SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell with SwannShield AI Voice Assistant

The SwannBuddy4K was designed to offer unmatched peace of mind without the need for constant user monitoring. To make this possible, Swann overhauled its original SwannBuddy doorbell and spent several months prototyping and refining the SwannShield AI assistant to ensure affordable integration, low latency and an exceptional user experience.

The SwannBuddy4K was developed through a multi-phase design process to create the first doorbell to act as a ‘virtual concierge’ for homeowners. This required a complete rethink of the software supporting the device, including the development of new voice assistant technology.

On top of refining the doorbell hardware and software of the original SwannBuddy, the team combined heat and motion-based passive infrared sensors, video analytics and activity pattern analysis to enable the SwannShield assistant to dynamically facilitate interactions across different scenarios.

Swann engaged Amazon Web Services, leveraging Amazon Bedrock, AWS Lambdas serverless computing service and Anthropic’s Claude 3 Haiku to create an AI-powered product that had never been available in the home security market.

The development process involved careful consideration of user feedback to ensure the AI voice assistant would seamlessly integrate into users lives, be customisable and context-aware. It was stress-tested to safeguard against AI hallucinations and ensure effectiveness across a range of scenarios, while the hardware was tested for battery efficiency, ease-of-use and durability.

The team also prioritised affordability, redesigning the product until it was cost-effective enough for SwannShield to be available for free with the device.

Swann’s efforts resulted in a robust video doorbell featuring the world’s first AI-powered home security voice assistant. Exceeding the design brief, it reflects a new approach to intelligent home security, able to talk to visitors on homeowners’ behalf and report back through the Swann Security mobile app, ensuring they know what’s happening and can act if anything seems suspicious.

The release of the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell represented the arrival of a world-leading AI-powered doorbell with a design that fits any home.

Connecting to existing wiring or operating wire-free with a 6400mAh lithium battery that charges in six hours and lasts for months, a compact, IP56-rated shell resists dust and rain, it offers superior functionality at an accessible price point of less than AU$300.

Compared to existing devices, the SwannBuddy4K marks a step-change in what is possible when it comes to DIY security technology. The 4K device features a 165° viewing angle, heat and motion-triggered alerts, night vision, and two-way talk.

SwannShield AI Voice Assistant leverages passive infrared sensors, video analytics and activity pattern analysis to autonomously communicate with guests, delivery people and intruders in over 100 languages and eight accents.

The integration of the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant enabled Swann to tackle the design challenge of the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell head-on, representing a significant step forward in intelligent home protection and the democratisation of AI for consumers.

Both the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell and the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant were developed with user feedback.

The SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell was designed to be highly energy efficient. As a battery-operated device, it consumes less energy than other wired models. SwannShields offline mode conserves energy while regular cloud updates and durable design extend the product’s lifespan, reducing waste and energy resources.

One of the unique features is that users can configure the voice assistant’s personality / demeanour, choosing between polite, disinterested or assertive; select an accent from eight options; and benefit from updates and future scalability via the cloud.

SwannBuddy4K’s certifications include compliance with the EU Radio Equipment Directive 2024/53/EU and applicable safety, health, radio and EMC standards, alongside CE, FCC, UKCA, RCM and UL Energy.

Upon its release, the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell set a new standard in smart home design as the world’s first wireless 4K video doorbell with an integrated multilingual AI voice assistant in the form of the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant.

With the combination of intuitive industrial design and AI-powered functionality, it delivers a fundamentally new offering for homeowners.

Most importantly, some of the key innovations featured in the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell directly address common challenges faced by homeowners, most notably the desire to be able to screen and manage visitors automatically even when they are unavailable, and simulate an active occupant at all times for household safety.

While existing doorbell devices typically rely on users being available to respond via a mobile app, the SwannBuddy4K acts as a virtual concierge, recognising and interacting with visitors, couriers, and potential intruders entirely autonomously.

Thanks to the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant, the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell can communicate in over 100 languages, eight accents and three separate demeanours for realistic interaction, pushing the boundaries of inclusive design while making advanced home protection more accessible locally and globally.

The development of the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell with SwannShield AI Voice Assistant goes beyond incremental improvement. Instead, it represents a significant breakthrough, introducing a world-first AI assistant to the smart doorbell category and elevating user expectations for what a doorbell can do and should be capable of.

By combining cutting-edge technology, inclusive design and accessible pricing, the SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell advances global industry standards and challenges conventional thinking in home security design.

Likewise, the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant sets a new benchmark for intelligent home protection, with responses timed like a real conversation and the system’s AI adaptive learning ensures the responses suit the situation.

The SwannBuddy4K Video Doorbell with SwannShield AI Voice Assistant demonstrates how exceptional Victorian design and innovation can deliver enduring benefits for households, society and the economy.

Engineered in Melbourne, the world-first device offers Australian homes round-the-clock security, visitor management and peace of mind without requiring constant user attention.

By being able to autonomously greet guests, direct couriers and deter intruders in 101 languages, it addresses a fundamental need for safety. It drives inclusivity for non-native English speakers and those less physically able, while reducing the carbon footprint associated with repeated delivery attempts.

The affordable, fee-free out-of-the-box device also lowers the barrier to entry for homeowners wanting premium home security technology at an affordable price.

Environmental gains were baked in throughout the design process. A rechargeable, user-replaceable battery, low-power “offline” AI mode and over-the-air firmware updates extend product life and minimise energy usage. The IP56 casing and repairable hardware also exemplify circular-economy thinking, prioritising longevity and reducing waste.

Commercially, the innovative device positions Swann, a homegrown company with 38 years of history here, as a category leader not only in the Australian home security space, but on the world stage, with the integrated SwannShield AI Voice Assistant feature earning itself an Honoree mention in the CES Innovation Awards 2024 in Las Vegas, USA.

An exemplar of good product design, it showcases how Victoria’s design community utilises best-in-class technology, design and cutting-edge AI to solve common challenges, reinforcing the state’s creative leadership on the world stage.