The Complete Guide to AI Home Security

You should feel relaxed at night and confident about the security of your property when you're at work. However, it's during these times when you're not paying attention that your property is most at risk. Modern home security systems are becoming more effective at picking up the slack using artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is a rapidly advancing field of technology in which machines collect data, analyze patterns of interest as defined by humans, and provide some kind of feedback that can be used. Although many of these technologies are just now becoming mainstream, there have been uses for this technology in home security and automation for a while, each of which helps create a more effective defense against intrusion and harm.

How is AI used in home security?

Home Automation

One common application is home automation. The history of home automation is recent, as computing technology would first require the ability to communicate effectively between remote devices. This aspect includes using a device such as a smartphone to control smart home devices such as a thermostat, lights, locks, and switches.

To further leverage automation, these can be programmed ahead of time to follow a schedule to respond to a specific trigger. For example, smart lights can be used on the patio to illuminate your entryway at the approach of a person or detection of motion through a security camera.

Another application is for thermostat control that adjusts based on rules such as time of day, occupancy of the property, or your proximity to your home based on a registered smartphone with GPS enabled. There are other uses for proximity control, and this is commonly referred to as geo-fencing. It usually involves selecting an area on a map around your home, and programming actions based on when you enter or exit this area. Another common usage is enabling arming reminders when you exit your predefined area while leaving your home security alarm unarmed.

Voice Commands

Having the ability to speak to a Voice Assistant, such as Amazon Alexa, and prompting your home security system to take specific actions, uses artificial intelligence to translate your voice into digital commands. This is referred to as natural language processing.

Voice Assistants are usually cloud-based, meaning you can access them anywhere with an internet connection. This allows you to pair it with your smartphone to control your home and your security system remotely.

Video Analytics

Home security cameras use video analytics to greatly improve upon the classic motion detectors connected to flood lights. The advantage that cameras with video analytics have include being set up to use video processing to trigger only when relevant motion is detected, such as people, animals, or vehicles moving within a specified part of your property.

When the motion of trees in the wind and other irrelevant triggers can be omitted, this can greatly reduce the likelihood of a false alert. Rules and automation can also be put in place to record activity for a certain duration or activate patio lights if people approach the front door at night.

Benefits of AI in Home Security

Schedule Your Security System

Depending on your home security system and how it is set up with your professional monitoring company, AI can help keep the correct time on your security panel based on the time zone of your zip code. This can help ensure that event logs are properly recorded, arming schedules are executed correctly, and home automation equipment can follow a routine that can help you stay comfortable and potentially save you on energy costs.

Customization

With the power of AI, you can customize how your home responds to preset settings, activating or adjusting multiple devices at once. By integrating all compatible devices into one interface that shares your security system controls, you can set scenes that can be used for about any occasion, such as turning down lights and locking doors for a movie night.

Chatbot Assistant

One of the more recent advancements involves chatbots that can interpret and convey natural language. Brinks Home™ uses its Help Center Assistant to isolate technical issues and supply clear steps to resolve the issue from its technical support database. This feature is still an evolving work in progress, but the leap in capabilities is significant.

The Future of AI Home Security Systems

It can be hard to predict the direction and speed in which AI will advance as it relates to home security, but each of the areas described above will likely see implemental improvements in terms of system learning, interpretation of threat detection, and more intuitive ways for customers to interact with their system.

AI primarily helps to improve the way machines communicate with people, potentially increasing the efficiency of how your home security system works. This can also pair nicely with a company that offers professional monitoring and contacts emergency services if your AI-enabled system detects a legitimate threat. As with many ever-changing technologies, choosing equipment that’s best for you and your family is like hitting a moving target. Contact Brinks Home today for a customized approach to designing your perfect smart home security system.