If a lightbulb could be a kind of superhero, this one would be the closest thing to it: the LED smart bulb not only learns your daily lighting routine (i.e., when you turn off the lights, and thusly when you're home or away), but also mimics those self-same patterns.
And when you're out of town or away from the house for a significant period of time, this can be the difference between having your home robbed by watchful burglars or keeping your home safe and sound. In short: it's a home protection system that works before a break-in happens, with no blaring siren needed.
According to BeON Home's website, the impetus for the bulbs began with a discussion between COO Arvind Baliga and CEO Alexei Erchak; Erchak, who had been away on vacation with his family, decided to conceptualize a home security system that could mimic the goings-on of an occupied house as a disincentive for would-be burglars. The two decided to make this idea a reality—and subsequently, the BeON LED bulb was born.
"At BeON, we believe that as technology evolves it should become more intuitive. We should have more natural interaction with our tech, allowing us to go about our daily routines with ease," said Erchak in an official statement released by the company.
BeON bulbs operate on a Bluetooth mesh network developed by Qualcomm, a mobile and wireless tech company, which means that they require no homebase, centralized system. Instead, the LED lights rely on a mobile app, wherein the user can program the lights on a schedule, in tandem or individually by bulb.
The smart lights also use built-in microphones, which pick up on sounds that infer movement—for instance, a doorbell ring or the sound of footfalls on the stairs—and will all turn on in the case of an emergency, like a house fire, to make it easier to exit the premises.
"If a would-be intruder rings the doorbell, [the BeON bulb] will make it look like someone is stirring throughout the house," promises BeON's original Kickstarter campaign, which funded the project fully in December 2014.
And as lights themselves? The LED bulbs cast the same soft light as an average 60-watter; they also come with a battery for blackout backup, and can also be plugged into a run-of-the-mill electrical socket.
A kit of three smart modules with their corresponding LED bulbs is available for $199, complete with a free iOS app download. Additional bulbs can be purchased for $99 a pop.
Check out the BeON bulb in action in the video below.
Via: Gizmodo
