"Smartest" Home Security Device Can Detect Intruders Behind Closed Doors

A new home security product claims to be able to detect intruders even if they are behind closed doors or in other rooms of the house.

Cocoon, dubbed "the world's smartest home security device," launches today and can be pre-ordered via crowdfunding site Indiegogo.

The device uses a combination of machine learning and infrasound – sound below 20Hz, which is undetectable to humans – to ensure that just one Cocoon unit is enough to watch over an entire property.

The device is roughly the size of a tennis ball and includes a number of sensors that can detect intruders anywhere in the home. Built in algorithms then enable Cocoon to learn changes in behaviour, allowing it to recognise unusual events and alert the owner via a smartphone notification.

The smart security system also recognises when the home owner enters and leaves the property, as well as their sleeping patterns, meaning Cocoon never has to be set like conventional systems.

Sanjay Parekh, one of the business' co-founders, claims that "traditional security is broken"

"Security today is about people. It's about knowing who should and shouldn't be there. Most technologies aren't smart enough to do this," he said. "Cocoon learns about your home and automatically notifies you if something unusual happens, so you can take action and feel safe."

Alongside Parekh, several other British entrepreneurs helped set up the company. Dan Conlon, who previously started cloud storage service Humyo, co-founded Cocoon along with Colin Richardson, Nick Gregory and John Berthels.

Cocoon is available for pre-order for 30 days on Indiegogo at the introductory price of £159, with a projected retail price of £189.

The device is expected to ship towards the end of next year, but will face stiff competition from a number of other home security services, as the industry becomes increasingly competitive.