Your connected light bulb will magically become a motion detector

Home automation sometimes has a few surprises in store for us! A fascinating innovation is about to transform our connected homes: our smart bulbs will soon be able to detect our movements, without any additional hardware. A real magic trick that will revolutionize the way we interact with our lighting!

Technology that's almost magic

Just imagine: you walk into a room and the lights come on automatically, with no apparent motion detector. No, this isn't science fiction! This is the promise of Sensify, a technology developed by the American company Ivani. The principle is ingenious: it uses the disruption of radio waves caused by our movements to detect our presence. (And yes, our bodies disrupt the waves without us even realizing it!)

How does it work?

For the magic to work, you need at least three devices connected in the same room. These devices communicate with each other and analyze radio signal disturbances to determine whether anyone is present. The best part? The technology works with all devices using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Thread protocols.

Performance that holds up

So, is it as effective as a good old-fashioned motion detector? According to Justin McKinney, co-founder of Ivani, performance is equivalent, if not superior, to traditional systems. The only downside is that if you stand perfectly still, the lights may go out (and you may have to make a few small movements from time to time to remind yourself of your presence!)

A revolution that's just around the corner

The good news is that this technology is already compatible with many existing devices. A simple firmware update is all it takes to turn your light bulbs into motion detectors. Better still, devices of different brands and generations can work together to create detection zones.

Philips Hue at the forefront

The first devices to benefit from this technology will be those using the Zigbee protocol. This is excellent news for Philips Hue users, who represent a large share of the market. Tens of millions of devices are already ready to receive this update.

Technology that goes beyond lighting

Applications are not limited to automatic lighting. The technology could also be used for security or to monitor the elderly. Detection is fast, with a response time of less than 500 milliseconds in 90% of cases. And for security, the system is able to operate with an extremely low false positive rate: less than one error every 6 months.

One step closer to the truly intelligent home

This innovation represents exactly what home automation should be: simple, efficient and free of superfluous hardware. No need to buy and install additional sensors – your light bulbs do the work! It's not only more economical, it's also more environmentally friendly.

Safety first

For those worried about confidentiality, rest assured: the system works locally, without going through the cloud. Detection data remains within your home network, and is only accessible to the manufacturer implementing the technology.

This technological breakthrough promises to revolutionize the way we interact with our connected home. No more unsightly ceiling detectors or misplaced switches! Our light bulbs are becoming smarter than ever, and that's just brilliant!