Nest has just announced a security camera called Nest Cam Outdoor that is, you guessed it, for outdoor use. The camera is weatherproof, plugs in, and sends an alert directly to a smartphone or tablet when something happens. And thanks to its ability to differentiate between a person and a thing, that means you won’t be getting any more alerts due to a squirrel running by or a tree branch blowing in the wind. Users can also use their smartphones to talk through the camera, Fast Company reports.
The outdoor camera makes sense for Nest, as 30 percent of current Nest Cam users already aim their cameras outside, but what sets Nest Cam Outdoor apart is its use of AI that analyzes silhouettes and motion to differentiate between people and things. Although, noting that something is human is as specific as it can get, as facial recognition is not included.
But facial recognition may be on its way in the future, allowing cameras to learn the faces of specific people, such as the deliveryman or mailmen, and prevent the sending of unnecessary alerts.
Nest Cam Outdoor is expected to ship beginning in fall 2016 for a price of $199.
