Tag: security

Categories
Sensors/IoT

A tiny motion sensor, CoinGuard alerts you to mysterious movements

We all have those things that we want to keep protected from the sticky fingers and greedy curious hands of burglars, children, or even just friends and family. Aside from setting up bullet-proof cases with laser trip alarms, how can these items be protected? CoinGuard is a simple and small security system that can be laid atop any item and serve as a watchdog. If the CoinGuard is moved, it triggers the motion sensor and sends a notifcation to the user’s phone, letting them know that their item is being tampered with.

CoinGuard does this through a nearby hub that syncs up to sensors and connects to the Internet through ethernet. The system allows for some peace of mind if items are being tampered with, but this comes with one key drawback. The CoinGuard has no way of reporting who is touching the protected items, and lacks the visual recognition to deter someone who doesn’t know what CoinGuard is. So if one is away from home and their valuables are being taken, the best they can do is try and call someone to respond in time when an alert has been sent. Pilot Labs is raising $100,000 through Kickstarter, and will set backers back $45 in December.

Categories
Tech Accessories Wearables

EveryKey looks like Jawbone UP, logs you in or out

We’re constantly faced with the reality that our personal or intellectual property can be stolen at any time. That’s why we walk around with tons of keys in our pockets and passwords in our heads to avoid just that. EveryKey works to consolidate all of that into one neat package that you can wear on your wrist. The silicon band uses Bluetooth LE technology to unlock both your physical and digital locks for you. Bikes, apartments, cars and other controlled access devices open up when in range of EveryKey. Similarly, passwords stored on the band allow you to login to your computer, phone or tablet. This smartband uses military-grade encryption so that you’re always protected from hackers. It’s water-resistant and charges via a micro USB port to USB cable. The battery lasts for up to 30 days.

Of course, with any all-encompassing device there’s convenience and risk that it’ll fall into the wrong hands. The folks at EveryKey have addressed this concern by allowing for deactivation of the device online if lost. All locks and passwords are still able to be open with regular keys and codes, adding more convenience if EveryKey is left behind at home or lost. The campaign says that the creators really focused on fashion when creating this product. While it comes in lots of different colors, it’s not the most vogue of devices, but not the clunkiest either. For those who are familiar with the FitBit, EveryKey bears a striking resemblance.

We’ve seen devices with some of these same capabilities like the Skylock which allows for wireless entry into your bike. While this product is limited in its range, only compatible with bikes, it comes with the added perk of letting the user know if their property is being tampered with. Perhaps such a feature would be a great addition to the EveryKey in later models. Still, this product is well thought out and a great addition to the smart security market. Backers can enjoy their own for $50 by March 2015, not a bad price at all. EveryKey is looking to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Home Smart Home

Kuna embeds a smart camera in a porch light to scare off intruders

Home security is a big concern for people worldwide. The old security systems of the 80’s and 90’s rely on off-site, outsourced professionals to contact the authorities and hope for a response in time. This technology needs an upgrade.

Kuna is a combination outdoor light and smart camera that allows owners to get notifications when someone approaches their door and, using the Kuna app, see them, talk with them, or sound an alarm. Disguised as a stylish exterior home light in one of three available styles, Kuna has all the function and convenience of an app-controlled outdoor light.

The fact that Kuna also includes a fully functional security camera with all the bells and whistles is a welcome addition. Operating on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, Kuna is easy to install and easy to use. Kuna is raising $50,000 to complete testing and ship out units. A donation of $149 is all it takes to provide peace of mind with a Kuna.

This isn’t the first smart camera and intercom system that’s been released on the market, but it may be the most multi-functional and most discreet; great for making a home look welcoming poorer for deterring unwanted guests outright.

Categories
Tech Accessories Technology

Mooltipass builds on Arduino to store your passwords

Digital security is a double-edged sword. Making passwords and credentials more complicated and harder to crack means that it becomes more difficult to gain unauthorized access. On the other hand, it also makes those same credentials harder to remember. As a result, too many people use simple passwords or reuse the same passwords across multiple sites and programs.

The Mooltipass goes a step further, preventing the possibility of passwords and credentials being breached using a software-based solution. With three-step authentication, the Mooltipass protects passwords and logins like almost no other solution. First, the physical Mooltipass needs to be connected to the device being used. Second, a smart card with that user’s information needs to be inserted, and, finally, a PIN needs to be entered to authenticate access for that specific card.

The smart card method allows for multiple users to use the same Mooltipass without gaining access to each other’s accounts, and also keeps data and access secure even if the Mooltipass itself is taken. Additionally, the Mooltipass can be customized and used to create a number of different functions using the Arduino platform that can be easily accessed by more advanced users. Mooltipass has a very specific goal to reach of $109,112, mostly to fund production. A Mooltipass with two smartcards will be shipped in March to backers who pledge $140.

The Mooltipass may seem like a lot of extra technology to lug around just to login to email and social media, but those who insist on proper security measures will love the three-step secure hardware-based authentication. Businesses who require strict confidentiality and security will want to get on the ground floor of this product for its security and its flexibility.

Categories
Home

McChi lock slips over deadbolt for more security

Feeling safe while at home and traveling are important for experiencing an enjoyable quality of life. For those times when there is doubt about whether one’s present deadbolt is enough for keeping out intruders, there is McChi. No tools are needed to install it, and it takes about five seconds to attach it to the door. So not only can it be easily used at home, but it can also be used when traveling and staying in a hotel. There are apparently very few compatibility issues here given the fact that it is supposed to fit 90-95% of most household deadbolt locks. While this may not scare off an intruder attempting to come through the door, it at least gives enough time to safely make a 911 call and find a place to hide if necessary. This campaign seeks to raise $7,500 by December 2, 2014. For $35, backers get one product with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Home Smart Home

Moderno Eco-Home takes an ecological spin

With all the devices out there to make your home smarter, it’s about time that these special tools begin to pull more weight. If not, the alternative is a device full of independent devices that all need to be switched on in order to function.

The Moderno HCS1 Home Control System is a simple interface designed to combine three key aspects of the smart home: climate control, irrigation, and home security. With a single touch screen panel that can be mounted inside and access through any smartphone or tablet, the HCS1 is easy to use, adjust, and set up.

These three systems also work in cooperation with each other: for example, the HCS1 uses its security cameras to know when nobody is home and turn off the climate control system to cut down on energy. Moderno Technologies is raising $150,000 to develop, test, and manufacture the product. No reward tiers offer the actual product at this time.

One has to applaud the combination of multiple smart home functions into one device, but the lack of a physical product reaching backers and the lack of further expansion options make this kind of product one that’s better to wait until the market matures.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Smart Home

Rico reuses your older smartphone into a smart home station

Keeping current with the latest smartphones is a battle with many casualties, namely all the old phones that just wind up in a closet or a drawer collecting dust. What if there was still a way to put their processors to use?

Rico is a cute little smart home sensor package that can function basically on its own to do motion detection, smoke monitoring, and controlling devices connected to smart outlets. What makes Rico unique however is that it also serves as a housing for smartphones, that combines the strengths of smartphone hardware with home automation sensors. As a result, this opens up the possibility of having an HD security camera with microphone and speaker connected via 3G and Wifi.

In doing so, Rico pushes two important realities of the modern age: finding a use for devices that are too often simply discarded or forgotten and helping consumers more easily enter the era of the smart home. Rico developers MindHelix, Inc. are trying to raise $100,000 to finish design, testing, and production phases on the project. Interested supporters can grab a Rico for $99, with an estimated delivery in November 2015.

While the individual feature set of the Rico may not be anything groundbreaking, the method that it goes about accomplishing home automation is very clever. It would be nice to see the addition of a smartphone provide more than just audio/video functions and network access, but ideally this will help some consumers save money on home automation.

Categories
Kids/Babies Wearables

Pomb is a wireless panic button for kids

Whether parents want to admit it or not, the world is a different place now. While older generations could play and go on adventures on their own, now a child’s safety is at risk of injury or predators.

The P.O.M.B. (Peace of Mind Bracelet) is a comfortable rubber bracelet that can be worn by a child as a safety measure or panic button. With just a tap, a notification will go to the registered parent’s phone and alert them that their child is having a problem. The fingerprint scanning technology will lock and unlock the device as well as disable the alerts for programmed friendly users. With $10,000, inventor Tasha Ann Dunlap can have her team of engineers finish production on the P.O.M.B. for parents and kids everywhere. At this time, no reward tiers include the finished product.

It may seem like a big responsibility for a child, but kids will quickly feel safer knowing that they can call their parents whenever there’s an emergency. It would be great if backers could get their hands on the first batch, but on a conceptual level it’s hard to argue with the P.O.M.B.’s mission statement.

Categories
Connected Objects Safety

Haven is a brace on Earth to complement your deadbolt

Smart locks may have made a splash and added convenience to many people’s home lives, but the fact still remains that they rely on deadbolts to protect your home. It has been proven that deadbolts are an outdated form of protection because with enough force, the blunt end of a hammer and a bump key, or just simply a credit card, those who want access to your home will most certainly get it.

HAVEN is a smart lock that works by being installed at the base of a door and using the house’s own frame as the deterrent rather than a deadlock. Being made from glass reinforced nylon, aluminum and steel allows for far more protection versus other deadlock-dependent solutions, with a door in the campaign shown withstanding brute force kicks, sledgehammers and axes. When excessive force is recognized, HAVEN can turn on other connected parts of your home through Nest and Apple HomeKit compatibility and send alerts to mobile devices in response. When there isn’t trouble brewing, the product’s wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity allow users to digitally share keys and either locally or remotely lock their doors using their iOS or Android smartphone. Lost your phone? An online access portal can help you maintain access of your home. The people behind the HAVEN Smart Lock are looking for $150,00o to make their goal a reality, with significant stretch goals which include an A/C power add-on and wearable gesture support, to entice would-be backers. Interested people can protect their home by pledging $249 or more.

HAVEN is an shot in the arm for the smart lock market. Its robustness in protecting the home along with its connectivity and control options make its involved installation easier to bear. Other smart locks, like the August and the Goji, emphasize the social aspect rather actually protecting the home — HAVEN tells them to put their money where their mouths are.

Categories
Cycling

Quick Caps provide convenient security for your bike

Bike security is the foremost concern for cyclists around the world. Making sure someone doesn’t make off with your precious ride is difficult, especially if the bike in question has quick release wheels. Despite having to carry an additional lock for the front tire, many people choose this kind of wheel for the sheer convenience of being able to quickly take it off at a moment’s notice. After numerous years of doing just that, inventor Curtis Dorrington created Quick Caps, a product that eliminates the hassle while retaining the quick release wheel’s convenience.

Quick Caps is a small, weatherproof lock that fits around the quick release lock’s lever itself, preventing anyone who would be daring enough to try from doing so. With the product being made from marine-grade aluminum and requiring 900Nm of force to break, even attempting the feat is a tall order. The product’s 51g weight will be a welcome relief to anyone that has been looking for this sort of solution, so ponying up just £10 (or £14 if you happen to have the wrong type of quick release) will be an easy decision. The creator is looking for a £15,000 infusion to start mass production.