Hardware: Instead of keys, use key fobs!

[xerof]

You know how sometimes people use handcuffs, with several keys and until they have the right key.. you get the drift.

What about this, instead of keys, you have RFID key fobs! As many as you like. If you read an incorrect fob, you receive some sort of punishment like a shock, an increase of stimulation (either TENS or vibration) or an increase of time if it's a timer based release. Suppose there's loads of different scenario's really.

Idea's anybody ?

[BoundWolf]

Several points on this (positive and negative, in no particular order):
-If you're programming/hooking up a reader for an RFID chip, it would be a relatively simple thing to add in peripherals to control punishment, time locks, etc.
-You could maybe do something with a reader and a set of RFID cards or chips. These would be cheaper than key fobs and would work the same way.
-If you also happen to get an RFID writer, you could program each card individually (think of how a hotel will program a card for a specific room). So, that could also add some spice if you can somewhat randomize the writing process (which cards will you choose, how many are punishment, etc.).
-This could have a fairly high monetary cost, as well as a large time commitment to get programmed, hooked up, and running.
-With something like this, there should be a mechanical emergency release as well. The more complex things get (and once you get in to programming, RFID, external interfaces, etc., they'll get very complex very fast), the more chances there are for something unexpected to happen. I've been working on some fairly simple programming myself, and every time I think I've got it nailed down, there is some minor little point that quickly becomes a critical issue.

[herrpee]

-This could have a fairly high monetary cost, as well as a large time commitment to get programmed, hooked up, and running.
-With something like this, there should be a mechanical emergency release as well.  The more complex things get (and once you get in to programming, RFID, external interfaces, etc., they'll get very complex very fast), the more chances there are for something unexpected to happen.  I've been working on some fairly simple programming myself, and every time I think I've got it nailed down, there is some minor little point that quickly becomes a critical issue.

^
 |__  That. RFID is expensive. The place I work uses all rfid locks. Every key is €30, every lock is about 10 times more. Keys need to be reprogrammed on a pretty regular basis for some people because of interference. Once every protocol is written it is easy to keep going, but it's not easy to write them. Ow yea, the program to run it costs about 166 locks.
Imagine the release key suddenly is not accepted because of... *insert whatever thing you can imagine going wrong with pc's*
Stay analog, the digital world is full of hazards

[lugnuts]

definitely second the comments that this sort of release should have a backup. I'd personally make sure I had two independent backups, since this is a low reliability method.

That said, it needn't be as expensive as it's being made out to be. Instead of key fobs, use RFID cards.
I rapidly found a USB RFID card reader on amazon for 16.79, and a pack of 50 cards for $12. The cards come pre-encoded with unique numbers. In most applications, you just read the number.

So, as simple example, say you want to have 5 cards, one lets you out, the other 4 give you various punishments. Take your 5 cards and read them, then have your control program scramble what action goes with what number.