Tuya Smart brings smart home security with facial recognition to CES 2019

Well, we have to give it to Tuya Smart: a smart security system that can recognize each member of a family by face alone is pretty far out there compared to the plethora of video doorbells we’re seeing this year. This concept is coming in full force to CES 2019 when Tuya unveils a new artificial intelligence (A.I.)-enabled home security system that uses facial recognition technology to identify each member of a family using just a photograph.

Tuya Smart says it’s been working on facial recognition technology for the past three years, steadily tweaking and training its complex proprietary algorithms so they can be put into products made by any smart home technology manufacturer. The company announced in July of last year that it had completed $200 million in funding to build out its smart home, smart business, and smart city strategy.

So far, details on the home security system are a bit sparse. Tuya will be providing a sneak peek of the platform it calls Smart Home 2.0 at CES, saying only that the home security hub combines 10 different products, which could include anything from the video doorbell we’ve seen in one photograph to security cameras to something we haven’t yet heard a peep about. Tuya only notes that their smart security system surpasses single-camera security devices by combining sensors and alarms, as well as integrating with other products like Alexa and Google Home.

Tuya says that the smart home platform can respond to a wide variety of scenarios. In their example, the facial recognition platform detects a stranger lurking around the home and automatically turns on smart lights and music to deter the intruder.

“We’ve all been entertained by smart homes seen in science fiction movies, but that technology is now a reality for consumers,” said Alex Yang, Tuya Smart co-founder and COO, in a release. “Now, your smart home devices are connected via our platform and trigger responses to ensure safety. For example, when the system knows all family members are home, it locks the doors and sends an alert if something isn’t closed.”

Last year, Tuya exhibited hundreds of smart products at CES including power accessories, lighting, household appliances, surveillance equipment, and kitchen appliances. The company also debuted a range of smart home technologies such as Bluetooth mesh resolution and A.I. camera technology. Its centerpiece was its flagship product, the Tuya Smart platform, a turnkey solution that can help manufacturers transform standard products into IoT products within a matter of days.

For those interested to see what Tuya’s home security hub is really all about, the company will be offering sneak peeks of its Smart Home 2.0 at booth 42670 in the Sands.