Assuming that you’re not paying tens of thousands of dollars on luxury (and always overpriced) smartphones, the first thought to cross your mind when cracking a mobile device’s display probably is to throw it away and get a new one. Belgian company Olmose is here to demonstrate that it doesn’t always have to be like that, and that unused smartphones can still be put to good use.

Even though the display is the main interface between a smartphone’s apps and its user, a crack affecting it shouldn’t determine us to disregard its capabilities entirely. After all, the rear camera most probably survived the physical damage, and there is still plenty of processing power under the hood, so the best thing to do would be to repurpose the smartphone by turning it into an extremely affordable home security system with help of the Olmose Guardian app.

Since installing and uninstalling apps on smartphones is something that can be done remotely, you won’t need to use your device’s display for that. Once the Olmose Guardian app is installed, you can proceed to recording or simply monitoring your home. Any and all events will trigger notifications that will arrive on your current smartphone, provided that you’ve chosen to be notified.

There are two apps that comprise the Olmose system. The Guardian app gets installed on your unused smartphone, while the Olmose Remote app needs to be running on your new device, in order to control the functions of the former. First of all, there’s a Video only mode that enables you to monitor whatever happens in front of the smartphone’s camera. Secondly, there a Surveillance mode that sends you notifications whenever particular motion patterns are detected by the camera. Thirdly, the device running the Guardian app can be turned into an anti-burglary alarm that sends you push notifications/emails/phone calls whenever suspicious movements are detected, regardless if it’s day or night.

The Dog Station developed by Olmose complements the Guardian app by adding infrared advanced detection and advanced night vision, not to mention that this device can act as a stand for the phone running the app.

Below are all of the functions that the Guardian has. Smartphone aside, this is one of the most affordable solutions you could find for protecting your home, car, or baby.

Olmose has turned to Kickstarter to raise the funds necessary for mass producing the Guardian. At the time of writing, backers had pledged nearly 4% of the €100,000 funding goal, and the campaign still had 37 days to go. Early birds can secure for themselves an improved security system comprising of a Dog Station and the Olmose Guardian app for $64.50, while the rest of the backers will have to pledge $75 or more in order to get these products in April 2016. In case you only want the app, you need to pledge $21.50 for a lifetime license for one Guardian.

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