Imagine walking in front of a security camera and suddenly it comes to life, asking you what you’re doing on the property. That’s the premise behind Deep Sentinel, a new type of security company that’s selling virtual guards with each of its cameras.

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“There are very few things that have actually moved the needle in making people not only feel safer but be safer,” explained David Selinger, co-founder and CEO of Deep Sentinel.

I met up with David at a residence in Los Angeles where the technology has been installed for a few years now.

“What piqued my interest is artificial intelligence, the deep learning,” said homeowner Michael Giaquinto.

The security cameras look like your typical Nest cam, but with a giant loudspeaker on top.

There are two unique aspects of the cameras. First, a proprietary AI box installed in customers’ homes is constantly reviewing footage from the cameras in real-time. Artificial intelligence in the box evaluates the scene. If it determines something isn’t right, the feed is immediately escalated to a live security guard stationed behind a computer somewhere in the U.S.

When this happens, a swirling red light above the camera is immediately activated. The guard can assess the situation and determine if intervention is needed. If it is, the guard can talk to anyone near the camera using a loudspeaker.

“We stop the criminals in their tracks,” explained Selinger, a co-founder of Redfin. He doesn’t work with that company anymore.

“What it looks for is anything that might indicate a potential threat to the property,” said Selinger, but when pressed, he would only say that the AI is proprietary.

As for the human guards, the sound of their voice might be enough to have a perpetrator scurry away. They sound imposing over the 100-decibel speaker.

“They can interact with the person say stop doing what you’re doing… or if they just look like they’re looking around and don’t’ have a purpose they can say hey can I help you, what is it you’re doing on the property,” explained Selinger.

After seeing a demo of the system, it makes all other security cameras seem rudimentary. I mean, who wouldn’t want a loud booming voice to at the very least spook someone who doesn’t belong on your property.

If the situation needs it, authorities can be summoned. Selinger says police responses are generally faster since they know it’s a confirmed crime in progress.

The system has been around for a few years and I’m surprised I haven’t heard about it sooner. It is more expensive than the typical cams sold by Ring and Nest. A starter bundle runs about $700, plus a whopping $100 a month for monitoring.

At the end of the day, the cost might be worth it to homeowners like Giaquinto.

“I feel more safe with this and I think my family feels more safe with this because you can access it from anywhere and there are people behind the camera watching over us,” he said.

Deep Sentinel says they are stopping crimes on a daily basis. For privacy reasons, they only monitor video feeds outside the home.

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