Unifi.id has developed a contactless door entry system, that can help limit the spread of coronavirus as offices and other buildings reopen.

An ultra-high frequency RFID (radio frequency identification) chip, embedded entry cards or entry cardholders, is detected by an antenna placed within 10 metres of the doorway.

A profile of the staff member appears on the receptionist’s/security guard’s screen and thus security is maintained. Those who are not authorised be in the building are identified by building personnel and escorted from the premises.

Automated ID detection reduces the risk of building users picking up Covid-19 from contaminated door handles, push plates and card scanners.

“A version of the virtual doors was developed 18 months ago. At the time there wasn't a real need for this. Covid-19 made us realise that the technology had to be redeveloped to allow employers to have all of the doors open so that staff would not have to touch the handles, and therefore reduce the infection rate,” said Paul Sheedy, founder and CEO of Unifi.id.

To make their working environments safer when workers return to office buildings, building managers can limit building capacity to encourage people to stay two metres apart. The contactless door removes the need to manually sign in, meaning the reception desk is no longer a frequently touched surface and possibly a source of infection.