses AES-256 encryption and you can manually log in or out in case the Halberd is misplaced.
The company plans to add Linux and Mac compatibility in future software updates. They also plan to include machine learning smarts, single sign-on abilities, and blockchain credentials. An app for locking and unlocking smartphones is also in the works.
Kickstarter pledges start at US$30 for a Halberd smart key, a Bluetooth USB dongle and a Trident mobile app for iOS/Android, which allows a smartphone to act as an access control device for computers. If all goes according to plan, shipping is expected to start in January 2018.
You can watch the pitch video below:
