One could argue the line between a home security camera and interactive assistant tends to fade at certain times. Lighthouse, a new technology startup, seems to think along these same lines. Their new smart camera is designed to be less of a surveillance tool and more of a “companion device” for the home user.

Lighthouse’s Home Security Camera Is Intriguing and Scary

One of the emerging trends we have seen over the course of recent years is how consumers tend to buy home security cameras. Given the number of burglaries around the world, it is anything but surprising people want video footage of someone entering their house. However, there is also the question of how these cameras tend to monitor everyone walking around the house at all times.

The Lighthouse smart camera is not all that different at first glance, although it packs a very different punch under the hood. The device is equipped with deep learning and a “3D sensing technology” to distinguish who is in the home, and whether or not they are on the so-called “guest list” or not. An intriguing take on things, as the device will automatically be able to determine who its rightful owners are and who could be an intruder.

As is to be expected, the lighthouse smart camera is designed to pair with a mobile companion application. This also allows the user to mark people in their home as potential intruders, which is quite nifty. Other features include determining when – and if – the dog is walked, or when kids come home from school. In this regard, it is still a bit of a surveillance device, but it is well within acceptable parameters for most people.

In this day and age of modern technology, the 1080p camera and automatic night vision have somewhat become features one would expect from a new device. Although the surveillance aspect is one part of the Lighthouse camera, it can also fulfill its task as a home assistant. The device can also accept voice commands through the mobile application. This includes receiving notifications when children get home or when the dog is walked, for example.

Back to the security camera part, the companion app pulls up video when asked what person X has been doing all day. This also applies to pets, which can sometimes lead to hilarious videos. It does not appear the device uses facial recognition, though. Its 3D sensing and deep learning techniques will become more adept at recognizing objects, people, and patterns.

Rest assured a lot of people still have privacy concerns when it comes to devices like these. Although user information is walled off, there is always the risk of exposing it to hackers. Internet of things devices do not have the best record when it comes to security and privacy, that much is certain.

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