A couple of years ago, I was opportune to move around the enormous show surfaces at the International CES. As for me, it changed the way I view a trade show and the way to approach it – especially ISC West that can be referred to as the security industries nearest facsimile (and it does not even look the same).

My personal take-away from the CES show was actually how it truly grants our sector the view into its future. There a great deal of products and inventions which are created for entertainment and lifestyle; but, a great chunk of the technologies, even the ones for entertainment, are seeking for more attention in the security space.

In the remaining part of this article, we will discuss more on what to expect for security on 2017.

Smart Home

Vivint, Honeywell, ADT and other leading security service vendors have discovered a unique location at CES around the smart home/technology space. In the near future, everything that can likely be smart in our homes will certainly be connected – this past year at CES, smart stoves and fridges; from smart ceiling fans to frying pans and everywhere in between where covered.

Vivint, in fact, revealed full consolidation with the Amazon Echo platform at CES 2016. It offered customers with maximum voice control over all smart components in their homes. There were instructions like “Alexa, turn on my lights…Alexa, make it much warmer in here. Sure, you got the idea.

Alexa (and her competing cousin Siri), in fact, were all present at the last year’s show, as businesses scrambled to make their technical products work with voice control. Definitely, this is a harbinger of better introduction in the security industry – from smart home clients to small and large organizations.

Smart businesses in our sector are introducing the DIY process and consumer tech as much as possible. ADT, on the other part, collaborated with LG to create the LG Smart Security Solution – a connected cam with a 152-degree field of view packed alongside with a smart home hub, environmental monitor and siren. ADT furthermore declared that it would definitely help professional central tracking for the device via its new Canopy service, which was created to provide support to the central monitoring for a range of DIY smart home devices and hubs.

Video Development & Digital Reality

It appears like a distant memory amongst the frequent guests of CES, however 4K video and display, and H.265 had been once referred to “the thing” on the show floor. Everyone is aware of how those systems are infiltrating the security business at this very moment.

In 2016, “the thing” in the video area really mirrored the security industry and came up with the 360-degree video. Nikon revealed a shock-resistant and waterproof personalized camera (also a GoPro competitor) that could possibly shoot 4K ultra high definition (UHD) video with a 360-degree field of view and electronic image stabilization.

Numerous DIY home security cameras were on display, and one in particular that captured many attention was on the zmodo’s pivoting security camera – It uses a 360-degree motion sensor to equip it to identify motion in a whole room and subsequently make the camera to record it. This is a good technology that would definitely make sense in the commercial security space!

Some other fascinating tidbits involved: The Toucan from Kuna, which changes a current light fixture into one geared up with a security camera and motion sensor; and the Netatmo position home security camera, which also includes the type of video analytics in professional security – uncovering the distinction between cars, people and animals.

VR and its cousin, augmented reality, are exclusively for the participants of video games only, right? Wrong! Numerous learned person described CES 2016 as the season of VR, and it’s applications stretch far beyond your kid’s xbox 360. Here’s a very good illustration: Intel’s Daqri smart helmet is meant for real-life work scenarios in which individuals need to keep their hands free in order to carry out an installation, repair, and etc. Consider your security specialist on a ladder wearing this helmet – his or her hands would definitely be free to set up the camera whilst aguide or an owner’s manual or schematic hovers is in the virtual space close to it.

The VR is also being utilized for system design and execution; in fact, one such system was showcase at ASIS this year.

Prepare for the Tour

CES usually takes places January, so indeed there is however some time to consider it on your schedule. If you own or you are in charge of a security services company, it would be a good idea to take a day or two and head to Vegas, be rest assured, you will not be disappointed (consider it a perk of upper management).

For anyone reading this who are unable to spare some time or able to cover up the expense, you will need to follow the trends and study as much as you can in order to have an understand of the technologies that are right about the corner in the markets you operate.