Caught in the Act: Wave of the Future

Mike Bennett was at dinner when he got a Canary alert showing an intruder in his home. He quickly called the police. Mike arrived before the police and scared the burglar, who dropped Mike's belongings as he fled. The officer was able to get a screen-grab of perpetrator's face from the video and quickly shared it with other officers in the area, leading to capture and arrest.

Sound like a movie scene? Mike's story demonstrates that technology continues to advance daily. What were once movie scenes set in the future, have now become reality.

"People would see this technology and say 'I can't afford that, it's for people over there', says State Farm Agent DeAnn Mathison. But the popularity is rising and now it's in many people's price point. The systems are easy to use and people feel like they can have it too."

More and more customers are signing up for these programs. Mike McShea in Indianapolis was also able to stop a burglary in his home.

"Canary alerted me and allowed me time to get the police to my house to catch the guys. I was then able to download the video and share it with the detective at the scene once I arrived home," McShea said. "The police said the footage was fantastic. They asked a few times what the name of the camera was so they could get one for their own houses!"

What is Home Automation?

Home automation is the use of one or more computers to control basic home functions and features automatically, sometimes even remotely.

Vital home functions can be controlled remotely from anywhere in the world using a computer connected to the Internet. This can include the scheduling and automatic operation of sprinklers, heating and air conditioning, security systems, lighting, and food preparation appliances or remote control of telephones and home robots, such as automatic vacuum cleaners.

The term often used to describe dwellings with these features is "smart home".

Some companies, like Canary, provide a home security device that consumers can set up in their homes within minutes. There are also companies like ADT that wire your home for home security and communication.

They all provide some level of security, peace of mind, and possibly insurance discounts. Click here for details.