According to CES 2015 basic security cameras are simply not enough for today's customers-- such devices also need facial recognition smarts, such as those found in the Netatmo Welcome and the recently updated Simplicam.

The Welcome is an anodised aluminum cylinder armed with a camera, 130-degree lens and infrared LEDs. Like similar devices it provides customers with access to a 1920x1080 video feed via iOS, Android and PC/Mac apps, but  also adds a facial recognition component to tell who is coming in and out of the home.

Facial recognition simply involves taking a photo, and as it sees more of the home's occupants the Welcome promises to recognise them even better. It also sends custom notifications on whether someone arrived home (such as a kid coming back from school) or a stranger passes by. Furthermore the Welcome works in conjunction with attachable Tag accessories to track the motion of objects such as doors.

Glate is the next company to take on the "smart" internet-connected doorbell category with the DefenDoor, a single device the company describes as a combination of "security guard, butler and concierge."

The DefenDoor is a wireless waterproof device, and is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. It essentially acts as a doorbell and security system, with a wide-angle lens camera (shoots 720p resolution images) and 2-way audio with echo cancellation. Users can pair it with up to 5 Glate motion and vibration sensors, which trigger the camera in case of events such as as an opened window.

The doorbell also sends alerts to smartphones "within seconds" of events, with either photos, voice messages or video feeds. Smartphones are also the means for DefenDoor setup, and users can even set MP3 files as custom alerts and tones.

2N launches the Indoor Touch-- an IP-based access control and door entry system ideal for both residential and commercial applications, designed to make part of an integrated home security and automation system.

Ideal for larger residences and apartment blocks, the 7-inch panel provides an interface for home owners to identify visitors, remotely unlock IP-addressable remote door locks and switch on corridor and stair lighting. It uses an Android-based OS and is compatible with VoIP telephones, other 2N products (including the IP Helios Vario and Verso Door Entry) and 3rd party IP devices.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) keeps cabling to a minimum.

Sandbox launches SandboxHome, an all-wireless security product complete with security cameras, intrusion sensors, smart doorbell and mobile device apps customers can install in just 15 minutes.

According to the company the system instantly sends text, sound, video and photo alerts to user devices as soon as it detects motion or intrusion, and provides remote access to camera and doorbell video and audio via iOS, Android and Windows apps. It is configurable (thus preventing sensors from going off when a pet moves across the room) and even allows the storage of motion-activated video and sound clips on PCs or cloud storage accounts.

The compact monitoring devices carry all wifi, networking, AV encoding, battery, encryption and other related technologies, Sandbox claims. The company also offers on a subscription basis is an optional 24/7 professional monitoring service.

Insteon adds a pair of HD wifi cameras as part of its smart home portfolio-- one for indoor and the other for outdoor use, both promising detailed 1280 x 720 resolution images, even in low light conditions.

The cameras feature a 70-degree field of view and night vision via IR LEDs, allowing the capture of images up to 8m (indoors) and up to 30m away (outdoors) in pitch black conditions.

Customers wanting to breathe a second life to a spare smartphone might be interested in the Rico, a toy-like security device which uses any older smartphone as its brains and eyes.

The concept behind the Rico is that smartphones already have a camera, microphone, speaker, processor and wifi/3G connectivity, and while the average handset has a shelf-life of around 24 months, older devices should be recycled in a creative way. That's where the Rico unit comes in. It houses any smartphone (Android 2.2 or iOS 6) under 4.5-inch in size and adds motion detection, temperature, carbon dioxide and humidity sensors, as well as the ability to control smart sockets.