Security systems designed for homes are permanent solutions with sensors, wiring, and other components that can take days to install. If you need something more temporary, more portable, and much easier to implement, you can buy a dog, or maybe Bosch’s new sensor-packed Spexor: a self-contained security system that can remotely alert your phone in the event of a break-in.
Looking like either a compact smart speaker or those automatic room deodorisers you perch on a toilet, the Spexor replaces a lavender-scented mist with microphones, motion sensors, and even a pressure sensor allowing the compact device to accurately determine if a break-in has occurred, while intelligently minimising false alarms. With a rechargeable battery that Bosch promises will work for several weeks at a time, the Spexor is designed to be used in places where installing a full security system isn’t feasible, too expensive, or just too much of a hassle. Places like a backyard shed full of expensive tools, a motorhome, or even a lesser used space in your home like the attic which a permanent home security system often ignores, but the local raccoons do not.
The sensors on the Spexor all work together to determine if what they detected actually represents a threat or not. In an example Bosch gives, if a football hits the shed in your backyard while your kids are playing outside, the sound and pressure sensors will register the incident, but won’t respond. If something or someone were to break a window on the shed, however, it would either quietly alert the owner through a wirelessly connected app, or sound a loud alarm and flash lights in an attempt to scare off a potential intruder, depending on how it was configured. It won’t, however, make any recordings of an incident, and it doesn’t analyse or store voice data, as Bosch has prioritised data privacy with the device.
In addition to the array of sensors, the Spexor also employs a variety of ways for the compact security device to remotely alert an emergency contact through its accompanying app, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an integrated eSIM card. In addition to ponying up around $390 for the device itself, users wanting to take advantage of its mobile communication abilities will have to spend an additional $21/year for that convenience, although the first year of service is free.
For the time being, the Spexor appears to be a solution only available in Europe, and the pricing reflects that. If Bosch brings it to the the rest of the world, the annual service fee could be cheaper, but even $20/year is cheaper than what a home security service will charge you for remote monitoring.