Alone. Twenty-five years ago, Home Alone made it abundantly clear that home security needed a complete overhaul (and the McCallister’sneeded parenting classes). Just imagine the abbreviated run time if Macaulay Culkin had simply opened an app on his smartphone to get a full picture of his home security system. The fully connected home is still ‘coming soon’, but the good news for Kevin McCallister (and his horrible parents) is Bluetooth® Smart is automating home security, and making it possible to monitor, protect, and control access to your home.

According to IHS Technology, the market share for Bluetooth Smart in the smart home segment will grow six-fold within two years and exceed 13% market penetration by 2018. By then, 224 million homes, or nearly 12% of all houses worldwide, will have at least one type of smart home system installed, according to Strategy Analytics. The possibilities of what a smart home can create are endless, and one of the most important promises is its ability to take the safety of your home to the next level.

From smart lights to smart bikes to door peepholes, the sky is truly the limit. Here are some of the latest Bluetooth Smart products making progress in transforming home security:

BeOn Home: This smart light bulb deters burglars and intruders by simulating an occupied home and provides safety lighting if there is a power outage or smoke alarm. It utilizes Bluetooth Smart technology for connectivity and employs a Bluetooth mesh network to extend the range throughout your house.

Danalock Smart Lock: This Bluetooth enabled smart door lock promises smartphonebased control of your deadbolt, and is unique by offering various design and control scheme options.

Peep: The smart door peephole consists of a camera which is triggered when someone knocks on the door, and sends a picture, via Bluetooth, immediately to your smartphone. Keep an eye out for this on Kickstarter soon.

Seed Labs: This hub connects and controls all your devices so you can manage your home from your smart device. Seed makes you aware of the state of all your products and instantly alerts you of any suspicious activity.

These and other products are already making significant progress and this is only the beginning. With the smart home market poised to take off in the next few years, it is important to consider the obstacles preventing strong growth so we can continue to innovate in the right direction. If we make sure to pursue the right strategy, we will ensure the promise of a smart, safe home that stands the test of time.

So maybe technology put an end to the delightful whimsy of Macaulay Culkin saving his family’s (and neighbors’) home for the holidays. But never you fear, surely connectivity will bring us new holiday traditions. Just imagine how much more information they can post to the NORAD Santa tracker now that we can outfit Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph with wireless fitness trackers, sleep monitors and heart-rate straps.

(Credit: Nanci Taplett)