Sound Activated Security: Must-Have Feature or Just a Gimmick?

As technology continues to evolve our everyday life more closely resembles the vision of what sci-fi of the 60s thought the future would look like. Self-driving cars? Check. Handheld computers? Call them smartphones, but check. Alarms and cameras that are voice activated? Of course we have those! Thanks to home automation and smart technology, our life cannot be more convenient.

But do we actually need to fit all these security products with microphones? Does sound activation actually improve the performance of a camera, or can other features — like motion detection — do the job just as well?

Sound-activated filming is often associated with hidden cameras. In these cases the built-in microphone not only works as a trigger but also a recorder that eavesdrops on any trespassers’ conversations. Since such cameras can easily be hidden in plain sight, you don’t need to worry about poor audio quality either. Over time we expect that more and more internet-enabled spy cameras will pop up, streaming both audio and video to your phone after hearing a suspicious noise.

Despite some of the issues we’ve addressed, sound-enabled cameras and security products are going to be the pillars of a modern house. Home automation is heading towards a future where all devices are connected to a voice-control hub that grants hands-free remote access for the residents. Whether it is Alexa, Siri, Cortana or any other voice recognition system, they all benefit from a unit that has ears. Just think about it, by installing cameras and alarms that are equipped with built-in microphones you can avoid the purchase of any additional voice extensions, so that the likes of Alexa can hear you at the other end of the house perfectly. If all these problems are ironed out, smart homes will be definitely an area where this kind of technology shines.