'Invisible key' invented by Taiwan scientists

A team of Taiwanese researchers have developed an "invisible key" technology which allows users to unlock their doors by means of simple hand gestures, the head of the team said Monday.

"In the future, you won't have to worry about losing or forgetting your keys," said Tsai Yao-pin, who teaches at the Technology and Science Institute of Northern Taiwan.

At the heart of the technology developed by his team is a chip that can detect movement in three dimensions, as used in Nintendo's Wii video game console, he said.

The technology allows users to easily unlock their doors by repeating a gesture preset in the sensor, according to Tsai.

The "invisible key" won him a gold medal at the four-day Taipei International Invention Show and Technomart which ended Sunday.

He estimated that it make take half a year for the invention to go commercial as several interested companies have approached him.