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Automated Systems

Security systems are preventative measures that protect your valuables and deter criminals, but more importantly, they give homeowners peace of mind. There are few things more violating than having a stranger break into your home, yet most of us only consider a security system after we’ve been burglarized. Also, security systems are expensive; it’s much more attractive to buy a high-definition TV than splurge on a system to protect that would protect it.

Once seen as annoyances that could wake a whole neighborhood at any small detection, automated systems have come a long way in combining security with other convenient features. These days, a centralized system can combine security with lighting, electric door locks, and even curtains! Modern automated systems do not simply alert owners of a break-in; they can detect smoke, carbon monoxide or any dangerous hazards. These systems certainly put a new emphasis on the word “security.”

There are many types of automated systems. Radar-based motion detection is the most popular form of automated system. We see radar motion in our everyday lives in automatic doors, which are used frequently in grocery stores and shopping malls. Radar detection works by having a box shoot microwave radio energy over an area at regular intervals and then the transmitter waits for the reflected energy to bounce back. If there the signal returns faster than normal (or if there is an intruder to interrupt the signal) then the signal difference will trigger an alarm.

The most advanced form of motion detecting is called passive infrared (PIR). These detectors are called passive because they don’t need to generate their own energy; a radar detector has to constantly emit microwaves. Rather, PIRs operate by “seeing” the infrared energy of the room. Instead of actively seeking for movement, these detectors just note a rapid change of temperature. If there is an unwanted intruder, their body heat will activate the alarm.
Light/laser sensors work similarly to circuit-based detectors: if the light beam is disrupted or doesn’t reach its destination, an alarm will sound. When a security device is triggered, it will emit loud sounds, flash lights, and an auto-dialer will inform either a security agency or the police. To make automated systems even more attractive, any of these detection methods can be combined.