Not the Typical Home Guard Dog

Not the Typical Home Guard Dog

When I hear the term “guard dog,” I tend to think of a drooling Doberman, smacking his lips, ready to charge anyone that comes near someone or a piece of property. However, in the security industry, innovators are taking “guard dogs” to new extremes.

Startup company iSmart Alarm has developed a prototype system that will bring intelligent, home security straight to your iPhone. The system is comprised of several parts that all work together and can be jigsaw puzzled together into a configuration that works best for any situation. The parts consist of cameras, motion sensors, contact sensors for windows and doors, as well as a remote tag for tracking kids and pets. CubeOne is the brains of the system that plugs into an outlet and connects to a router. And, perhaps the best part, because the system is so streamlined, it is highly-portable, making it a functional option for everyone.

The fun news? The iSmart Alarm app enables the user to arm and disarm the system, view live video, receive photos from the camera and follow the locations of the remote tags.

The not-so-fun news? Because the system is just a prototype, it is not yet available for purchase. Until then, enjoy the video below that explains and demonstrates the iSmart Alarm system.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

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