The biggest threat to home security in 2017?
Might be your new smart lighting system. Or that new speaker that is always listening to you.
Hell, it might even be your new (hacked) security system.
Enter Akita. The newest product from a Silicon Valley startup called Axius, the just-launched Akita is a watchdog for your increasingly connected home.
Basically, any appliance or device that promotes its “Internet of Things” capabilities (your security camera, lights, Alexa-enabled speakers) makes you increasingly at risk from digital intruders.
So Akita sniffs these bad guys out. Just connect the hexagonal device to a LAN port on your router — it takes about a minute. Et voila, now you’re prepped. Any unusual activity or attempt to take over your device(s) blocks or shuts down the entire network, letting you know (via a smartphone app) what happened.
And thanks to machine learning, the device will get smarter over time — without ever accessing your data or slowing down your network. And they’re promising 24/7 support in the event something untoward happens.
It’s currently on Kickstarter, so the usual crowdfunding caveats apply (though it’s already fully funded). And the device, currently running about 40% off the future retail price, comes with a lifetime of free security updates.
And speaking of Kickstarter, here are our five favorite crowdfunding projects of 2017:
NIWA Nixie Watch: Turn your wrist into a Vegas diner with this neon watch.
Firelight Flask: A whiskey thermos that comes with built-in tumblers.
Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap: A nine-CD collection (and 300-page book) chronicling the genre’s essential tracks.
STCKBLS: Stackable grills and portable kitchen appliances, the next frontier for modular design.
Wolecraft: Italian-made leather goods with a 21st-century update.
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