The changing face of security in Gated Communities

From strong deadbolts to facial recognition locks, home security has come a long way and how. Gated communities, the modern-day crusaders of inclusive and safe living, gain ultimately with technology in security. From having guards on stand-by manually reviewing and filtering visitors (which have rapidly risen due to the proliferation of e-commerce deliveries) to all the human errors that occur in having to monitor and familiarise with over 100 faces, security has always been a challenge.

Now, with the advent of technology, how are gated communities filtering people from the genuine to imposter both at the gate level and from your home? Let’s take you through.

Security begins at the gate where security guards screen the visitors, identify them and then consult you for letting them enter the residential premises. However, this process can be time consuming and daunting, especially if there is a rush at the gate with a flurry of visitors rushing in at the same time. This is where technology plays an important role.

APPS –

The biggest advantage of having an app is the mobility of it. They can be accessed from anywhere and information can be entered and viewed real-time. It helps manage security as you have prior information on who is going to come. It lets you know when your maid or driver come in or if your maid has quit working, some apps even help you find verified domestic servants, rather than you running to your neighbour to poach theirs.

Without the help of an app, usually visitor information is captured in a manual register. This information is largely illegible and the data being mostly inaccurate. It’s impossible to search and extract any information from the manual visitor register in case of any incident. And now, a typical check-in process takes less than 20 seconds, enter your details, click a button and you’re in. Security guards can even take a picture of any visitor and a digital record of the same can be kept on the cloud. They all have been given smart phones that’ll enable them to manage multiple tasks efficiently and easily.

From the residents’ front, they can now pre-invite their guests who can get an SMS or an OTP/QR Code, which can be shown to the security guard on entering the premises. These apps help eliminate time consuming process which makes it much simpler for the guard at the gate, the vendor and you.

There are also apps developed by professionals and property management companies like TheHouseMonk , MyGate, ApartmentAdda who have an excellent management system for the gated community.

OTHER SYSTEMS –  

With people having less and less time and couples working overtime and coming home late, how do you take care of your home and guard it effectively? This where home sensors come in that can sense an intrusion in your home and notify you and the police simultaneously. Fingerprint door locks are also becoming widely used and could be a good alternative to smart door locks.

With the advent of 5G technology, we are fast moving into the IoT era. IoT transforms homes with a smart wireless home security system which sends alerts to the owner by using Internet in case of any trespass and raises an alarm.

Today there are over a million housing societies all over the world who are embracing technology to cut down on manual dependencies and to cut down costs as well, keeping the gated communities secure.

What does the future look like?

Security is something you cannot put a price on—especially when it comes to keeping your home and family safe from intruders. Fortunately, new technologies are being developed and brought to market each day that help to give you the power to fully customize how your home security system will best serve your security needs.

Face detection technology is growing at a rapid speed all around the world, and is of course, helmed by China. By implementing next-gen AI technology, each face can be scanned and ID-ed in an instant. It’s not Black Mirror, it’s real life.

The global security market is set to cross $100 billion by 2020 out of which home security systems will account for an estimated $47 billion of the total security market. This is an amazing 50% share in the home security segment. So, what’s next? Body scans at the gate? Drone collections? We can’t wait to find out!

P.S. China even came up with a “Smile to Pay” service, using AI and facial recognition to buy food. Yup, go to KFC, look at the camera, smile and walk away with your food.