Doors with “voice messaging” that open by themselves: “low cost” technology to prevent theft at home | Your technology | The country

“There is no one at home at the moment, but leave your message and we will respond as soon as possible.” This automated phrase is what you’d expect to hear when the voicemail rings on the recipient’s mobile or landline, but in this case it’s a door (or, to be more precise , from a video camera placed on it). the one who answers. The overused connected home This has been a reality for many years now, but certain technological solutions that make it up make it possible to increase the security of homes at a very moderate cost and without the need for subscriptions.

Camcorders with “voicemail”

The benefits of installing a video camera at the front door are obvious: studies show that can reduce the number of flights due to its deterrent effect and facilitate the delivery of packages if no one is at home (the courier may be asked to leave the package on the carpet). However, many of these cameras pose a serious privacy issue because they send the recordings to a remote server and that’s where the alarms are triggered. The manufacturers confirm that the records they travel encrypted and no one, except the owner, can access it, but “if you have lost the password, forget the recordings”, confirms to EL PAÍS Dave Ward, executive director of Ring for Europe, and he does in reference to the material impossibility of accessing a recording which circulates end-to-end encrypted. Even the company’s employees can’t do it. In the latest update of the company’s cameras, a “voicemail” has been integrated, which automatically responds if the call to the door is not answered.

No-cost smart alarm systems

There is no doubt that in addition to a video surveillance system, the installation of an alarm can be a real deterrent in terms of theft prevention. The connected alarms alert the alarm center of a possible intrusion and it contacts the owner and, if necessary, the police. This protection is provided via a monthly fee and the rental of equipment that does not belong to the owner. These two realities make you think a lot before subscribing to an additional service.

However, there are a considerable number of alarm systems on the market which do not require connection to a central unit (and therefore a subscription), and which offer more functionality to their owner. What happens in the event of an intrusion with these alarm systems? The user will receive a notification on their mobile phone, while a siren will sound, and will be able to access live images of what is happening from their phone. From that moment on, it will be up to him to contact the police or a neighbor, and in any case, the recordings will be available to serve as evidence later. The offer on the market is varied, but the models most appreciated by customers on Amazon are, among others, TecPeak kit, Ring And Blaupunkt.

Doors that open by themselves, or the advantage of leaving without keys

We have the TV connected to the router, also the camcorder and even the alarm… Why not the lock? The principle couldn’t be simpler: make the cell phone your own key to your home and allow you to leave your home without a key ring. You might think that this could be risky if the cell phone is lost or stolen, but the truth is that major locks rely on the biometrics of the phones to grant access. In other words, it is necessary to place the fingerprint on the sensor or the face on the devices allowing face unlocking.

Connected locks, called smart lock— facilitate use clever similarly: you can open a lock remotely (if, for example, a family member has left the keys), or have the door opened automatically, by proximity, when you come home, for example, with bags of races. Being a connected device, these locks can connect to smart speakers and open (or lock) a lock by voice; Likewise, with just a few clicks on a smart watch. In terms of security, these smart locks close the bolts in the same way as you would with the key; It only replaces the rotation with a motor and it is this to which the “intelligence” is applied. The most popular are Nuki Smart Lock, Lockin Yale, Linus smart lock.

Light bulbs to simulate presence at home

Another device that helps improve home security and at a minimum price is smart lighting. The principle is very simple: turn on the lights remotely (or randomly), simulating that the house is occupied in our absence. Smart bulbs contribute to theft prevention, mainly by simulating presence and improving lighting, because when they can be programmed, they make the house appear inhabited, thus deterring potential thieves. The other advantage of these devices is that, when integrated with other home automation systems, they can be activated in certain patterns (for example, at sunset), or randomly.

But its strong point is undoubtedly its low unit cost and the simplicity of its configuration. They use the same socket as traditional bulbs, so just follow the instructions in the manufacturer’s application. The main brands have random or programmable lighting modes, in order to simulate the presence of someone in the house even if it is empty. Among the most popular brands on the market, we find the range Philips HueTHE TP-Link TAPO and the BEFORE.

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