The Evolution of Home Security Systems

For centuries, people have needed to find a way to keep their homes from being broken into and their belongings safe. As History of Keys notes, the first home security systems were in the form of mechanical locks that first came along over 6,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. Fast forward to the 18th century, and small and sturdy locks that could be used to secure the home were invented by a variety of people, including Robert Barronin who produced the double-acting tumbler lock in 1778 and Linus Yale, Sr. who invented the first pin tumbler lock in 1848.

Nowadays, while we still have locks on our doors and windows to help keep our homes secure, we have much more advanced home security systems that can also help to do the job. Here’s a closer look at how home security has evolved over the years from the simplest locks to innovative and state-of-the-art home security camera systems.

The Earliest Home Security Systems

In the early 1900s, crime rates were going up and people were concerned about break-ins. Concerned homeowners could purchase and install an alarm system that attached to the doors and window with magnets that were also connected to a battery and bell that would emit a noise when triggered. Interestingly, when George Orwell published his book “1984” in 1949, the idea of using video as surveillance became a current, if not somewhat controversial topic for burglary prevention.

1966: Nurse Invents First Home Security System

In the 1960s, nurse Marie Van Brittan Brown and her husband, Albert, lived in Queens, New York. According to BlackPast.org, crime rates were high and if there was an emergency, it often took awhile for police to arrive. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, so Marie took it upon herself to invent the first home security system that included peepholes, a camera, monitors and a two-way microphone. This system also featured an alarm button that would contact the police. The Browns filed for a patent on the system on August 1, 1966, and they called Marie’s invention “Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance.”

Advancements Abound Over the Next Few Decades

By the 1970s, video surveillance was used in many home security systems. The cameras were large and they would move on a track while taking footage of the home’s exterior. The footage was grainy and not always that useful. In the 1980s, infrared technology became part of home security systems, so that the camera sensor’s would accurately be able to tell if someone was in the area, and the camera would start recording.

Today: Cutting-Edge Features Are Available

Today, home and business owners can purchase and install a variety of security camera systems, including the state-of-the-art Noctural and Diurnal lines from Lorex. The Nocturnal system features real-time recording in 4K resolution that can capture 30 frames per second. Unlike the grainy footage from the cameras of the 1980s, these cameras feature long-range color night vision that will allow the security camera systems to “see” in low-light conditions. The Diurnal wire-free security camera systems feature a unique thermo-sensor which alerts the camera to “wake up” and start recording when heat from a person, car or animal is detected. These cameras are easy for DIY’ers to install as they are battery operated and do not have any wires to deal with. They feature a 1TB hard drive and security-grade DVR, and can be monitored from a smartphone.

What’s Next? We Will Have to Wait and See

The people in Ancient Egypt probably thought home security couldn’t get any better, and as home security has evolved over time, home and business owners have been undoubtedly impressed with the latest advancements. With today’s amazingly innovative home security camera systems, it is hard to fathom that they will improve, but given enough time, technology will advance even more to help you keep your family safe!