Future Use

The Canary plans to update smoke and carbon monoxide detectors using similar home automation technologies seen in smart-kitchen appliances, HVAC systems, lighting systems, and even door locks. In 2009, Intel joined IPSO Alliance to promote IP addresses in smart devices so that in the case of a fire, after the smoke detector is triggered, the smoke detector would then turn off all gas appliances and then send alerts via smartphone. The Canary has the potential to develop into the kind of smart device that would also have the ability to turn of any appliances in case of an emergency.

In 2003, the US Navy announced that by 2004, they could have chemical detectors equipped in office buildings, factories, shopping malls and other public buildings to prevent against terrorist attacks. 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security also launched an initiative to put poison-and-chemical-reading sensors directly into cell phones. The Canary may eventually be able to adopt the ability to detect chemicals as well as other air quality issues besides smoke and carbon monoxide. 

The creators also plan to use Canary to track air quality of living spaces or other indoor environments within a city. By making citizens more aware of the air quality as well as an opportunity to choose unpolluted air, this may increase the health of the public and life expectancy. Data will be collected documented through a web API made accessible to the public. 

However, this data can only be collected once the network of Canary detectors reach “critical mass”. As the network effect states: the larger the number of people using a network, the more valuable that network becomes.