10 Security Innovations from CES 2016

Here are 10 of the most interesting security innovations unveiled at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2016 in Las Vegas last week.

 

The smart-home camera that rolls around the house

SensorSphere is a staggering innovation. A spherical camera -it’s effectively a ball – it can be rolled around your home remotely via smartphone, removing the need for multiple cameras in various rooms.

It features a HD camera with thermal imaging and night vision capabilities, several sensors which include a smoke detector, temperature/humidity sensor, flash light and IR transmitter among others.

The idea for SensorSphere, which can also locate a charging station and dock itself for remote recharging, was hatched as a means of providing thorough situational awareness to emergency services during a break-in, fire or other incident.

Iris-Enabled ATM Machine

Anyone who has jabbed in a banking PIN code into an ATM machine while nervously shielding their keystrokes from view will be heartened to hear of Eyelock’s latest game-changing innovation.

Currently being road-tested by Citibank this iris-authenticated ATM machine possesses neither a screen nor pin-code buttons, promising to reduce the countless passwords and pin codes the average person must now remember by one.

“You have to be alive in front of the camera in order for the system to work,” said the company’s CMO.

Eyelock has also applied its iris-based technology to the automotive sector, showcasing at CES a device allowing drivers to personalise driver settings including seat and mirror positions, radio presets and other features, as well as authenticating their identify.

Ring Video Doorbell

The Ring Video Doorbell streams images from your doorstep to your smartphone upon activation by the doorbell. You can then, should you wish to, speak to a visitor through a speaker.

Like so many smart products, it appeals to our innate laziness – why go to the door when you can shoo away salespeople or religious proselytizers from the comfort of your sofa (or debate the merits of a particular religion from a safe distance)? It also means you’ll never again fall prey to the age-old schoolboy prank of ‘knock down, ginger‘ (and other regional variations).

Stick-up Outdoor Cam

The Ring Video Doorbell doesn’t, however, offer live streaming, which is where another product showcased at CES by Ring comes in. The Stick-up Cam “allows for full monitoring of your home in 15 minutes”, according to founder Jamie Siminoff. It also boasts a night vision capability for effective 24/7 monitoring.

The talkback feature, meanwhile, gives you the chance to yell “desist from your illegal activity, ne’er-do-wells” (or a phrase of your choice) at any undesirables attempting to break in to your property.

Siri-operated voice command lock

Kwikset, the Black and Decker-owned lockset manufacturer founded in 1946, launched a lock that can be activated or deactivated using your voice. The Kwikset Premis, which responds to voice commands through Apple’s Siri platform and Apple’s Homekit, connects to your Apple device via Bluetooth and can synch with numerous other smart-home systems.

The company also unveiled the Kwikset Convert, which overlays your existing deadbolt to give you smart control of your existing locks, at CES 2016.

Smart upgrade for non-smart smoke alarms

You can go smart without throwing away your existing smoke alarm thanks to Roost. Installable in five minutes this smart battery sends notifications to a smartphone whenever the smoke alarm sounds, even while the user is away. At five years the battery life is pretty impressive too.

The Roost Smart Battery was selected as a CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Smart Home product category.

Solar-powered lock that even draws energy from your porch light

CNET has estimated that Brinks’ first ever smart lock – and what an interesting debut – would need only 33 hours of sunlight a year to charge for a full year’s use – so even residents of Finland (where the sun does not rise at all for 51 days during winter) need not be deterred.

More remarkable yet, the Brinks Array can even  draw power from artificial light and boasts a back-up lithium battery just in case.

Smart home router and security siren

Securifi’s Almond 3 features a Zigbee radio to connect with your various smart home gadgets and, unlike its previous incarnations, a built-in siren, meaning this wireless AC router moonlights as a security hub.

Security parameters can be reconfigured so a sensor is tripped within a time frame of your choice, with multiple triggers and multiple effects permitted simultaneously. The Almond app can pair the Almond 3 with other smart home devices like the Nest Learning Thermostat and Philips Hue LEDs.

Outdoor surveillance cam with night vision

Boasting a a rugged and moisture -esistant exterior and night vision (up to 30ft) the Ezviz Mini Cube is a HD resolution camera for outdoor surveillance. The camera also has motion sensor, which acts as a virtual tripwire and awakens the camera within 600 milliseconds, and a battery pack for increased portability.

Bluetooth smart padlock

Nearly a century in the game Master Lock has now made its first foray into the burgenoing smart lock field, showcasing two locks – one for indoor use, one for outdoors – that are activated via bluetooth.

You can use the app to provide temporary and/or timed access to the padlocks, while There’s a failsafe should you not have your phone to hand; each lock has a touch keypad on which you can set a directional code to unlock it.

IFSEC International 2016 will launch the Smart Zone, featuring a replica ‘smart home’ showcasing how the latest, most innovative smart technologies and security products operate and interact, and featuring presentations on home automation, building automation and smart cities.