Home security systems have been in use since the middle 19th century when the first mechanical lock and safe were manufactured. Nonetheless, it wasn’t till the late 1960s that technology was improved enough to produce what one could truly consider to be the first home security system. The concept behind this system came from the mind of Marie Van Brittan Brown a nurse from New York City who came up with it in collaboration with her husband Albert.

This was in 1966 and Marie came up with the uncommon idea of having a closed-circuit television system whereby she was able to see who was at the door without having to open it. This was the case because in the 90s crime rates were on the high rise in NYC and this made Marie feel insecure in her own home especially when Albert went to work. This is why she needed a method that would help her determine whether the visitor was friendly or dangerous before they gained entry into her house.

After discussing the idea with her husband, who was an electronics technician, Marie had a simple yet innovative concept of a door with a camera that could be pulled up and down to check on the visitor outside, a monitor to view the footage captured by the camera, two microphones to talk to the person at the door, and a panic button in case something went wrong. Despite being credited for the invention of the camera, Marie came up with a mechanical idea and Albert transformed it into wires and circuitry. It did not take long, by 1966, for them to design a working model of what is believed to be the first video home security system.

The fantastic feature of Marie Van Brittan Brown's home security system was that every piece of equipment the homeowner might need to monitor a visitor was controlled on the same panel. Earlier systems of video surveillance were costly and very elaborate thus the homeowner would have to keep moving from screens to intercoms. These components were put in place cohesively in one place by Marie Van Brittan Brown's system. This was something unheard of during that period.

The third thing that made Marie Van Brittan Brown's home security system revolutionary was that it was it yourself kind of system or installation. Previous systems demanded professional installation, which implied that the alternatives were beyond the reach of the average household. Marie's system could be installed by the user himself/herself which made home security to be readily available and cheap to the average consumer.

An article published in the American Journal of Nursing led to a quick spread of news about this innovative home security device in New York City. Marie then began receiving requests from friends, neighbors, and unknown people to buy the system. This interest made Marie and Albert open a company called Van Brittan Brown Home Security Systems to meet the needs of everyone in society. Unfortunately, the company managed to successfully distribute many home security units throughout the surrounding area of New York City; however never ventured past the East Coast of the United States.

Marie Van Brittan Brown went on living a more peaceful life without ever gaining much profit from her innovative creation. However, a little over twenty years later, a wireless camera technology was developed and began to be integrated into home security systems. This was the beginning of modern home surveillance systems as these are known today. That said credit must go to nurse Marie Van Brittan Brown for having the vision to devise the innovative idea in the first instance. The creativity vision and ambition to protect herself and feel safer from harm are the foundation of today’s home security industry.

However, in the following decades, home security systems have of course been enhanced with sensors that can detect motion sound smoke, and even carbon monoxide. Security cameras have advanced to the extent that they can relay their footage over the internet through a smartphone or a computer for the homeowner to monitor the property. Advanced alarm systems as soon as have an alarm indicating any disturbance to home security to the providers. What amazes me is that the capabilities of the current home security systems would have amazed Marie Van Brittan Brown in 1966. But now, her fundamental premises remain hiding homeowners about activity outside their door using technology, which can be self-installed at an inexpensive price. The idea of home security from Marie Van Brittan Brown was the foundation for making family homes in different worlds safer.

Although it gave a perception of the Stone Age by having closed circuit analog cameras her revolutionary design ideas set up a guide for home security systems diversifying and growing through the next fifty-plus years. Despite all the advancements that security firms have developed since 1966 it is improbable that they would have gotten started without the genius home security monitoring gadget by nurse Marie Van Brittan Brown. Oliver was the first person to consider the idea of around-the-clock property protection; it was her idea.

Marie Van Brittan Brown died in the year 1999 when she was only 74 years old. While she never gained recognition or infamy for her invention in her lifetime in recent decades more emphasis has been placed on her important contribution to the history of home security. One can agree with the statement that due to Marie Van Brittan Brown, people all over the world can heave a sign of relief and feel safer in their houses since the emerging threats are under constant watch. She embarked on the first move towards home protection during such a period when crime and its repercussions were quite serious and inevitable. Today, we have entire home security systems that are almost the norm owing to Marie Van Brittan Brown’s out-of-the-box thinking. She konnte es bereits 1966 erkennen und offenbar war sie die Einzige die dies tun konnte, während der Rest der Welt weit hinterher hinkte.

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