In a report done by Design Buzz, there were no less than 10 unique robot designs reported on that each held different, unique features capable of different forms of security systems surveillance and home security features to protect, monitor and serve a household.

The first design, Spy-Cye Home Surveillance Robot, features a wireless digital camera that monitors your entire house utilizing a computer connected to the Internet. You can hear and see what’s happening in your home while you are gone.

Next on the list is Rovio, an Internet-enabled mobile robot featuring a webcam to help you monitor your home and receive a video and picture feed no matter where you are located in the world. A speaker and microphone allows it to interact one-on-one with subjects, and it rolls around on the ground with its three wheels.

Third is a robot called Spykee, a home security robot controlled with an Internet connection. Simply install software into your PC and command the robot with a security device, while audio and video from the robot gets sent back to your PC. It will email you when it thinks anything suspicious is lurking. A digital music player and auto-park recharging system are bonus features of the Spykee.

Fourth is Sentrybot (pictured above), created by Omni Consumer Products and put into a product by Security Concepts. It’s a robot that can do more than survey your home; it will actually cripple a trespasser, too! Your home stays safe and sound with this robot aka plasma weapon.

Fifth is the Maron-1, an Internet enabling home security device robot. It can be controlled straight from your phone and works not only as a cellular security device, but as a wireless phone. It can transmit video from it’s camera eyeball to a feed on your phone.

Sixth, the Sniffer Robot is quite the advancement in robot technology. Also called Banryu or guard-dragon, the Sniffer Robot is a tiny robot with the ability to capture smell from any crime scene. With an on-board odor and smell detector sensor, it can sense particular odors with great accuracy. It can even detect fires.

These aren’t all the robots out there, but you get an idea of what’s lurking from this list.

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High Tech Tronics, a electronic communications systems that designs and installs more than $7 million worth in electronic communications every year, was right in the path of the tornado that hit Oklahoma and devastated an entire suburb on Monday, May 20th. Based in Oklahoma, High Tech Tronics is a PSA security systems operator and integrator. Offering systems that include Cellular security systems and wireless availability features for security, they are a well-beloved provider in their locations.

An employee of the company lost his home, but no lives were lost in the devastation the tornado left behind. Four employees of the headquartered company lived centrally in the tornado’s location, but only the one employee lost everything. CEO Mark Bradley told the story of the employee’s bravery with emotion, to listeners in the media. The very man that lost his entire home was instrumental in saving a child’s life.

“We have four employees who live in Moore, but one gentleman lost everything,”

Bradley said. He also went on to describe the bravery of the employee:

“This employee put his company hard hat on his young child, [put the child in his car and] outran the tornado in his car. When the employee returned to his house, it was flattened, and his High Tech Tronics company truck was sitting in what was formerly his living room.”

A few other employees of the company had relatives who lost their homes; but the brave gentleman who saved a child he didn’t even know was the only employee to suffer the loss of his home and vehicles.

The High Tech Tronics company implements security systems for the Moore hospital, which was almost flattened post-tornado. High Tech Tronics was also responsible for some security implementations in the schools also devastated by the tornado. The CEO reported that the Internet was the first thing to go down when the tornado hit, which their systems significantly rely on. The systems that were actually installed by the provider within hospitals and schools in the locations were dependent on the Web, centrally controlled within the administration’s building. The only significant variance was that each system was able to be controlled independently, an important factor if the entire system was compromised.

Over the rest of the week, the company CEO has told listeners that he’s far more concerned about tornado shelter than security systems. He said his company may actually be considering the importance of building storm shelters for children, which to him matter as much as a school security system. It might be implemented in his OK office right away. We don’t blame him.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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Recently, though, Alarm.com filed a lawsuit against Telular Corporation, event monitoring and wireless security and access solution provider, for stealing intellectual property. The claim that Alarm.com made was that Telular was using Alarm.com’s patent-producted services as well as products without permission, and featuring these products as their own. Some of these include the best home security systems offered by the offending provider.

Interestingly, Alarm.com is saying that two of Telular’s most popular products, Telguard Interactive and Telguard, are an infringement of Alarm.com’s technology and innovation.

Of course, it must be kept in mind that the basis of Alarm.com’s serious claim is that their cloud-based security is patent-protected. No one else is allowed to use their patent-producted innovative creations, which are defined as offering product users a capability to receive alarm system alerts wirelessly and for monitoring their property using their mobile phone.

On that basis, can it be said that every modem device maker infringes on the original rights of the first provider of modems? A feature or innovative advance in product feature science is not patented and held exclusively by one company.

Or is it? Digging a little deeper, it looks like there might be some competition between the companies. (Interestingly, Alarm.com doesn’t even own their products in the 2Gig Technology lineup, that had them so disturbed about Telular—Nortek subsidiary Linear now owns them.)

What set the lawsuit going was that a Telular employee accessed an Alarm.com private account and published footage from a video showing the services and products of the competing website under the name Telular.

Telular apparently released shortly thereafter Telguard Interactive, its own Internet-based monitoring service, which included the release of mobile apps for iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices. Then came the announcement on April 10, 2013, about the new Telguard HomeControl service powered by iControl Networks, Inc. – the same company powering security and home automation interactivity for ADT Pulse, Comcast/Xfinity, Cox, Time Warner Cable and other mass marketers (iControl is not mentioned in the suit). The HomeControl solution is implemented in 2Gig by adding a special radio to the alarm panel for cellular communications to and from the iControl backend – the way Alarm.com and 2Gig do it today.

The senior VP of Alarm.com, recently contacted by the media, is not offering comments on the matter other than his public statement backing the lawsuit recently filed by the company.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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Analyzing an industry that is currently over $83.1 billion in net worth, the world security industry is certainly on the growth. The forecasted growth spans many home security systems and products, including security equipment like home alarms, video surveillance, and access control, as well as large-scale, corporate use security products for government and industrial. The Freedonia Group studied statistics in over 18 countries and included market factors like the market environments, details of today’s forecasted industry structure, different company market shares, and more. The study source also profiled no less than 40 market leaders including Tyco International and United Technologies.

“Demand will be driven by the ongoing improvements in design that give electronic systems greater functionality, while also making them increasingly user-friendly and cost-effective,” the report stated. “Not only will these improvements help boost market penetration, they will also spur a strong replacement and upgrade market.”

It seems like more and more homeowners are cracking down on finding the best security systems. Locating the best home security systems isn’t as hard as it used to be, with the progression of alarm systems that can be easily tailored for home use, and the wide array of products to choose from in any pricing range and with all kinds of features to pick.

Interestingly, in the study done by the market researcher, the market locations where the security equipment rise will be South Africa, China, Turkey and India. Each of these top locations is predicted to grow more than 9% annually throughout 2016 in their specific areas alone. A rapid successive growth in a gross amount of domestic product is suggested to be the main reason for the gains in these locations. Two other factors to consider would be urban population, and construction activity amounts. In North America, the demand will be expected to rise at 6.5%, supported by a predicted economic rebound in the US. Interestingly, security equipment in Mexico has a higher than usual demand rate.

Some analysts involved in the Freedonia report have said that although crime rates are lower in many areas of the country, the media hasn’t predicted crime as falling, and this can have an impact to encourage the purchase of home security systems and security equipment overall. Also, in many security product markets, the most competitive products are predicted to have many features that include alarm capabilities.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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So your power goes out. There’s a big storm and the entire block is down, what do you do? What if a burglar cuts your power or phone lines. Is there anyway for you to be protected and contact the right people? The answer is not in a conventional security system. You need a cellular security system in order to be prepared for situations like this. A cellular security system which is also a wireless security system is your best option and here’s why: Cellular security systems do not use conventional phone lines or broadband to contact the security system company. You are able to contact in case of an emergency 24/7- despite the status of your electricity or phone. A wireless security system is charged by batteries, which last a very long time. You are not reliant on external batteries to keep the alarm system going.

The best kind of alarm systems to buy during a power outage are the ones with built in batteries. Many of the best security systems offer a battery backup as part of a standard packages. For example, ADT usually offers battery backup systems within their security systems which will work for 24 hours after the power has gone out. In general, this will get most homeowners through a power failure with ease.

You don’t need to feel unprotected during a power outage. One of the most important steps past the security system with cellular monitoring, wireless technology or backup batteries, we recomend getting some floodlights to brighten up the interior of your home. Floodlights or battery powered lanterns generally do the trick. By keeping the interior of your home lit, you are telling any unwanted guests that you are still home. Most burglars do not make the effort to break into a home that is currently occupied.

Well there you have it, whether it’s a storm or a drunk driver drove into a telephone pole, every home is susceptible to a power outage. There are a variety of ways to mediate the situation and we’ve given you a few ideas for the next outage that might come your way.

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You never know.

Well, Robert does. Robert Oschler, Robotic Telepresence Developer Enthusiast and native Idaho resident, is a unique genius that spends his days developing his own software on a small-scale that could change the world, if it ever went large scale. Robert is a programmer, and in recent months, came up with a unique way for homeowners to incorporate security systems that are one-of-a-kind.

What’s better, Robert has used his own invention to replace his house watchdog, and will never own another pet.

“I don’t have any pets. I just have pet robots, and they’re pretty well behaved,” Mr. Oschler said. “Fortunately I’ve never logged in and seen a human face.”

His goal in his home security inventions?

“One of the goals is to create something that the consumer can enjoy without pricing it at $5,000 or $10,000 with military-grade technology,” Mr. Redmer said.

Home security could be the category that this “mad genius” is targeting to change the world—and if anything, his eccentric inventions are fun to learn about. His home security system inventions include a tiny robot on a platform with a camera and mic. Robert has developed the robot to respond to a Wi-Fi signal and zip across the room, returning a video signal, at Robert’s prompting. If that’s not interesting enough, you have yet to read about how Robert actually controls it. The little robot is controlled by a headset (yes, it actually sits on Robert’s head), that uses subtle brain electrical activity to control its own movements and response. By tilting his head, Robert can control the robot’s direction in movements. In a weird way, it’s reminiscent of the Matrix.

Available for under $200 to the homeowner, the robot is a home security solution ready-to-go (ready, set, go Fido!) off the shelf after a software and computer installation.

Robert’s idea, while certainly a child of his own genius, is not exclusive to his touch alone. Sometimes called guard-bots, the ingenious robot inventions have been recreated in different versions across the globe. An Illinois community manager owns toy robots that he has used for his website. Another hobbyist living in China owns a guard-bot that can actually detect fire and utilize a small fire extinguisher when necessary. A few others have even added nightlights to their guard-bots to make it a home security night guard. One of them has even gone so far as to create a flying robot, priced on the market at $300.

Robert said that the robot creations will even go further in the near future.

“Not all of the innovation is attached to something that moves. Several companies are matching sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms with video cameras. These systems monitor the video feed and sound alarms when objects of a certain shape appear,” he says.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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The devastating tornado that spanned over two miles in one twisting leap killed dozens of people, with the death toll around 51 at the end of the day, and more deaths expected to be counted over the next few days after the rubble was searched for survivors and bodies. Staying on the ground for a solid forty minutes and ravaging over 20 miles of ground, Monday’s tornado was massive on many counts and left a lot of grief in its wake.

So, it was a bright spot to locals when the Oklahoma City Central Security Group office remained standing and intact, without a single damage to its location. Although the home of the branch manager’s daughter and one of the representatives wasn’t spared, the office location stood strong amidst the rubble in the area.

Evacuated before the storm hit, the OK city office wasn’t expected to remain standing after the twister died down. No one who worked at the office was hurt, and evacuated safely before the storm hit. The company president suffered the loss of his home which was leveled in the storm, but no lives involved in the company were lost, according to reports.

Albers said CSG has more than 2,000 accounts in Moore, Shawnee and Newcastle, but stated:

“We’re not sure how many were hit at this point.”

Moore and Newcastle were in the 20-mile path of destruction on Monday, while Shawnee was hit by a separate tornado on Sunday.

“Experience with tornadoes in years past will help CSG handle the aftermath this time,” Albers said.

“We’ve done this before,” he said. “I actually just got off the phone with the office in Tulsa to make sure we’re bending over backward to make sure customers know we’re going to do everything we can for them from a security standpoint. Contractually, we can put their accounts on hold. For a lot of people, it will take six months or a year to rebuild, and we’ll just work with them to make sure they get what they need.”

Throughout the aftermath of the tornado, many stories of bravery were accounted on the parts of local school teachers and help that arrived from various sources. The wife of a CSG employee, who was a school teacher at one of the schools hit in the location by the tornado, suffered only a slight injury. Since most of the other employees were out of town, including the immediate relatives of the President, no one else was hurt.

The company is still contacting all of its dealers in the immediate locations, but it looks like none of its locations have suffered any damage although standing right in the path of Monday’s storm. It sure is a bright spot in the middle of all the tragedy.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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We wanted to continue our discussion today with some more tips on how to best use your home security system. Many people purchase and install their system but don’t get to know everything it can actually do. Yesterday we covered arming, disarming and how to call or help on a disarmed system. Today we are going to cover how to set up a silent alarm and how to arm individual sensors in a home. Both tips have a use in the right situation, so take note.

We also want you to learn how to use the home automation features in your security system. Most home security systems have these kinds of features and they can really save you money down the road. This means you can access your home from afar and arm/disarm the alarm. You can also turn lights off or lower a thermostat. Some security systems, like Vivint, have their own app for a smart phone. There are other apps out there that mesh completely with security systems on the market. These allow you to save money down the road on your electricity bill. Doing it is really simple, and very self explanatory. You just need to install the proper home security system app on your phone or tablet and you should be good to go in the home automation department.

The last thing we want you to cover should be taken into consideration if you have purchased a DIY security system. You are are installing a security system yourself, please take some time researching where you should put your sensors. Most home burglaries occur through doors, so we obviously recommend getting door sensors for every door in your home. While you can’t have the motion detectors on while you are home, you can certainly activate your door sensors. It’s a great way to protect your home and your family from outside intruders. You just need to remember that in order to make your home security system the most effective as possible, you should put sensors on every door.

Hopefully this answers a few questions you have about how to use your home security system. These tips should help to make your home safer ad your life easier down the road.

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The tip sheet offers ten essential and low-cost tips that anyone can use in order to keep their family and home protected, whether they are home or on vacation.

“Burglaries can happen at any time to virtually anyone, so it’s important to take measures to keep yourself and your belongings safe,”

ObservEye Marketing Director Joel Kraus said.

ObservEye’s tip sheet does not settle for repeating the same common-sense advice all of us are familiar with: keep a spare key at hand and don’t forget to lock your doors. Instead, the company offers affordable tips that get overlooked most of the time.

For instance, one tip advises home owners to always maintain a “walked on” appearance on their property. If the owners are on vacation, they can ask the neighbor who picks up their mail to leave behind some evidence of their presence such as leaving mud prints leading to the door or parking their vehicle in your driveway.

Other anti-burglary tips recommend sleeping with a panic button, placing thorny plants on the property, paying attention to the neighborhood and advertizing that the home is protected by a security system. Home owners should also try to get a free home security survey from the local police.

An important piece of advice is to always make sure you choose your alarm system wisely. According to ObservEye.com, it is always better that home owners install their own security systems. But if they are unable to do this, it is recommended they get at least three references before allowing any security system provider to develop and install an alarm system on their property.

The last tip of the ten is to install a home security camera. ObservEye.com says that a wireless IP camera, such as the $100 Foscam, allows users to monitor their home from anywhere, as long as they have an Internet connection. A well-placed camera can alert home owners of potential threats while permitting them to remotely monitor their property or loved ones.

ObservEye says the tips will go a long way to increase home security if enforced correctly, but they are not enough and should be complementary to an already installed video surveillance system. No security measure should be overlooked, given the increase in burglary rates between January and June 2012, as revealed by an FBI report. During that period, burglary rates grew for the first time after three years of decline and the trend is likely to continue this year as well.

“This tip sheet will provide homeowners and renters with easy and inexpensive things they can do immediately to help prevent a home burglary or invasion. Consider it as an ounce of prevention that could save someone a lot of trouble,”

ObservEye’s Marketing Director explained.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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The home surveillance camera lets users see its video feed on all devices running Skype, whether they’re a tablet, a smartphone or a laptop. The fact that the video is sent via Skype instead of a server makes the SKYCAM a lot easier to install and a more affordable alternative.

Ready to use after a four-step installation process, the camera is also provided with night vision and two-way voice communication features. This latter feature is particularly useful for people who do not know how to use or set up a computer, according to founder and creator Roger Yiu.

“My grandparents don’t know how to set up a computer and establish a connection and all that, but we can talk to each other with a Skype call if SKYCAM is installed in their house,”

Yiu recently told PCWorld.

Another feature that may appeal to people is the fact that the SKYCAM, unlike traditional wireless IP cameras, offers on-board local storage. This means the camera does not store its video on digital recorders, but on memory cards. The 8GB memory cards are located within the cameras and can store up to 4 days of recordings at the highest resolution.

As for recent criticism of IP cameras being too easy to hack into, Yiu believes his product is a lot harder to hijack than the regular wireless IP video surveillance technology, precisely due to the fact that it uses Skype to communicate and send its feed to users.

“If people can hack Skype, then they can hack SKYCAM. But Skype is a really secure service,”

The SKYCAM founder believes his camera will be mostly used by people who want to monitor their business or their home while they’re away, and those who want to keep an eye on their children or pets. By simply running Skype on their mobile devices while they’re at work or traveling, users can instantly connect to their home and get real-time updates of their property’s security situation.

“SKYCAM takes some of the best aspects of other IP cameras on the market. Then combines them into one affordable high-quality real-time simple solution. Plus, by being the only IP camera that operates through Skype, SKYCAM is in a league of its own,”

The surveillance camera is currently priced at less than $100, but it is yet unclear when it will move into production. Yiu is currently running a crowdfunded campaign for the project on Indiegogo, where it is still pretty far from reaching its $50,000 goal. With only a little over a week to go, the SKYCAM has raised only $4,883.

Tim Eveler

Author & Public Relations – Tim has been working in sales for the home security system industry over twelve years. He’s held positions at large home security companies and in charge of working with the team to create our security system reviews.



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