It is nothing new to wish to keep our homes and the people we love safe.
But the ways in which we accomplish this have radically evolved over the centuries from fortification to automation to remote monitoring to emerging edge devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Let’s consider how we are enhancing home security with AI technology.
A Brief History of Home Security
After millennia of edifice, human, and animal-based security – such as moats, watchmen, squawking geese, and barking dogs (still popular) – in 1853 the first burglar alarm was designed and patented by a Sommerville, Massachusetts Unitarian minister named Augustus Pope. Pope sold his patented design, known in the alarm industry to this day as the “Pope Patent” (U.S. patent # 9802), to Edwin Holmes in 1858. Holmes improved on Pope’s design, creating the burglar alarm as we know it today and earning himself the moniker, “Father of the Burglar Alarm Industry.”
The first video-based home security system was invented in the 1960s by a couple from New York City ‘s Jamaica, Queens – Marie Van Brittan Brown, a nurse, and her husband, Albert, an electronics technician. (The system was patented in 1966 with Marie Brown cited as lead inventor.)
The Browns’ home security system was “ahead of its time” in several ways.
The Browns used closed-circuit television (CCTV), invented during World War II for military use, as the basis of their video-based system. Unfortunately, CCTV was not in widespread use in the 1960s and the cost of installing CCTV in a home in the sixties and seventies was prohibitively expensive for most. Thus, the Browns were unable to successfully market their innovative security system.
Nonetheless, though they never profited from their invention, the couple’s video-based system went on to be cited in 35 subsequent U.S. patents and is widely regarded as the predecessor of modern home security systems.
By the 1980s, home security systems had significantly increased in popularity and decreased in cost. They were also increasingly complemented by remote, third-party monitoring services, for which homeowners paid a monthly fee.
Providers, such as ADT, for example, offered professionally installed and monitored security systems. These systems often required a contract and typically included a variety of components such as door and window sensors, motion detectors, and control panels.
ADT is a prime example of the traditional home security provider. Founded in 1874, ADT has been in the home security business for over a century and remains a leader in the industry to this day. Other examples of traditional providers that offer professional installation and monitoring services include companies like Brinks and Vivint.
Then, in 1997, WiFi made its way into the consumer market and completely changed the home security sector.
Prior to the adoption of WiFi, home security systems were hardwired, requiring not only professional installation but also the use of phone lines which themselves could be cut by thieves to disable the system’s sensors and signals. WiFi resolved these issues, making installation much simpler, reducing its cost, and paving the way for DIY installation of home security systems.
Security companies, like SimpliSafe and Ring entered the home security market in the 2000s - SimpliSafe in 2006 and Ring in 2013. Unlike traditional home security providers, these DIY security companies offered systems that required neither professional installation nor a contractual monthly monitoring service.
While homeowners still had the option of outsourcing monitoring to third-party centers, wireless video feeds from DIY systems sent data and images from cameras directly to homeowner computers and mobile devices, allowing homeowners to monitor their homes themselves from anywhere.
Modern smart home security systems
As we move forward through the 21st century, technology continues to transform home security.
Today’s home security technology is no longer simply automated or connected, it is increasingly smart.
Smart home technologies comprise an array of devices equipped with software and sensors. These devices are capable of more than using the internet to transmit images and information to a single end-user app. They can connect to and exchange data with other networked devices and systems.
This network of devices, collectively referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), is the backbone of smart home environments.
And the IoT itself is evolving.
In addition to offering connectivity, today’s IoT devices increasingly incorporate Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. ML and AI technologies empower these devices to go beyond interconnectivity enabling them to analyze the data they gather and apply “knowledge” of the home environment and its occupants to improving device and system performance.
When integrated into comprehensive, networked systems, smart home technologies are able to control lighting, temperature, media, window and door operations, and home security in an automated, efficient, multifunctional, interactive, and adaptable manner.
Today’s smart home security systems are comprehensive and scalable, leveraging home Wi-Fi to link security components, such as cameras, sensors, motion detectors, and smart locks, to each other and to other smart home systems. Homeowners are able to monitor systems in real-time, receive instant notifications, and remotely access the system via smartphone applications or web portals allowing for quick reactions to potential threats. Remote control of these comprehensive home security systems from any location globally on any device with internet connectivity offers improved safety and ease of use and third-party monitoring is available, but entirely optional.
Understanding AI and Home Security
How is AI enhancing home security?
Artificial intelligence itself is a young technology, but it is already having an impact on home security, particularly in the realms of video surveillance and cybersecurity.
Video surveillance
When it comes to home security, currently the most prevalent use of AI is for enhancing video capabilities.
Conventional security systems typically rely on motion detectors. Motion detectors are easily set off by a variety of objects in motion, such as plastic bags, trees, and animals, leading to unwanted false alarms.
AI makes it possible to refine detection so that alerts will only be triggered if a camera sees a human enter an alarm zone.
This eliminates false alarms and makes detection much more useful and accurate for homeowners and third-party monitors.
Cybersecurity
In the business world, AI is an important tool in cybersecurity. With its ability to sift through vast amounts of data and quickly identify abnormal behavior and malicious activity, AI can detect, analyze, and respond to malicious attacks much faster than a human.
When Pope invented his burglar alarm or the Browns their video surveillance system, cybersecurity was not a threat to homeowners (nor businesses). Today, however, a homeowner’s “valuables” are just as likely (if not more likely) to be stolen online by a cyber criminal than by a traditional breaking-and-entering thief.
Fortunately, when it comes to home security, as with video surveillance, cybersecurity is an area in which AI is already having a significant beneficial impact.
“[S]horing up home users’ cybersecurity is just as vital as that of large organizations,” writes American business and innovation magazine, Fast Company in an October 2023 article.
AI powered consumer cybersecurity solutions include: AI-powered antivirus and anti-malware programs that protect devices (and identities) from viruses and ransomware, AI-powered email security that protects consumers from phishing emails, and AI-enhanced password security and password management tools.
Specific examples of AI-based antivirus software include global digital security company, ESET’s all-in-one software protection for personal computers, smartphones, or tablets. Described by software reviewer, WindowsReport, as offering reliable, AI-based prevention of “infiltration by viruses, spyware, trojan horses, worms, adware, rootkits, and other threats,” ESET’s HOME Security 2024 EDITION plans begin at $59.99 annually for a one-year subscription with discounts for multi-year sign-ups.
In addition to ESET, in a January 2024 article, “AI Antivirus: 8 Best Picks of 2024 with Improved Detection,” WindowsReport identifies Bitdefender, Guard.io, and Avira as other options for AI-based malware protection.
While AI-powered antivirus and anti-malware solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to adapt and learn from the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, in the context of smart homes, the implications and impact of AI-based cybersecurity goes well beyond securing individual devices or browsing online in safety.
Especially worth considering for owners of smart homes are AI-powered routers and firewalls which, Fast Company reports, improve overall network security, protecting “home networks from unauthorized access and cyberthreats.”
Future of Home Security with AI
AI-powered video surveillance and antivirus solutions are improving (indeed, continuously improving) detection methods.
But AI has only just begun to make an impact on the home security market and near future developments promise more advanced and efficient technologies, better integrations with other smart home devices and systems, and greater personalization.
Advanced technologies and seamless integration
For example, Gupta writes, future smart locks will not only become more reliable “with improved connectivity and better battery life,” AI integration will facilitate the incorporation of advanced biometric features such as facial recognition technology and fingerprint scanning which “will make it harder for unauthorised [sic] individuals to gain access to your home.”
Additionally, Gupta predicts, as technology advances, we will see increasing compatibility among smart home technologies leading to better “integration between security systems and other devices.” For example, Gupta writes, “[I]f a smart security system detects a security threat, it could trigger other devices such as smart lights, speakers, or cameras to help prevent the intrusion. This not only helps deter intruders but can also alert neighbours [sic] and authorities to the potential danger.”
As smart home devices will become more compatible with one another, this will provide a more “comprehensive security solution” and make “it easier for homeowners to manage their smart home security systems,” Gupta predicts.
Expediting innovation and improving personalization
In an October 2023 article, “Safe as smart houses: How smart homes could lead the way in home security in the future,” published by UK-based online residential technology magazine HiddenWires, author Stuart Pritchard explored “the transformative potential of IoT and AI in home security” pointing to AI’s emerging impact on home security system development and personalization.
AI is being used as a development tool and is itself “helping security hardware manufacturers develop sophisticated algorithms that impact how a system will detect and respond to evolving threats,” writes Pritchard.
Quoting Jan Kapicka of LTE and IP intercom developer 2N, Pritchard continues, “‘We expect AI tools to speed up the product development process – so therefore accelerate the innovation cycle.’”
As with other smart home technologies, AI is also integral to providing a “more personalised [sic] security experience,” Pritchard observes. AI enabled video surveillance is moving beyond determining if an object is human to identifying specific individuals and determining if that particular human is authorized to be on your property.
In addition to personalizing home security to reflect the unique concerns of individual homeowners, AI-enabled home security systems will also facilitate personalization by adapting to changes in homeowner’s needs and behaviors, Pritchard writes.
Edge AI
Perhaps the most significant near-term impact of AI in home security will come in the form of edge AI.
Edge AI combines edge computing and artificial intelligence to execute machine learning tasks directly on IoT devices and sensors. This facilitates the analyzing and processing of data within milliseconds.
“With applications spanning across social media, email, video communication, streaming media, and AI chatbots, the profound influence of cloud-based AI is undeniable,” writes Danya Golan in a February 2024 article, “How Edge AI is Making Security Cameras and Systems Smarter,” published by Residential Tech Today. However, writes Golan within the home security market, “critical inefficiencies within cloud-based AI” are becoming apparent.
These inefficiencies can be overcome with the faster response times and real-time feedback provided by edge AI.
In video surveillance, for example, edge AI serves two main purposes: rapid decision-making and intelligent data processing. Upon detecting suspicious activity, an edge AI security camera can instantly send alerts or trigger security measures. Edge AI video surveillance devices also offer solutions for intelligently processing data for future analysis.
Edge AI can also be implemented in smart home surveillance systems in a couple ways. One approach is to integrate AI vision processors directly into cameras and sensors. The other is to incorporate AI accelerators and processors into gateway systems – like video management systems or network video recorders – which can then take “video streams from regular IP cameras and apply AI algorithms for image enhancement, detection, and identification.”
Either way, by “[m]oving AI to the edge of home security” homeowners can sidestep the “need to send video data to cloud servers for processing” writes Golan, enhancing the “efficiency and responsiveness” of home security systems.
Moreover, AI processors execute AI algorithms faster and with less power, which is crucial when setting up cameras across a home and property.
Whether it’s immediate detection of suspicious activities or smart processing of accumulated data, edge AI is pivotal in the continuous development of advanced and responsive home security solutions.
DIY smart home security versus smart-home integrator
It is certainly possible to DIY the installation of individual smart security devices such as surveillance cameras and video doorbells.
If you are patient and handy, you may even be able to buy an assortment of smart components and piece them together into a whole house security system.
“Buy a smart-home ‘hub’ for a couple hundred dollars, invest in some smart components, and piece together a system on your own,” writes Ted Cushman addressing the broader aspects of DIY smart home system installation in his April/May 2022 article, “What Is a Smart-Home Integrator?” in Fine Homebuilding.
For example, the 4th generation Amazon Echo, a smart speaker with a built-in hub, can be used to control home security devices. Alexa voice commands can control devices including Amazon’s own Alexa Guard security service and a long list of other smart security devices, including Ring or Blink video doorbells, compatible security cameras, smart locks, and even whole-home security systems. When enabled, Alexa Guard can send you notifications if your Echo detects certain sounds like smoke alarms or breaking glass.
DIYing your home security system can entail certain challenges.
Incompatibilities between device platforms remain a frustrating problem. Be careful to choose devices that are compatible with your hub and/or which are based on open standards which allow them to be easily integrated. [INTERNAL LINK]
Also, “[u]nlike a professionally installed system,” Cushman cautions, “a DIY smart home will rely exclusively on wireless connectivity,” which, as we all know, is not always reliable. WiFi has range, speed, and bandwidth limitations, can be subject to interference from structures as well as other devices, and, because communication is done through open space, is vulnerable to unauthorized access if proper security measures are not in place.
If you have the budget, a smart-home integrator can provide you with a smart security system that “just works,” Cushman writes.
“Smart-home integrators take on the task of building a smart-home system that can meet a homeowner’s expectations for technology that works reliably, without the continual need for tweaking. Just as you hire an electrician to wire your homes, or an HVAC technician to design and install heating and cooling systems, you can hire an integrator to design and install the smart-home systems that take a house to the next level of technology.”
One benefit of contracting with a professional integrator is the ongoing service they offer to homeowners, Cushman writes, educating “consumers about how to operate their homes” and making “adjustments after homeowners have lived in their homes for a while.”
Another benefit lies in the system itself.
“When it comes to security and surveillance, there are a lot of wireless solutions on the market,” Cushman writes. But while “in theory, everything in a smart home could run wirelessly” a smart security system designed by a smart home integrator will include substantial hardwiring including hardwiring of surveillance cameras and control keypads.
Quoting Scott Newnam of North Carolina-based Audio Advice, Cushman writes, “‘I know a lot of people say, “Oh, wireless is great, you can do anything wireless.”‘” But when it comes to “‘mission-critical functions of a home,'” Newnam asserts, “‘we essentially wire everything.'”
A fully integrated smart home security system seamlessly ties together “surveillance cameras, video doorbells, motion sensors, door and window sensors, internal lights, external security lights, smoke detectors, voice assistants and even the door locks themselves,” writes HiddenWires author Pritchard, and also integrates them with other smart home devices and systems.
But understand that smart home integration is a project that ideally takes place during the building of a home or, at the least, must be considered as a substantial home renovation project, one that comes with a “hefty price tag,” Cushman writes.
Conclusion
AI is poised to have a massive impact on smart home technology and has much to contribute when it comes to shaping the future of smart home security.
Old analogue technologies simply cannot compete.
With manufacturers striving to integrate AI more deeply, smart home security systems will only get smarter evolving over time into all-encompassing home security systems that ensure faster, better decision-making, limit false alarms, grow with homeowners over time, and provide peace of mind that their property is well protected.
K. ("Kristen") Powell is a technical writer and ghost writer for a firm that represents advanced degree STEM professionals, many of whom work on the cutting edge of AI and robotics. While fascinated by the research and the high-tech innovations she learns about through her professional life, in her personal life Kristen seeks simplicity and a welcoming and uncluttered home.