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Video tutorial
How to set the email information using a google account
How to control the application Sensor alarm remotely
How to activate the application Sensor alarm programmatically
How to detect sounds using Sensor Alarm
Sensor Alarm
Click the image to download
Description:
This application turns your phone into a burglar alarm using the camera as a motion sensor. Simply, placing your mobile phone directed towards the area to be monitored you will protect yourself and your valuables from thieves and unwanted intruders. Alarms, photos and videos will be stored and reported in real time by e-mail and SMS.
The advanced configuration allows you to get maximum versatility and efficiency for every type of use.
Usage:
- In the home as anti theft to check doors, windows and rooms
- Entrance customers sensor for commercial activities
- When you let your wallet, documents and valuables unguarded
(pool, beach, work, etc...)
- A spy camera
- A very effective joke
Main features:
- FREE
- Motion and audio detection
- photo, video and audio recording.
- light management through the camera's flash (experimental)
- User manual
- Gallery for photo and video of the intruder (data and time of the intrusion).
- Preview of media files (photos and videos).
- video playback - Programmed activation
- GPS tracking
- remote control through SMS
- sends photos and videos in real time by e-mail and SMS.
- you can adjust the sensitivity to movement perception.
- you can delay the first report (to disarm the burglar).
- protects your data using the encryption system AES128.
- camera selection (front or rear).
- sound alarm selection (also custom).
- silent mode to use as a 'spy camera'.
- fast accessing to the reports.
- function to export the media files into the SD memory.
Privacy Policy
These are our official statements regarding the privacy in the use of our application (Sensor Alarm) and this website (www.phonescience.eu).
Sensor Alarm's free edition uses Google's AdMob advertising service. AdMob's privacy policy is available at www.admob.com/home/privacy.
The application requires the network permission to send videos and images by email under user request. In addition, all information are protected by a high level of encryption and stored in the device privately. Google Checkout's privacy policy is available at checkout.google.com/files/privacy.html.
This website uses Google Analytics to gather traffic information and demographics. This may include storing cookies with your web browser. The Google Analytics privacy policy is available at www.google.com/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html.
This policy was released in the September 28th, 2014.
Please contact us for any further information.
User Manual
This is a product developed by Phone Science http://www.phonescience.eu
For contact and suggestions write to: info@phonescience.eu
Index
(1) Introduction
(2) In brief
(3) 10 simple things before you start
(4) Using
(5) Setup
Introduction
This manual was written to help the users to understand how this program works and how it should be set properly.
The camera of the phone can be used to take pictures of the environment in order to find any differences between frames caused by moving objects. Generally, this concept is extended to a class of sensors called motion sensors. This technology is used in the surveillance systems, which are often very expensive for both installation and maintenance.
Sensor alarm Spy Camera Free represents a new research project to develop a low-cost passive surveillance system that requires only the conventional hardware inside a cellular phone. Practically, this App turns your phone into a powerful and portable equipment to use everywhere.
In brief
Before starting, you should consider to take some minutes in order to configure the main parameters of the program, especially ones for email and SMS reporting. From the main section press the button 'Setting' in order to have access to the setting section.
Mail and SMS can be enabled clicking the proper check box in the Mail and SMS sections.
If you want to enable the silent mode in order to use the phone as a spy camera you should click the proper check box in the Setting section.
Important: You must enable the less secure Apps from your Gmail account. For more information see "10 simple things before you start" in step 4.
Several parameters are designed to address the problems caused by the hardware, particular environments or different light conditions. These functions are described in the section 'Setup'.
10 simple things before you start
1) 'Sensor Alarm' is a program that turns your phone into a modern burglar alarm based on motion detection. In particular analyzes a sequence of images taken by a video camera of your mobile phone to find if there are moving objects (intruders) in the area to be checked.
2) Its optimal use concerns closed environments (indoors), for instance zones of passage, but also doors or windows. However, within certain limits it can also be used in external environments, as long as there are no sources of unstable light or moving objects such as leaves of trees blowing in the wind.
3) After the set up, the phone should be placed in a stable manner on a fixed point of the house, with the camera directly to the area to check. Care should be taken to the fact that it is positioned in a stable manner because otherwise it could fall and become damaged.
4) You should enter your e-mail information, because if the system detects an intruder it will send pictures or video of the intruder in real time via email. This option requires an internet connection. Before doing this operation you can register a new account with google or use one already in use on your cellphone.
IMPORTANT:
the latest changes on Google Gmail accounts include some security guards that prevent applications from sending mail messages automatically. By clicking on this link
Disable security guards
you can disable this protection in order to enable the functionality of the program. (The words "Allow less secure App" must be set to ON as shown in figure)
Now you can go on setting, then on 'Set Mail' and enter the required information.
5) If you do not have an internet connection you can use the SMS function. In the section 'Set SMS' you must provide the necessary information. Of course, the phone must be equipped with an active SIM.
6) You can start the application in three different ways.
• In person. If you are physically close to your phone you must press the Start button (the icon that looks like a power button). At this point, you will have 30 seconds to leave the area to be checked before the alarm is enabled.
• Programmed activation. You can set a range of daily time within which the alarm should operate. Every day the phone will turn on and off without the needing to be physically close to the phone. This type of function can be useful for instance when you go on vacation.
• Remote activation. Even this activation requires an initial set up. You can control the starting of the program or switching off the alarm system using a second phone. In particular, you can send a text message with a specific code to the phone where you installed the application. The established code in the SMS message are recognized and executed as commands. This feature can be useful also in the case your phone is stolen. In this case Sensor Alarm will send the GPS coordinates of the thief. Notice: using this function, the programmed activation will be turned off.
7) Once you have configured the program you will be able to remotely monitor what is happening at home calling the phone where you installed Sensor Alarm. Wait a couple of rings (the phone does not respond), and then put down the line. After a period that can range from 30s to 1-2m (it depends on many factors: internet, size attachments ...) you will receive messages with video or photos of the area to be checked, including audio.
8) From the main screen you can enable and disable all functions very simply by clicking on the icons. For example, if you click on the email, the function 'send email' will be deactivated and you will see a red cross over the icon. By clicking a second time will reactivate. This as other functions will be valid only after configuring.
9) Without the configuration you can use the application only as a crossing detector for example for commercial activities.
10) It is advisable to clean the image and video gallery periodically, especially if you use an old phone equipped with few memory.
Minimal Hardware Requirement
Media recording
Media Playing
Processor
RAM
44-48 KHz
44-48 KHz
1 GHz
512Mb
Using
The phone should be placed in a stable manner in order to check the area to be monitored. Before starting you should target the zone to be monitored using the preview available at the section 'Main'. If you want to use the application as a spy camera, the phone should be hidden.
At this point the application is ready to start. You can press the 'Power' button to put in practice the motion detection. Now you have 30 seconds to get out from the monitored area then you will hear a sound that reports the activation of the program (Sensor Alarm is enabled).
Even, you can stop the application pressing the button 'Power'. Notice that in the Setting section there is an option to delay the first alarm. All alarms are reported in a list inside the gallery section. In order to have access to this section you should press the 'video camera' or 'photo camera' icons. For instance, a first click to the camera icon, allows to use the photo camera as a camera to take photos. A second click allows to access to the gallery preview.
This list contains the preview of each alarm both for videos and images. Videos and images can be checked, saved and sent by mail.
When the user performs the first click, 2 numbers appear in the selected icon. The first one indicates the number of multimedia files stored in the last session, and the second one indicates the total number of multimedia files stored until the user has stopped the application.
In the last version of the program is possible to enable or disable the main functions from the main screen. Each functionality is associated to an icon that can be graphically and easily recognized. For instance clicking on the speaker icon the user can enable or disable the silent mode.
Checks the area with a call:
The function 'call checking' allows to see the protected area immediately. Simply calling (with another phone) the phone where 'Sensor alarm' is running, the application will reply sending the video or images at the specified email address or if the SMS function is enabled, at the specified phone number. Mail and SMS must be configured previously.
Programmed activation:
The function 'Programmed activation' allows to activate and deactivate the application programmatically. Simply clicking on the clock button you will enter in the configuration screen. To use this function you must set the working time and then click on the 'clock' icon. Each day, the application is ready to start and stop working at specified time.
Remote controls
The function 'Remote controls' allows to activate and deactivate the application remotely. Simply clicking on the button 'Remote controls' located in the setup screen you will set the command codes that must start with a '#'. To send a command to the phone where the program is installed you can send an SMS message using another phone. For instance, if the message contains the code '#12345' the application will be swiched on/off. Using '#54321' you will obtain the GPS location of the device. The using of this function will disable the programmed activation.
Audio recognition (v2.1)
1) Currently this function is experimental.
2) It should be enabled only in silent places. For instance, animals like the dogs could generate false alarms.
3) It is important to understand that the program is designed to manage the noise if it has a stable behaviour.
4) You should consider to spend some time to test the goodness of your configuration by trying the program before putting it into operation.
Samples:
the number of samples determines the adaptation speed to the noise. Increasing the number of samples will produce small changes of the threshold and this could have positive or negative effects. Increasing this value makes sense only in a noisy place where noise has a continuous basis and adjust over time.
Threshold:
this parameter represents the threshold calculated as the number of standard deviations from the mean level of the intensity of the sound. This parameter discriminates random events from those that are statistically significant. Please set this value according to the background noise.
Minimum signal threshold:
This threshold refers to the intensity of the sounds. The increase of this parameter reduces the number of false alarms but also reduces the ability to recognize weak sounds.
Setup
In the setup section you can set the main parameters that allow to adjust the sensitivity, precision and reactivity of the program. For simplicity we can classify the parameters in three categories: that ones affect the sensitivity of the motion detection, that ones affect the precision of the motion detection and customizable parameters. Generally, the first two classes of parameters have opposite effects.
Save and Exit
(Management):
this button allows to save your changes and put them into practice.
Default
(Management):
Clicking on this button the modified parameters will be set to the default values. The involved parameters are: 'History preview' , 'Image resulution', 'CPU and RAM requirements', 'Alarm delay', 'Sampling time', 'Volume', 'Precision', 'Sensitivity' and 'Response to small objects'.
Set mail
(Customization):
clicking on this button you will access to the mail setting in order to configure the main parameters. In this section some information are required: user name, user password and mail address of the sender. This function will be enabled clicking on the button 'Enable send'.
Set SMS
(Customization):
clicking on this button you will access to the SMS setting in order to configure it. In this section some information are required: sender phone number and SMS message. This function will be enabled clicking on the button 'Enable send'.
Export Setting
(Customization):
This function allows to backup your settings. If you press this button, you can select the directory where the program will save the backup file "setup.ini". This encrypted file can be reloaded later to restore your previously saved settings.
Import Setting
(Customization):
This function allows to import the saved settings. If you press this button, you can select the file "setup.ini" previously saved using the "Export settings". The configuration will be restored.
Camera
(Customization):
this setting regards the choosing of an available camera. Please choose your preferred option in the list.
Browse
(Customization):
this button gives you the access to the sound selection. The user can select from 3 different default sounds or a custom sound to select from the SD card. Furthermore, you can play the sounds and adjust the volume of alarms.
Gallery preview
(Customization):
this setting could be useful if the list of alarms is big or full of videos. In this case the preview of the entire list could require a long time for processing. If you check the check-box both the images and videos preview will be unavailable.
Flash auto
(Customization):
New and experimental. If checked, this parameter activates the management of the flash. The flash will be activated in lacking of light and deactivated in presence of enough light. This function is designed to handle the variations in brightness that occur at sunrise and sunset. Sudden changes in the brightness will be reported as alarms !!! When the flash is turned on, the battery can discharge very quickly. For this reason, it is advisable to plug in the phone to a charger.
Mute
(Customization):
if you want to use this application as a spy camera you should check this check-box.
Save Image
(Customization):
users can choose image or video reports: clicking on this check-box the image will be attached to the email.
Save Video
(Customization):
Users can choose image or video reports: clicking on this check-box the Video will be attached to the email.
Hi Qual
(Customization):
Better video quality. This parameter allows to improve the video quality. This setting is not recommended if you want to send attachments by e-mail.
Recording Time
(Customization):
This parameter represents the recording time of each video. If you want to send attachments by e-mail this parameter must be set to a reasonable value.
Image resolution
(Customization):
You can modify both the image and video resolution. The image resolution must be set to a reasonable value. Some devices fail to initialize the camera hardware when an high resolution is set because the system go out of memory. When this happens, the operating system kills some process managed by the applications in order to make less critical the phone functionalities. In this case you need to reset both data and cash memory of 'Sensor Alarm' from the "Application Manager" to restore the default values.
CPU and RAM requirements
(Sensitivity and precision):
Depending on resolution or sampling time, the battery can discharge quickly due to the power needed for data analysis. This parameter allows to reduce the CPU requirements. Accuracy and sensitivity may be decreased.
Alarm delay
(Customization):
This set allows to delay the first alarm. Only the first alarm will be delayed in order to disable the program. The other alerts will be reported immediately. During the delay, all movement activities will be recorded. If the program is not deactivated before the first alert occurs, all records will be reconsidered and reported to the user; on the contrary they are deleted.
Sampling time
(Customization):
this is the sampling time in mSecs. By default this parameter is set to 1000 (1 secs). This parameter could make more fast the discharge of the battery. You should set it to a reasonable value.
Volume
(Customization):
allows to change the volume of alarms.
Precision
(Specificity):
affects the precision of the motion detection and could make more fast the discharge of the battery. You should set it to a reasonable value.
Sensitivity
(Sensitivity):
affects the sensitivity of the motion detection. The application will be less or more sensible to the light or shadow changing. You could reduce the false positive alarms or produce a negative effect in the ability to recognize mimetized objects.
Response to small objects
(Specificity):
affects the precision to detect small objects and should be set considering the distance of the objects from the camera.
Credits
Thanks to FreeSFX: http://www.freesfx.co.uk