All the amazing security tech you saw at CES 2026

We have seen The best of what CES 2026 has to offerfrom Folding robots for washing to Singing lollipops. Now is the time to start thinking about what excites us most. For me, this involves sitting down and thinking deeply about everything Homeland security Innovations witnessed.

It was an interesting showcase of security technology, including surprising new locking technologies, the expected presence-sensing technology and a deluge of… Artificial intelligence devices. (Some more impressive than others.) Here are the biggest trends I’ve noticed, the brands and products that stand out, and where I think home security is headed.

Wireless charging is coming to our smart locks

My favorite feature technology Smart locks in CES This year was wireless charging. This means your smart lock’s battery charges automatically, without having to remove the battery pack or replace AA batteries every few months. This is by far the most annoying part of A Smart lockespecially if the batteries die while you’re away (don’t worry, there are plenty of emergency backup options when that happens).

Desloc, for example, arrived with Fully integrated solar panel On the front of the V150 Plus lock. The front doors tend to be very shady, but Desloc reports that their lock can judge ambient light, change power consumption and other factors to keep the 10,000 mAh battery as charged as possible. If true, it would be a major advance for solar-charged home batteries.

Offered security brand Lockin Two wireless charging options at CES. One of its locks, the Aeon, also features a built-in solar panel designed to work even in overcast skies. However, what is even more interesting is the “AuraCharge” technology that has enabled its other locks. AuraCharge uses a separate base station that transmits power to the smart lock continuously (Lockin assured us it was safe for our eyes and other sensitive parts).

I’m not sure how solar charging or AuraCharge would work in practice. These technologies rely heavily on their real-world usability. But for now, wireless charging is the technology to watch for all things lock-related.

IKEA is moving forward with its first line of sensors

IKEA has long been a bastion of affordable furniture and unpronounceable names. any Smart home The shows were largely collaborations with other companies. That all changed at CES 2026, a first for IKEA consumer electronics show, And its opportunity to launch multiple lines of first-party lamps, Smart speakers – I will test it for smart home use eventually – and security sensors.

That’s right, IKEA is moving into the home security space, with a special focus on home safety and monitoring. Their 21 smart home devices include door and window access sensors, a motion sensor to monitor activity, and Water leakage sensor And even air and temperature monitoring devices. They also offer great budget prices, with almost all of them under $10 (which is unusual for these types of sensors).

“Their entire lineup is really special for being cheap,” my colleague Ajay Kumar confirmed. “Most new smart bulbs cost about $5-7 and support Matter. A Bluetooth speaker is only $10.” Given Ikea’s long-term reliability, I’m keen to test them out and see what’s worth recommending.

Don’t worry either: the sensors have charming IKEA names like Myggspray, Timmerflotte, Kilppbok and Alpstuga.

Presence sensing advances home security management

I Sensing expected presence will be the theme of the smart home At CES 2026, I was not disappointed. Presence sensing is an umbrella term for all types of non-invasive sensing of people or activities – it refers to what occurs without use CamerasOr recordings, facial recognition, or other technologies that people may feel uncomfortable with.

Some of these presence-sensing technologies have been fairly light, like new smart locks that use them to light up when people approach, or Motion Wi-Fi sensing smart plug. However, security brands like ADT have envisioned presence sensing As a multi-pronged approach Using ancient infrared technology, combined with newer radar technology, to transform security systems into something new — something that can communicate with us about our energy use, safety habits, and more.

Aqara also impressed me with it All-in-one presence sensorFP400 multi-spatial sensor. Using mmWave radar, it can track up to 10 bodies in a room, monitoring their presence, movement and posture, whether they are standing, sitting or lying down.

This is not only useful for tracking potential falls for people aging at home, for example. The Multi-Sensor can also connect to platforms like Apple Home and Google Home. Then, users will be able to use it as an trigger for lights, smart locks, and even security systems or disarm them based on nearby activity. Meanwhile, lesser-known brands, like Irvinei with its Oval technology and Arqaios with Allie, have announced their own presence-sensing hubs designed to link multiple security and smart features into a single proactive device.

This is just the beginning of what presence sensing technology has to offer for home security. Think of it as more advanced automation technology that helps without the need for cameras.

AI continues to rise in cameras, and now it’s becoming available to third parties

We saw a lot of AI at CES, and it’s going to be hard to measure. However, in the home security sector, the term “artificial intelligence” primarily refers to the algorithms used in… Security cameras Which can facilitate more advanced object recognition, video descriptions, and even the ability to answer questions.

Now, I’m well aware of this. AI video analysis has made significant progress this year and is already available on major brand security cameras, from Gemini on Google Nest Cams to Arlo’s video recognition technology, as well as Blink and Ring’s Descriptive alerts powered by artificial intelligence. What I noticed at CES is how AI technology is spreading to lesser-known brands that didn’t already have it.

Some of the AI ​​additions have been relatively mild, like Desloc’s S150 Max smart lock, which is capable of shooting video and features AI-powered alerts for more advanced object and face detection. Other brands, like Xthings’ Ulticam IQ V2, have used Google Gemini to power their own video summaries and object recognition, partnerships that Google is sure to encourage in the coming years.

Then there are older, familiar brands like Jem Global’s Energizer (aka Battery Rabbit), which is adding AI detection to some security cameras through its feature. Energizer Connect platform.

In other words, the rollout of increasingly advanced AI features in security cameras is not slowing down. Businesses that don’t already have sophisticated features like video descriptions or summaries will feel a lot of pressure to adopt them. Personally I think this is a use case where Artificial intelligence has proven to be time-saving and usefulif you don’t mind seeing products like Gemini in your video recordings.

Smart video locks keep coming – but do people care?

It may sound silly to say video Smart locks They were “this way last year,” but they were. CES 2025 saw the first big announcements of video locks, a technology that essentially combines a video doorbell and a smart lock into a lock with a camera.

At CES 2026, I saw a few stragglers late to the party, announcing their own versions of smart video locks. This includes MyQ with Its safe displayAnd SwitchBot, which is improving its approach to video locks with its new Lock Vision series, and various other companies jumping on the bandwagon.

Here’s the thing: I’m not sure smart video locks will ever work. None of the big security names have really shown interest in these bundled models except Eufy, which is inherently exotic. Door locks are placed low to the ground and can’t be angled, so it’s a bad place to put a security camera when a battery-powered video doorbell offers more versatility — and is more affordable, too.

Maybe smart video locks will work, but I’m not holding my breath. Let’s check back next year and see if there are any major names involved.

The era of meeting security users wherever they are

Finally, I’ve seen encouraging signs that some security companies are thinking about how users behave at home and what solutions could best meet their needs there. This makes room for unique versions and less copying what others are doing.

For example, Lockly had an interesting lineup at CES with more focused releases Modern security needs One of the latest tech tricks, which has made them, by some means, one of the most innovative companies I’ve seen.

Lockley is nice OwlGuard mini battery camerafor example, is not just smart. It features a new approach to security with a built-in status display and Wi-Fi-less recording to thwart power outages. Or Wi-Fi jammers (which are in the headlines these days). The camera comes with equally nice extras like a magnifying glass to better magnify the image, a shade for bright areas or a privacy blindfold to stop viewing, foolproof.

Likewise, Lockly was the only company I saw that addressed another common problem – managing vacation rentals for both owners and renters. Its TapCom platform is designed to Airbnb parking, allowing guests to use smart devices and locks with a single tap on their phone or enter an instant video call with the owners without having to download an app. Meanwhile, owners get a comprehensive way to manage all their access devices at once, including not just Lockly but popular brands like Yale and Schlage. Both sides were in dire need of these options.

I hope other security companies adopt a consumer-first approach in the coming year. If there’s one thing that CES 2026 showed, it’s that chasing trends or AI labels isn’t as impressive as working to give people an “Oh, I need that” moment. That could be a little owl-shaped camera, an array of affordable sensors, or just removing an old headache from smart locks.

Speaking of need, take a look My favorite smart products of 2025 Which I still use in my home, long after I’ve finished writing my reviews.