“Deploying Fog.” See This Security Cam Use Fake Smoke to Frighten Criminals

I didn’t think there were many surprises left after the security camera that can shoot paintballs, but here’s a new one: A smart home cam connected to a canister that can deploy smoke to scare away intruders.

Essence is quick to say that its MyShield smoke diffuser is harmless, non-toxic and won’t leave sticky residue, although they’re vague on what exactly it’s made of. If you’ve ever played around with a fog machine you have an idea what to expect, except MyShield looks like it uses a compressed canister to release the fog much faster — they claim 30 seconds to fill a room.

“Deploying fog. Clear the area.” An empty voice repeats in their demo video, as whitish haze plumes in the room area faster than Taylor Swift’s stage when Fortnight starts. Set it to a beat, and you’re halfway to a DJ’s house party opener. The connected HD camera will send owners alerts so they can warn away intruders through the two-way audio or pre-recorded alerts, before releasing the gas — uh, fog/smoke.

Unlike some crowdsourced vaporware, Essence’s smoke deterrent is real and available now as a demo for homes or businesses. It’s also designed to connect to supporting security systems (I couldn’t find any examples of current compatibility). The question is, do you want it? It looks cool, it stands out, but does it actually help?

Three things immediately come to mind. First, it would be scary as hell to intruders that don’t know what’s going on, especially since it looks like (and may be related to) movie-style tear gas. But second, alarm systems are already frightening with their sirens, lights and voice alarms. A 30-second smoke canister isn’t likely to make a lot of difference except to the most determined burglars.

And third — this is the big one — smoke deployment is a total nightmare for first responders like police or firefighters, making their jobs much harder and more dangerous. It’s not really a choice if you plan to rely on any sort of outside help.

Would you add a smoke deterrent to your home security system? Would you use it for fun? I’ll let you know when I hear more about Essence’s interesting approach, but I’ve got plenty of questions, too. In the meantime, take a look at our current best security system picks and well, now’s a good time to stop by the best smoke detectors, too.