‘Thumblock’, the first biometric padlock for motorcycles which is operated through fingerprint sensors, has won the UPF Emprèn Idea 2017 award which recognises and encourages talent and creativity.

The idea was created by Miquel Giménez, a fourth year student of a combined Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Electronics and Automation degreed from TecnoCampus. The project, for which the first prototype has already been created, consists of an intelligent biometric padlock for motorcycles. The padlock is opened and closed using the owner’s fingerprint, so that the user can enjoy greater comfort and security. The prototype is made of two parts, the physical design, which has been created through 3D printing, and the electronic part, which includes the fingerprint sensors and the mechanism to open the padlock.

The padlock, which has a storage capacity of up to 2,000 fingerprints, and comes with rechargeable battery with a duration of between 5-6 months, means it can be used for a variety of purposes thanks to the internet of things and biometric technology, which allows the padlock to be shared by different users, who will receive an alert to their mobile telephone in the case that the padlock is being forced open, as well as the geolocation of the motorcycle.