These Home Security Systems Can Shoot Paintballs (and More)
Most Americans have some kind of home security system , usually a series of connected cameras. Now a number of companies are starting to sell home security systems that not only warn, but also fight back. These home defense systems are designed to teach intruders (or your teenager sneaking back in after curfew) one hell of a lesson: using pepper spray, smoke bombs, paintballs, piercing alarms, or “disorienting fog.”
Disorienting Fog
“Security experts understand that it is extremely difficult to steal without being able to see,” MyShield PR representative Moriah Horowitz explains the idea behind their security system. MyShield is a battery-powered device for indoor use that can be integrated with existing security systems or used separately. When motion is detected, it will request visual confirmation from the homeowner and, once received, will create a non-toxic but “disorienting” mist created using a polytechnic compound. You can create a network of MyShield devices that covers your entire home, and it costs $1,300 just for the cost of the device plus a $40/month subscription. Essence, the company that makes MyShield, has already sold more than a million such devices over the past decade in America and Europe and claims a high level of success. While it seems a bit apocalyptic, some indoor smog was the least extreme option available.
Paintballs
Even though PaintCam Eve is in the pre-market, it is fully funded by Kickstarter and will begin shipping in 2025. Available in three models, Eve is an AI-powered smart security camera that can also shoot a paintball at your eyes. Seeing as how the AI in the various doorbells I’ve tried still sometimes identifies my mailman Steve as a package and constantly thinks the neighbor’s cat is the lawyer at my door, I asked the Eve team how confident they were in their system. As with MyShield, it turns out that none of the reactions are automated. Rather, Eve allows you to create warning zones around your home where possible threats first receive a verbal or audio warning while the system alerts homeowners and they decide whether to use paintballs. At least that’s how it works “in manual mode,” as an executive team member named Hana explained in an email. As for their AI, “the core of this system is a deep learning neural network that has been extensively trained on a vast set of images and scenarios. This training includes thousands of examples of different objects, people, pets and potential threats.” Essentially, it works just like any other AI.
As for potential damage, if you’ve ever played paintball, you know that the paintballs are generally not lethal, but they do appear to regularly cause harm to people, resulting in eye and ear damage and, in rare cases, of death . Although, according to Hana, these are “non-lethal paintballs like those used by law enforcement for peaceful deterrence,” this raises a good question: Paintballs used by police cause a higher rate of injury than recreational paintball users because the victim doesn’t expect this. I haven’t broken into a house since returning late from a concert in 1993, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t expecting high-velocity projectiles. When it comes to pets, there are three models – Eve, Eve+ and Eve Pro, with the latter two “including advanced pet detection.” Standard Eve users will have to trust that the AI can recognize cats better than my Ring camera. Eve is expected to start at $2,165 at retail launch, with an additional subscription costing around $38 per month.
Pepper spray (and more)
While Deep Sentinel’s new FlashBang technology will be available to residents in the future, for now this is only on a case-by-case basis – demand is primarily from businesses. However, if fog and projectiles aren’t enough for you, perhaps pepper spray, smoke bombs, strobe lights, and sirens will do the trick. FlashBang itself is part of the security system that Deep Sentinel is deploying, and although the company and systems have been around for some time, FlashBang is on the verge of launch, having completed beta testing. The basic system relies on artificial intelligence with the integration of live “guards”. FlashBangs are deployment appliances with built-in encryption and security. More effective tactics such as smoke and pepper spray require human approval, just like the other products described above. David “Selly” Selinger, CEO and co-founder of Deep Sentinel, assured me that all medical effects of the tactics used are temporary and will amount to nothing more than a slight cough, nose and throat irritation, even mentioning that the smoke uses particles food quality. However, there are many reports that pepper spray and smoke bombs may have more serious health effects , especially on the menstrual cycle . FlashBang will start at $2,000, but since it is part of an entire security system, additional hardware and subscription costs are required.
It is legal?
I asked each company about the legalities or responsibilities associated with having such a system. Eve shifted the responsibility to homeowners, saying, “We advise buyers to check local laws regarding property protection.” Selinger noted that “all components of FlashBang are legal in all 50 states.” I consulted with two attorneys in different states, Oregon and Arizona, and while the laws vary by city, state, and county, the generally applicable law is the Castle Doctrine , or “Stand Your Ground.” Strength” to protect yourself from an intruder in your home. The courts come into play when you have to interpret what is reasonable and what is a threat. Additionally, even in “stand your ground” laws, there is wide variation from state to state. As lawyers point out, it is difficult to make a case for self-defense if the homeowner is not even home when the security tactic is used.
Is this ethical?
I asked both Eve and Deep Sentinel to respond to people’s natural reactions to the severity of their defense systems. Hana of Eva responded: “For those who have not experienced the fear of having their territory invaded while their family is at home, our system may seem excessive. However, those familiar with this fear understand the need for a system designed not to harm attackers, but to frighten and mark them, helping law enforcement to apprehend them more quickly.” Selinger echoed this sentiment. “Yes, it might come out strong, but in a world where criminals are allowed to feel like they have an advantage, I think people need to feel like they don’t have to be victims.”
Hana raises a good point: these systems simply scare people, which is (usually) not fatal. If they can deter intruders (and homeowners from taking more serious action), perhaps that’s a good thing. The idea of intruders being “marked” by eye burns, smoke or paintballs should make it easier to track down an intruder. However, they seem extreme. And what none of these systems take into account is the possibility that “home security” will take on a whole new meaning when your neighbors get tired of the blaring alarms and tactical training ground you’ve created on your property. Even paintballs have nothing to do with a well-worded HOA letter.