Skip to main content

Cocoon puts an ear to the ground, uses ‘infrasound’ to detect home intruders

Now that the smart home zeitgeist has really begun to take hold, there’s no shortage of low-cost DIY security systems on the market. They’re as common as pigeons these days, and there are hundreds –if not thousands– of different companies with their own take on the idea. But even in a space that’s become extremely crowded in the past couple of years, there’s still plenty of room for innovation.

Case in point: the Cocoon security system. In addition to all the requisite sensor tech we’ve come to expect from a device in this category (motion sensors, HD camera, smartphone connectivity, etc.), Cocoon uses a combination of infrasound and machine learning to detect intruders — no matter what room they might be in.

To help clarify that a bit, infrasonics is the study of low frequency sound waves that are below the range of of normal human hearing (around 20Hz or below). Seismologists have used this technology for decades to detect shockwaves caused by earthquakes, and now Cocoon brings it into your home. The device listens for infrasonic disturbances, and with the help of machine learning, can apparently discern normal activity from suspicious activity, pushing alerts to your smartphone when anything fishy is detected.

 

According to Cocoon’s creators, this technique allows the device to monitor your entire house from a single point. Infrasound detection makes it possible to sense intruders through walls and closed doors, which –if the technology actually works– would effectively solve many of the problems faced by traditional security systems, which are generally limited to a single room, or require multiple sensors to be installed throughout your home.

The company has already produced a number of working prototypes, and has recently taken to Indiegogo to gauge consumer demand and bankroll Cocoon’s first production run. If you back the project now, you can pre-order the device for around $250 to $300. The company expects to ship the first units to backers sometime in Q4 of next year, assuming the campaign reaches its $100K funding goal and manufacturing goes smoothly.

Drew Prindle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
Ecobee Haven is an intelligent platform that makes it easy to monitor your home
Ecobee security products on a white platform.

 

Ecobee is best known for its work in the smart thermostat field with powerful devices like the Ecobee 4. Now the company has branched out from just thermostats to offer the Ecobee Haven, a smart home monitoring platform the company claims “eliminates the need for keypads, programming, and single-use devices.” The idea behind Haven involves tying the entire home together through a combination of intelligent sensors. To accomplish this, Ecobee plans to use its existing devices in new ways, and the brand also launched two new devices.

Read more
25 Valentine’s Day gifts that she’ll brag about to her friends (seriously)
Roses on a calendar

Valentine's Day can be a minefield for gifts that totally miss the mark with a significant other — but it doesn't have to be. We've combed the gifting landscape and found 25 Valentine's Day gifts for her that your wife, girlfriend, partner, (er, mom?) will actually like.

And we don't mean she'll smile and say thanks, only to throw whatever it is in a pile and never think about it again (unless it's to consider what a subpar present it was). We mean she'll delight in a truly premium blanket to cuddle up with on chilly afternoons. She'll wear the hell out of trendy new sneaks and a Valentine's Day-inspired sweater that's not too, you know, Valentine's Day-y. She'll need this iPad to watch all the content if TikTok shuts down again!

Read more
Kwikset launches two new smart locks with Z-Wave support
The HomeConnect 918 on a door.

Kwikset, a manufacturer of both traditional and smart locks, has officially released the HomeConnect 918 and the HomeConnect 620 -- two smart locks that are fully compatible with Z-Wave. This technology gives you the flexibility to install the locks far away from its hub, thanks to its support for long-distance connections.

The HomeConnect 918 is the most exciting of the duo, allowing you to save up to 250 user codes and boasting a sleek touchscreen design. Most families probably only need to have a handful of codes, but if you’re using the lock on a rental property or on the front door of your small business, the flexibility to store hundreds of codes is certainly nice. It’s also highly secure, thanks to an S2 security encryption to help prevent unauthorized access.

Read more