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> I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying th
by kinsomo 8y ago
> I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produce individual components that I can trust to piece together.
You don't need cameras for that, just motion sensors.
> That server makes decisions on if lights should be on...in that room.
You don't need a server for that, just a motion-sensing switch. They can be totally offline. My office has them to shut off lights automatically when a conference room becomes unoccupied.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wiring-Devices-Light-Controls-Motion-Sensors/N-5yc1vZc32r https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wiring-Devices-Light-...
It can get annoying if you're not moving much, but the key point is: no camera or server required.
> That server makes decisions on...if A/C should be running in that room.
Ecobee thermostats can already do that using motion/temperature sensors. They run fine without an internet connection.
https://www.ecobee.com/room-sensors/ https://www.ecobee.com/room-sensors/
- carbocation 8y agoMight be cool to add thermal sensors to that, so the lights don't shut off because you're not moving enough.
- sgwae 8y agoAdd in voice, image recording to get gov income as well.
- flyingcoder 8y agoThat would still mean that the lights would go off if my boss was the only person in the room.
- FreeFull 8y agoThat's alright, he doesn't really need the light anyway.
- Cthulhu_ 8y agoThat's the main problem with motion activated office lights tbf, especially when you're doing software development for example - not enough motion to keep them on.
- JackCh 8y agoEh, it encourages me to get up and have a stretch periodically.
- hunter2_ 8y agoThat doesn't work in a toilet stall.
- tonyarkles 8y agoEvery time! The coffee shop by my old house had motion sensing lights in the washroom, and every damned time I would be plunged into darkness half-way through my visit... Urgh.
- heywire 8y agoMay I suggest some fiber?
- stef25 8y agoOur company has this in the toilets, when it goes dark you just wave your hands
- vor0nwe 8y agoOurs does too, but there's no sensors inside the stall... You can wave all you want, there's no way to turn the lights back on without opening the stall door. Thank goodness for phone flashlights!
- eric_h 8y agoMy problem with the motion activated office lights (at least the ones at the wework my company is located) is that you can't turn them off. The button appears to turn the lights off and disable the motion sensor for some (short) period of time, then movement turns the lights back on again. Very annoying.
- floatingatoll 8y agoI wish more offices would install motion sensors facing keyboards from above, tune-focused for finger motion detection.
- kinsomo 8y ago> I wish more offices would install motion sensors facing keyboards from above, tune-focused for finger motion detection. A new dystopian developer-productivity metric.
- hutzlibu 8y agoErm, could you not also just install a keylogger?
- JasonFruit 8y agoThe NSA could just give you access to theirs.
- forkerenok 8y agoI'd also like them to dim if I'm holding a glass of wine and/or move in a particular manner. Edit: typo
- hansoolo 8y agoHaha, and play some jazz tune maybe?
- evanlivingston 8y agoIf you're staying that still, you likely don't need room lights on. Why not just use an area/task light if you're performing a stationary task?
- mschuster91 8y agoFor people with glasses the reflections can be pretty bad. In addition I require bright cold-white neon light or I fall asleep. By the way, German workplace safety regulations require a certain minimum of light at a workplace.
- cc439 8y agoOSHA also requires a minimum light level in the US but I believe it only pertains to hazardous working environments (like on a production floor in a manufacturing facility for example). Either that or the enforcement in white collar environments is so weak that literally no one cares to follow the law which is surprisingly common with reagrd to many workplace regulations.
- pocketstar 8y agocommodity motion sensors are thermal sensors[0]. Perhaps a FLIR[1]? [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_infrared_sensor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_infrared_sensor [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_looking_infrared https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_looking_infrared
- bschwindHN 8y agoFLIR for turning off a light in a room seems like a ridiculous amount of overkill. I don't know numbers off the top of my head but I feel like at that point you're using more energy for FLIR than the light itself. Not to mention the cost of a single FLIR sensor is probably pretty high.
- ehavener 8y agoI think clever placement of traditional IR sensors is the answer here.
- xvf22 8y agoThese cheap 8x8 sensors may be useful[0]. [0] https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538
- a_f 8y agoCould be a problem if you plan on sleeping, but you could some rules to get around that
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- tree_of_item 8y agoOne reason you might want a server is to have more expressive power than "if someone literally enters the room, turn on the lights". You might want to turn on the lights and run the AC a little before you predict people will arrive, for example.
- kinsomo 8y ago> One reason you might want a server is to have more expressive power than "if someone literally enters the room, turn on the lights". You might want to turn on the lights and run the AC a little before you predict people will arrive, for example. Maybe, but that seems like a lot of work for little gain. You probably don't actually have that much control over the AC in your rooms unless you have zoned heating and a lot of zones, regardless of how smart your sensors are. Intent is a very important factor when answering the question "should the lights be on," I don't think you'll be able to predict that. For instance: if movement is detected in the bedroom at 2AM, should the lights come on? The answer is: a very strong maybe.
- nfoz 8y ago> Maybe, but that seems like a lot of work for little gain. That's how I feel about Alexa.
- coatmatter 8y agoWhile I haven't had the urge to get any 'smart speaker', I have a hunch that the current hype* around these devices comes mainly from the novelty of being impressed with voice recognition. As someone who doesn't have a voice for radio, I much prefer being able to interact through dexterity. Besides, I'm very picky when it comes to which specific track of music is to be played (out of various similarly named pieces of music). * I don't think take-up is quite as big as the tech world currently makes it out to be. People in my circles don't really have that kind of disposable income and are prioritising other purchases first. So yeah, Alexa is a lot of extra literal work for little gain.
- tree_of_item 8y ago
- dabockster 8y agoBut then how can I sell the analytics data for billions of dollars? /s
- nazz 8y agoYour solution is simple. However, it doesn't allow for as much modification as the original poster's idea. With his idea it could be modified in so many ways to add functionality because it wouldn't be limited by the technology. The solution you supplied will eventually be limited by the technology if the original poster wants to add other functions.
- evanlivingston 8y agoSure, but what is the value gain/opportunity cost between a simple, two hour installation that achieves a majority of the desired outcome with nearly rock-solid stability vs. sinking a massive amount of time into a bespoke and likely fragile system?
- kinsomo 8y ago> However, it doesn't allow for as much modification as the original poster's idea. My main point was the original poster's idea was probably focusing on the wrong kind of sensor for what he wanted to do. He could still network a bunch of motion sensors. Also, I'd dispute the idea that my proposals were less "modifiable." If only because they're far easier to implement and a couple of orders of magnitude cheaper, so it's practical to replace if more capabilities are needed.
- Animats 8y agoThere may be a market for something between a standard one-bit low-rez motion sensor and a full color TV camera. Maybe a 16x16 pixel IR sensor with a fisheye lens and a puny CPU that reports an approximate number of people in the area, for HVAC and lighting control, and security.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- tfandango 8y agoIf you buy occupancy switches instead of vacancy switches, the light will stay on until you actually leave!