SimpliSafe is rolling out a new live guard outdoor protection service to select customers. The company says its new service enhances home security with two layers of protection, integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) with human agents to deter home burglaries and other property crimes.
When a SimpliSafe user’s outdoor camera detects a trespasser or potential intruder, a SimpliSafe agent monitoring the camera’s feed will intervene before the prowler can enter the home, and if warranted, even dispatch police. The live guard outdoor protection operates through SimpliSafe’s existing array of smart outdoor security cameras.
When a user’s SimpliSafe system is armed, cameras monitor the home’s perimeter and use AI to detect anyone approaching the property. SimpliSafe’s AI will then compare that person against the homeowner’s saved profiles of familiar faces. If the person doesn’t match any of the profiles, an agent will tap into the camera’s live feed to assess the situation. If the agent verifies a threat, they’ll use the camera’s two-way audio to communicate with the individual, activating the security system’s sirens, if necessary. The company says that’s typically enough to warn off most intruders, but that its agents are authorized to contact local law enforcement if the situation escalates.
Users can choose which cameras SimpliSafe monitoring agents can access.
Users can choose which cameras SimpliSafe monitoring agents can access.
SimpliSafe
Users can choose which cameras SimpliSafe monitoring agents can access.
SimpliSafe
SimpliSafe
The live outdoor monitoring service builds on SimpliSafe’s existing 24/7 live guard protection, which provides professional monitoring for all its security cameras and sensors. During an active alarm anywhere inside the user’s home, SimpliSafe agents can access cameras’ video feeds and microphones to attempt to divert the threat and dispatch police, fire, or medical help when they verify an emergency.
Live outdoor monitoring extends the perimeter of this coverage, enabling agents to address outdoor threats before they reach doors or windows—such as when they’re climbing over a backyard fence—as well as crimes taking place outside the home, such as someone breaking into the homeowner’s car.
As with SimpliSafe’s current professional monitoring service, live outdoor protection users have complete control over which cameras SimpliSafe agents can monitor and when, and all captured video is securely encrypted and inaccessible to monitoring agents once an incident has been reviewed and closed. Users can also easily create and delete familiar-face profiles in the SimpliSafe app to ensure alerts stay accurate and relevant.
Pricing wasn’t available at press time, but live guard outdoor protection is currently available to qualifying customers to test through SimpliSafe’s Early Access Program and will be available to all customers later this year.
Our SimpliSafe Essentials review identified the offering as one of our favorite DIY home security systems.
Author: Michael Ansaldo, Freelance contributor
Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and small-business technology journalist. He contributes regularly to TechHive and PCWorld.