BeON Home makes it look like you’re home, even when you’re not

---

This system will make having a safer, smarter home as simple as screwing in a light bulb.

---

Did you know that four burglaries occur every minute in the United States? That’s a startling one every 15 seconds. The good news is that most convicted burglars (90%) claim they want to avoid homes with alarm systems, saying that if they did encounter an alarm, they would abort the mission altogether. However, the bad news is that nearly two-thirds of homeowners fail to turn on their unit at all times.

Undoubtedly, the Internet of Things has made way for an influx of smart bulbs as of late. Sure, they can change colors, set the mood and even sync up to what’s playing on TV, but they may all pale in comparison to BeON Home. Last November, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup introduced the first Bluetooth Smart home protection system that rolls preventative security and emergency lighting all into one unique solution. And today, it’s now available!

As its name would imply, BeON is designed to make it look like you’re home, even when you’re not. This lets you not only can you enjoy lighting in the event of an emergency or power outage, but also taking a proactive approach to thwart potential intruders. The system itself is comprised of LED bulbs that can be plugged into any standard socket and produce 800 lumens (equivalent to 60W), along with smart modules which are hidden inside.

Sound a little familiar? Not only is it because you may’ve backed BeON on Kickstarter in 2014, but the premise is rather reminiscent of the 1990s blockbuster film Home Alone. In the movie, Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) outwits a pair of criminals by creating a DIY home security system. During one scene, Kevin goes to great lengths to set up a fake Christmas party in order to deceive the “Wet Bandits” (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) into believing that the house was inhabited.

Since intruders prefer unoccupied homes, the BeON smart modules automatically learn your family’s everyday lighting patterns and then replay them while you’re away — without having to go through such great lengths as Kevin McCallister. If a would-be burglar checks to see if you’re home by ringing the doorbell, BeON can hear the doorbell via its Atmel | SMART SAM G based sound detection engine and trigger the lights on sequentially as if you are awakening and moving throughout the house.

Even better, the LEDs can be installed just like ordinary bulbs into either lamps or recessed lights. Once in place, the system goes into action, quietly learning your activity patterns. To ensure your privacy, the bulbs communicate with one another and its accompanying mobile app locally over Bluetooth Smart. And using Qualcomm’s CSRmesh technology, notifications and messages can be carried through a network of multiple bulbs without the need for a hub or router.

And its smartness doesn’t stop there. In fact, BeON bulbs boast backup rechargeable batteries, ensuring its burglar prevention powers work even without power, and can flick on the lights whenever a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector goes off to help you escape safely.

Intrigued? The BeON starter kit — which consists of three LED bulbs and three smart modules — will run you $199, with additional bulbs $75 a piece.

BeON Home smart lights outsmart burglars

---

There’s smart bulbs, then there’s out-smart bulbs.

---

Did you know that four burglaries occur every minute in the United States alone? That’s a startling one every 15 seconds. The good news is that most convicted burglars (90%) claim they want to avoid homes with alarm systems, saying that if they did encounter an alarm, they would abandon the attack. However, the bad news is that nearly two-thirds of homeowners fail to turn it on at all times.

While there has been an influx of smart bulbs in recent years, none of them may be nearly as intelligent as a new lighting system from one Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup. The BeON Burglar Deterrent was designed to give off the impression of a lived-in home while you’re away, thereby outsmarting would-be intruders.

For those who recall the 1990s blockbuster film Home Alone, Kevin McCallister — played by Macaulay Culkin — outwits a pair of criminals by creating a DIY home security system. During one scene, Kevin goes to great lengths to set up a fake Christmas party in order to deceive the “Wet Bandits” into thinking that the house is, in fact, occupied.

Well, BeON Home is seeking to bottle some of that Kevin McCallister spirit inside their new system. The BeON Deterrent — which is fresh off a successful Kickstarter campaign — is hidden within several LED bulbs, each of which provide plenty of light throughout a home. As its creators note, you shouldn’t have to compromise on your lighting quality for security and safety. That’s why each bulb in the BeON Burglar Deterrent system emits 800 lumens of soft white LED light, which is equivalent to your typical 60W incandescent bulbs.

While the smart bulbs install just like ordinary lightbulbs, and work with your existing wall switches, an additional ’smart’ module enables a whole new level of intelligence. In particular, the system is equipped to learn your home lighting activity patterns, which are then replayed while away to convey to potential thieves that someone is still home. Upon leaving the house, simply set the system to “protect” mode to activate this automatic lighting sequence.

“No system programming is required. Simply activate and be on your way. Most would-be burglars will continue on their way, but the more bold ones may check if a home is occupied by ringing the doorbell,” a company rep adds.

Embedded with an Atmel | SMART SAM G ARM Cortex-M4 MCU, BeON’s sound processing engine can detect the tone of a doorbell and will immediately trigger the lights on in sequence to simulate your active presence, thereby increasing its level of ‘smartness.’ (Think of it as a professional grade Home Alone contraption.) Aside from the ATSAMG53 based sound algorithm, BeON bulbs boast backup rechargeable batteries, ensuring its burglar prevention powers work even without power.

Furthermore, just as the bulbs can listen to your doorbell, the BeON system can hear other in-home events like smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. As a result, if BeON lights detect an alarm, they will immediately turn on at full brightness to assist home dwellers escape safely.

Following its successful crowdfunding campaign, the team hopes to add other audible functionalities to the bulbs, too. Imagine if when a burglar rings the doorbell, just before the first light comes on, a dog barks? Then, if the aspiring intruder continues, another light is triggered and immediately followed by the sound of a shotgun cocking? As with any Atmel | SMART MCU-driven innovation, the possibilities are endless!

Not only is the system easy to use, but it’s simple to set up as well! So much so that the smart burglar deterrent can literally be configured and operated with a single finger. Each module is outfitted with a BLE module, which allows the system’s mesh network to extend the range of the bulb network throughout a house.

Looking to channel your inner Kevin McCallister and defend your home while away? Learn more about this bright idea by visiting their official page here. Full production is expected to get underway next spring, while shipping should begin this summer.

https://vimeo.com/112955000