2015 looks to be a banner year for security advances. Technologies that have driven other sectors – such as the recent popularization of smart homes – are finally beginning to make themselves known in a big way for security buffs. So, let’s talk new security products. We’ve already seen one of the year’s biggest unveilings of new security items at the 2015 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a huge, yearly Vegas conference that showcases everything from new smart locks to upgraded drones.

Expecting traditional security suites? Not quite what we’re talking about (http://homesecurity911.com/adt/Virginia/V/Virginia-Beach/ if you actually are interested).

Besides, entrepreneurs are always pitching new objects up for attention. Here’s a short list of some of the most interesting products we’ve seen to date.

Honeywell Lyric

Honeywell’s incredible entrance into the smart-home security realm is a true sign of things to come. Lyric has the potential to be the final word in securing a house. Like other systems, it comes with peripherals such as smoke detectors, glass-break sensors, cameras, and motion detectors. Unlike other systems, it connects and ties them all together with other pieces of the smart-home format.

This allows you to do things such as set away-from-home modes, in which your thermostat stays low, and lights turn on and off to give the impression that you’re still around. Not only that, but redundant layers keep track of human elements in the system – for example Lyric cameras will keep track of anyone who disables alarms.

Netatmo Welcome

This nifty little home camera was another huge CES winner. The Welcome camps out near entrances, and keeps tabs on who enters your home. What sets it apart from similar systems is a facial-recognition hack that lets it give you alerts based on who it sees. Netatmo’s site uses the example of a quick text letting a working mother know that her children are home safe.

Clearly a big contributor to peace-of-mind. We also love the way it looks. Unlike the clunky cameras that often dominate this industry, the Welcome is slim, chic, and actually adds to home décor.

Safran Morpho MorphoWAVE

The crowned champion of ISC West, the largest security conference of the year. The MorphoWAVE is biometric security done absolutely right. A single wave is enough for this hip-high reader to scan and recognize fingerprints, a huge step up from previous systems that actually required finger contact.

The MorphoWAVE isn’t really going to be a top choice for home security, but for business owners, it’s enormously helpful. Biometric stations using Safran’s product are no longer traffic choke points; instead, they’re about as quick as ticket swipes to get on a bus, and won’t require cleaning thanks to their touchless scanning.

Sengled Snap

The slickest, sneakiest camera we’ve seen yet. The Snap combines the powerful LED lighting that Sengled is known for with a security camera capable of hi-res video. An incredibly nice option for people who want the reassurance of a video camera, but aren’t ready to have their house bristling with obvious monitors.

Not only that, but the combined tech offers a more practical benefit. Obvious cameras can be easily thwarted by a mask, but the Snap is much, much more likely to catch trespassers identifiably off-guard.

What’s Next

We can’t wait to see what else 2015 has in store for us. More than anything, this seems like it’s finally the year of the secure smart home. Lyric and similar products are going to be grabbing their share of the limelight, and it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see what new directions they take.