Solar-Powered RFID and IoT-Based Enhanced Automatic Door Locking System: Development and Acceptability Evaluation

Conventional mechanical locking systems used in institutional laboratories provide limited monitoring capability and lack integration with renewable energy technologies. This study developed and evaluated a solar-powered RFID and Internet of Things (IoT) based automatic door locking system designed to enhance secure access control and remote monitoring. A developmental research design was employed, integrating photovoltaic power supply, RFID authentication, microcontroller control, and cloud-based IoT monitoring. The system was evaluated through a pilot study involving thirty purposively selected faculty members and technical personnel with expertise in electronics and IoT systems. A structured questionnaire based on system performance, functional features, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use was administered using a five-point Likert scale. Results indicated high system performance (M = 4.46), strong feature integration (M = 4.17), high perceived usefulness (M = 4.33), and high ease of use (M = 4.57). Correlation analysis revealed a weak but positive relationship between system performance and user acceptability (r = 0.318, p = 0.087). These findings suggest that usability factors may play a stronger role in influencing acceptance than technical performance alone. The study was limited by a small sample size, single-institution testing environment, and short pilot duration. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating renewable energy, RFID authentication, and IoT monitoring into a unified access control system for institutional environments.