Skip to main content

The Amaryllo Athena security camera can spot fires, animals, cars, and people

At CES 2020, Amaryllo announced its Athena camera, a state-of-the-art device with a powerful onboard CPU that allows it to do more than just watch for motion. Athena can recognize objects in real time, including people, cars, and animals. Athena can also differentiate between different kinds of animals; in one of the demo videos, Athena highlights and points out a bear moving through the homeowner’s backyard.

Another noteworthy feature is Athena’s ability to identify fires. The camera can spot fires and alert users when if any fire is spotted, a feature that Amaryllo says is the first of its kind. Besides the cutting-edge features, the Athena has all of the capabilities you expect from a smart security camera. Users can listen and speak through the camera, see perfectly clearly at night, and receive notifications whenever motion or audio is detected.

Athena uses 256-bit, military-grade encryption to keep the device secure. It also utilizes a patent-pending “Voice Print” technology that can recognize individual users by the cadence and sound of their voice. As an outdoor camera, the Athena is IP66 weather resistant. You can use it outdoors without worrying about the weather. Finally, the Athena has a powerful warning light that can be used to shine a light on intruders, be they human or animal. It’s enough to startle someone or scare off pests outside your home.

The Athena camera received a Smart Home Innovation Award at CES 2020.

In addition to the Athena, Amaryllo also has the Ares and Zeus security cameras. The Ares is an outdoor, auto-tracking camera that will lock onto motion and follow it across the yard. This allows the camera to protect more than just the area it is pointed at; if something catches its attention, it will follow it for as far as its mount allows before returning to its original position. The Zeus is much like the Ares, but rather than mounting to a wall, it has a light bulb-socket mount that allows you to screw it into a light socket.

The Athena will be available in May and is slated to retail for $230.

Editors' Recommendations

Patrick Hearn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
Anker finally admits to Eufy security camera issues
Eufy Floodlight Camera 2 Pro turned on and installed on side of building.

Anker, the parent company of Eufy, has officially admitted that its line of security cameras was not as secure as previously thought. Its products were said to use end-to-end encryption for recorded video footage -- but it turns out that wasn’t always the case.

In late 2022, it was discovered that Eufy cameras had a bit of a privacy issue. Using the VLC media player, a Eufy user managed to access video through the cloud that was supposedly only stored locally. There were also reports as far back as 2021 of folks viewing camera feeds of strangers, although Eufy chalked that up to a bug that impacted only a small number of products.

Read more
Blink Wired Floodlight Camera offers heaps of features and an affordable price tag
The Blink Wired Floodlight installed outside.

Blink, an Amazon-owned company that produces a wide variety of smart home gadgets, today announced the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera. The affordable device clocks in at just $99 yet manages to offer 1080p video capture, 2,600 lumens of LED lighting, motion detection, and several other premium features.

While Blink’s catalog is comprised of several indoor and outdoor cameras, this is the company’s first true floodlight. Previously, homeowners needed to purchase a Floodlight Mount for the Blink Outdoor Camera, and even then they would only benefit from 700 lumens of LED lights. The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera, meanwhile, is a standalone product that doesn’t require a secondary purchase -- pick it up for $99, and you’re ready for installation.

Read more
Are smart security cameras worth installing?
Arlo camera installed outside.

If you’re looking to protect your home, few options are as powerful (and affordable) as security cameras. The market has exploded with new products over the past few years, and today you’ll find a wide variety of smart home security cameras that are easy to install, carry reasonable price tags, and offer you peace of mind while out of town. But are smart security cameras worth installing?

The short answer? Yes -- smart security cameras make a lot of sense for the majority of homes. However, there are a few caveats to consider. Here’s a closer look at whether you should install a smart security camera in 2023.
Check with your HOA and local government first

Read more