A daughter in Toronto. A father in Auckland. Peace of mind for both.

Your family member's door, handled.

Soter manages visitors at the door so your older or disabled family member doesn't have to. It screens callers, alerts you when it matters, and keeps a clear log of who came by.

Commercial release targeted for the first half of 2027.

Reserve for individuals Reserve for organisations

The accessibility chain

Doorstep interactions are a chain of events

The front door asks people to:

NOTICE

someone is there

ACCESS

the door

WORK OUT WHO

the visitor is

WORK OUT WHY

they are calling

DECIDE

what should happen next

RESPOND

appropriately

And people must complete all six steps before the visitor leaves. Every step must be accessible, not just the doorbell.

A girl stands facing a front door. A blue Soter unit is mounted to the left of the door.
A pilot site in London, UK

Video doorbells make the person inside do the work

A video doorbell says: “Someone’s outside. You deal with it.” Soter says: “I’ll talk to them first.”

How Soter works

Handles the door. Keeps everyone informed.

Soter works autonomously, so the person at home does not need to do anything unless they want to.

Learn more

At the door

Caller arrives

When someone approaches the door, Soter greets them politely and asks who they are and why they are visiting — in natural spoken conversation. Visitors do not need to press a button, read instructions, or know anything about the household. They just talk, the way they would to a person.

A courier in a hurry gets a quick, clear interaction. A support worker enrolled by the household can be recognised and welcomed. A stranger is asked, calmly and consistently, to explain themselves — something many occupants find hard to do through a chained door.

Visitor checked

Smart identification

Soter checks the visitor against expected appointments, configured PINs, consented known-visitor profiles, and the household's regular schedule. A match gives Soter context about who may be at the door and what verification the household requires.

If no match is found, the visitor remains unknown. Soter records the name, organisation, and purpose they provide so the household's policy can decide how cautiously to proceed.

Visit managed

Interaction managed

Once the visitor has been checked, Soter applies the household's rules. It can give a courier delivery instructions, welcome an expected visitor, ask an occupant or trusted contact for a decision, or politely turn an unexpected caller away without asking the occupant to come to the door.

Routine visits can be completed from start to finish without interrupting the person inside.

Right person informed

Occupant or trusted contacts notified

When a visit needs a human decision, the right person hears about it — with context. Alerts say who came, what they wanted, and what Soter has done so far, so an occupant or trusted contact can respond usefully from wherever they are.

Alerts can escalate to nominated contacts if the first person is unavailable, and every visit is added to the shared history with its time, purpose, and outcome.

From the Dunedin pilot

Tested at real doors, not in a lab

Soter was tested in 8 Dunedin households from May to July 2026 as part of a pilot funded by Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People.

Learn more

From the households in our Dunedin pilot

Pilot testimonials

1 / 14

I'm happy to see most people, family and neighbors. They usually come bearing gifts.

Participant, wheelchair user
100%
Household continuation
8 of 8 households asked to continue using Soter after the pilot.
7,073
Doorstep events recorded
Recorded at real front doors during the Dunedin pilot.
3,158
Visitor interactions handled
Doorstep events include door-open and sensor activity; 3,158 of them were conversations with visitors.
415
Household-days of real use
Across 8 Dunedin households from May to July 2026.
7.6
Average visits per day
Across 415 household-days in the Dunedin pilot.
47 seconds
Median conversation
Short conversations that quickly establish the identity and purpose of the visitor.

Who is this for?

Two routes to Soter

Individuals

Stay close, without hovering

Know who is at your family member's door, respond if needed, and get on with your day without moving in with them.

  • Real-time alerts when unknown visitors arrive
  • Full visit history with timestamps
  • Escalation chain – alerts go to backup carers if you miss them
  • Door open, left opened, and person exit tracking
  • Works across multiple family members in one account
  • Manage all settings remotely
Learn more

Organisations

Institutional-grade doorstep management

Soter integrates with aged care, independent living, and disability support operations at scale.

  • Centralised dashboard across multiple properties
  • Verified carer and contractor access management
  • Automated entry records for compliance
  • Integration with care-tech platforms via API
  • Customisable alert workflows per resident
  • White-label and reseller options available
Learn more

Pricing

Simple pricing.

We are still settling the final numbers, but this is the shape of it: a one-off unit price, a modest monthly subscription, and extras only if you want them.

Hardware target
$400NZD

Anticipated one-off device price for the Soter doorstep assistant hardware.

  • Weatherproof outdoor unit
  • Self-install mounting
  • Battery backup
Subscription target
$40NZD/mo

Estimated monthly service cost for connectivity, AI handling, history storage, alerts, and app access.

  • Visitor screening
  • Family and carer notifications
  • Secure visit history
Add-ons
TBC

Optional extras for homes that need a broader setup or additional access workflows.

  • Dedicated indoor terminal
  • Additional indoor sensors
  • Smart lock integrations
  • Installation support options
Reserve for individuals Reserve for organisations

Final product specifications, price, subscription terms, installation requirements, and delivery timing will be confirmed before final order.

Our supporters

Supported by organisations working across technology, access, and care

  • Age Concern Otago
  • CCS Disability Action
  • Dunedin Friend-Link
  • Livingwell
  • New Zealand Spinal Trust