2014 was a very big year in terms of security news, with advances in technology meaning that there are new ways to protect our property. We’ve rounded up some of the ones that have dominated the headlines, and shared our thoughts on them.
Humans = spare parts?
Have you seen a robot security guard at work recently? Probably not. However, staff at G4S Technology (Daily Mail) have a security robot as permanent staff, and employees at Microsoft’s Headquarters in Silicon Valley (ExtremeTech) have had the good fortune of a preview of one! Okay, so security robots mightn’t be widespread, but they’ve still grabbed a lot of attention.
The droids may need to report to humans when it actually comes to dealing with a crime. However, they are probably more likely notice that one has occurred, as they probably will have less scope for error than humans when looking for differences in the environment.
Security droids won’t be stealing jobs any time soon, but they are still fascinating displays of how technological leaps are contributing to the security of businesses. Perhaps in the future we’ll see this technology in the home?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzMOBdLNN1E
Video by SWNS TV
3D printing can allow you to produce a myriad of items, from trays to toys to tumblers. But did you know that they can also produce bump keys, keys which can open many locks? This is something that caused a bit of backlash in the world of home security when it was revealed.
However, the threat that this poses has been pretty well debunked. Bump keys are too noisy for burglars as they require force to use, too expensive, and they don’t guarantee success. Anyway, for those who are concerned, it is possible to get hold of locks that are bump-resistant.
It looks like, if anything, 3D printed bump keys are a bit of a gimmick. This pointless debacle might have been worth something, though, if it causes people to consider upgrading their locks.
The home automation market has got bigger
Home automation is an increasingly big thing, and Apple has naturally leapt upon the bandwagon. Its new app allows you to control your setup from one place, which sounds great – but it’s not unique. Apple is just an important player in a massive game.
Indeed, the home automation market may be near saturation point, with start ups coming to join the party all the time. The question has to rightly be raised as to how many businesses are going to stick along for the ride.
It would be silly to take from that, though, that home automation might be due to crash. The ability to control your property from your smartphone makes the likes of CCTV more valuable additions to your security set up than ever before.
Games consoles jump into home security
You might not think that games consoles and home security go hand in hand, but that would be to ignore the media hub functionality of the major ones on the market. Indeed, the Homevue security system plans to take advantage of that exact functionality on Xbox. Does it look like this could be a marriage made in heaven?
It’s definitely handy to be able to view and record security footage with your console, especially considering the large hard drive capacity that many have. Perhaps a future avenue could be to view footage through handheld consoles too?
The most important thing about it is that its another prompt for people to upgrade their security. Indeed, news about Homevue even appeared on one of the biggest gaming sites. Hopefully the device will help to popularise the idea that it’s not enough to have merely adequate home security.
Thoughts on home security in 2015
The Telegraph’s Sophie Curtis posed the idea that 2015 may be the year of the connected home. This is because of next month’s International Consumer Electronics Show, which is going to be packed out with home automation devices. How likely does it look?
It seems unlikely that the presence of connected devices will merely be a blip on the radar. This is particularly because of the centralisation of home automation with smartphone apps, which can dramatically enhance the usefulness of home security devices.
Will 2015 be the year of the connected home? It’s too difficult to tell. We hope, though, that it is the year of home security. A rise in awareness of connected device could contribute to that, which would be a great thing.
