CE Pro's Julie Jacobson thinks she picked some real winners -- especially in the smart home and IoT categories, and especially in the Eureka Park start-up zone -- even before CES 2018 began.

Based on Camio visual AI engine built by former Google Search execs, new Ella from IC Realtime (IC Realtech) quickly identifies objects and text (OCR) in surveillance videos at consumer-friendly prices.

In studying pre-CES IoT activity, we discerned a few new trends in smart-home technology ('the fog') and market forces (wellness) driving home-automation. But some things never change (standards).

When installing surveillance systems in low-light applications, security integrators must consider processing power, lens selection, IR-illumination technologies, camera positioning and other key factors.

Consumers might walk in the door requesting a basic alarm system or a couple of cameras, but integrators can move them into a more advanced solution by using this simple '5 Levels of Security' cheat sheet.