PSIJuly2018

NEWS EXTRA
Voice alarms worth a shout?
“Installers will need
to focus on changing
perceptions, by
explaining how smart
devices can simplify
interactions with the
intruder alarm
systems”
According to IHS Markit, voiceoperated
alarm systems sales are
expected to grow
lobally, 92 percent of intruder alarm
Gsystems sold in 2017 were operated by
either keypad or key fob; however, this
category is expected fall to 81 percent by 2022.
In 2017 21 percent of residential professionally
monitored intruder alarm systems had
additional connectivity and functionality beyond
primary alarm signalling, which will grow at a
CAGR of 17 percent to reach 35 percent by 2022.
Analyst Anna Sliwon says that home
assistants developed by Amazon, Google and
others are changing how consumers interact
with connected home devices, including
intruder alarms. These are her thoughts:
Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have
profoundly influenced the way consumers select
home security systems, leading to increased
connectivity and integration with voice
assistants and other smart devices. As
consumers get more comfortable using voice
features, the share of alarm systems relying on
more traditional methods will decline.
Using voice commands to operate intruder
alarm systems makes the process easier and
quicker, as it eliminates the need to physically
interact with the alarm itself. With voice
commands, there is no need to locate a key fob
or type a pin code into a keypad. Voice features
can also be useful when a keypad or a
smartphone malfunctions, or if the key fob is
misplaced. Likewise, arming the system for the
night can be done from a user’s bedroom,
without the need to physically engage with the
security system.
Currently available voice features in intruder
alarms offer a basic level of interaction. The user
speaks a predetermined command to disarm the
system, and the voice assistant then asks for a
security password or a pin code. The password
feature was added, so strangers standing
outside users’ homes could not instruct the
systems to disarm. This process could be
improved with the use of advanced voicerecognition
technologies, which would eliminate
the need for dedicated passwords. The system
would instead use voice biometrics to verify the
user’s identity, which could be done
automatically, simplifying the process.
Although voice interaction currently occurs
while users are physically in their homes, in-car
entertainment systems of the future could also
be used to disarm home security systems on the
road or while pulling into the driveway.
A number of challenges preclude voice
features from becoming a more popular method
of operating intruder alarms. For example, the
need to use pin codes prolongs the process.
Some non-tech-savvy users might also struggle
to communicate with voice assistants, as they
require the use of specific commands for the
devices to listen. Another downside is their
reliance on home Wi-Fi connections to connect
and process commands: if the home network
goes down, the assistant stops working.
Should voice recognition become available in
home alarm systems, additional privacy
concerns will arise, including where the voice
samples are stored -- either in the cloud or on
local servers operated by alarm companies.
Enhanced connectivity and functionality have
become important differentiating factors for
intruder alarm systems. As more intruder alarm
manufacturers integrate voice assistants into
their offerings, adding a smart device to an
intruder-alarm package may create an
additional incentive to purchasing an alarm
system.
On the other hand, manufacturers could
attempt to acquire companies that specialise in
voice recognition software — or partner with
providers of these products — to speed the
introduction of advanced voice features.
However, many current users of intruder
alarm systems are still reluctant to test the
benefits of voice interaction or connect smart
devices to intruder alarm systems. Installers will
need to focus on changing these perceptions, by
explaining how smart devices can simplify
interactions with the intruder alarm systems.
One way to overcome this hurdle is to bundle
products with smart devices, offering all the
necessary configuration support needed to
facilitate a smooth transition to connected
systems.
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