The technology that could transform millions of Zigbee light bulbs into motion sensors with a single update.
This technology could be available in Philips Hue in the near future.
The lights that turn on when you enter a room and turn off when you leave are one of the most sought-after features in a smart home. However, to achieve this, acquiring additional hardware, such as motion sensors, is often necessary. A new environmental detection technology called Sensify could simplify this process by turning light bulbs into motion sensors. This innovation is expected to arrive soon at a nearby Philips Hue bridge.
Sensify is a wireless network sensing (WNS) technology developed by Ivani that allows Zigbee devices connected to the electrical network to act as motion sensors through a firmware update, thereby eliminating the need for additional hardware. This technology has the potential to work on devices that are already in many homes. Justin McKinney, co-founder of Ivani, mentioned that there are tens of millions of devices with the base firmware available, and they are currently working on the final details to reveal this complete experience.
An obvious use of this technology would be in Zigbee-based smart lighting systems, such as Philips Hue. There has been speculation that Hue has been working on Zigbee detection technology since its sister company, Wiz, introduced a similar technology called SpaceSense in 2022, which uses WNS over Wi-Fi. Reports suggest that Zigbee wireless network sensing is the approach that Hue is likely to adopt. Although Signify, the company that owns Hue, was consulted, no response has yet been received regarding this matter.
McKinney did not reveal which companies are using Sensify, which has been in development since 2016, but he did mention that they are collaborating with "big names in the industry" that are about to implement the technology. He also noted that Ivani is the only company offering this capability over Zigbee networks. While Sensify leverages the Zigbee protocol, it is a proprietary solution. Although it has been reported that this detection technology will reach all Zigbee devices, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) confirmed that it is not a new feature within the Zigbee protocol.
WNS works by detecting disturbances in radio frequencies and can also be applied to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread technologies. According to McKinney, Sensify requires at least three devices located in a detection area to identify motion and occupancy. Additionally, it allows precise detection zones to be defined based on the location of the devices. This technology communicates between devices, reviewing diagnostic information from the underlying network to make occupancy decisions.
Regarding performance, McKinney asserts that Sensify is "equivalent to or better than" traditional passive infrared (PIR) technology, which is commonly used for motion detection, and does not require line of sight as PIR does. However, it is not as precise as technologies like mmWave detection.
Motion detection in the smart home has multiple applications, from controlling lights and security to energy management and elder care. The main advantages of WNS are cost and scalability, as there’s no need to acquire additional hardware and many homes already have compatible devices. While Ivani is currently the only company with a Zigbee solution, other WNS solutions using Wi-Fi exist, such as those developed by Origin Wireless.
Origin's technology powered Linksys Aware, which allows routers to function as motion sensors, and last year, Threshold launched a smart plug that uses Wi-Fi detection to facilitate remote activity monitoring. Despite certain false positive issues experienced in earlier tests, McKinney indicated that advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence have significantly improved WNS technology.
Ivani is ready to implement Sensify over Zigbee, awaiting its partners to finalize the integration details in their products. Home automation enthusiasts are optimistic about the possibility of each Philips Hue bulb transforming into a motion sensor, enabling automatic light control without needing to install additional sensors.
