Here’s a technology that can turn millions of Zigbee bulbs into motion sensors with a single update:

Lights that turn on when you enter a room and turn off when you leave are one of the most desirable smart home features. However, to make this “magic” happen, you will need to purchase additional hardware, such as a motion sensor. A new ambient sensing technology called Sensify makes this easier by turning a light bulb into a motion sensor. And it could soon land on a Philips Hue bridge near you.

Sensify is a wireless network sensing (WNS) technology developed by Ivani that turns mains-powered Zigbee devices into motion sensors to control lighting with just a firmware update, without any additional hardware. The best part is that it can work with the devices you already have in most homes. “There are already tens of millions of devices with default firmware. We are putting the finishing touches on the whole experience to make it even better.” Ivani co-founder Justin McKinney said: The Verge.

An obvious use case for this is Zigbee-based smart lighting systems like Philips Hue. There has been speculation that Hue is developing Zigbee sensing technology after its sister company Wiz launched a similar technology in 2022 called SpaceSense that uses WNS over Wi-Fi. The well-informed hueblog.com reports that Zigbee wireless network detection is the technology Hue is most likely to use. The Verge We’ve reached out to Signify, which owns Hue, but haven’t heard back yet.

McKinney wouldn’t reveal which companies are using Ivani’s Sensify, which has been in development since 2016, but did say the company is “working with some large companies that are ready to deploy this technology soon.” He also said that it is the only company to offer this capability over the Zigbee network.

While Ivani is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), which implements the Zigbee protocol, Sensify is a proprietary solution that leverages the Zigbee network. Despite reports that this detection technology applies to all Zigbee devices, CSA confirmed: The Verge This is not a new feature in Zigbee itself.

WNS works by detecting disturbances in radio frequencies and can also be applied to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Thread technologies. McKinney says that for Sensify to detect movement and occupancy in a space, three or more devices must be placed around the sensing area. Additionally, this technology allows for precise detection areas based on the device’s location. “Devices send messages to each other, look at basic network diagnostic information, and process this to provide occupancy detection decisions,” says McKinney.

In terms of performance, McKinney says Sensify is “equal to or better” than the passive infrared detection (PIR) technology traditionally used for motion detection. It also doesn’t require line of sight like PIR does. However, it is not as accurate as technologies such as mmWave detection, which can determine if someone is in a room through subtle movements such as breathing. “If you stay still, the lights will likely go out. “Even if you’re in space,” he says.

The good news is that Sensify can run on Zigbee networks with a variety of chipsets working together. This means you can deploy it as a software update to existing systems. McKinney also confirmed that Sensify runs locally on a Zigbee network, there is no Sensify cloud, and all sensing data is only accessible to manufacturers deploying the technology.

This video published by CSA shows how Ivani’s wireless network detection works in a Zigbee network.

There are many use cases for motion detection in smart homes, from lighting control and security to energy management and elder care. The two big advantages of WNS here are cost and scale. There is no need to purchase additional hardware to get this feature, and many homes already have devices that can use it.

Ivani is currently the only company with a Zigbee solution, but they also have a WNS solution that uses Wi-Fi. Origin Wireless and its partner Nami pioneered Wi-Fi sensing and are leading Matter’s efforts to bring ambient RF sensing technology into the smart home standard.

Origin’s technology powers Linksys Aware, a feature the router company launched in 2019 that turned its routers into motion sensors, and last year, Threshold, which uses Origin’s Wi-Fi detection to help caregivers remotely monitor their loved ones’ activities. We launched a smart plug.

In 2021, we tested Hex Home, Origin’s proof-of-concept security system that uses Wi-Fi detection instead of motion sensors. However, false positives made it virtually unusable. I even tried out Wiz’s Wi-Fi-based SpaceSense when it first came out. It was more stable, but still quite inconsistent. However, according to McKinney, advances in machine learning and AI have significantly improved WNS technology.

He said Ivani’s Sensify technology is ready to be deployed over Zigbee, and the company is waiting for partners to fine-tune how best to “introduce the feature into our product line.” He expects to update existing products in the coming months. “We’re having the pleasure of experiencing our partners’ products and beta testing them at home, and this is a commitment to what home automation really is.”

There have been many promises made about home automation over the years, but very little has been fulfilled. But the idea that every Philips Hue light bulb in your home could turn into a motion sensor overnight, allowing you to simply automate lighting controls without sticking white plastic sensors everywhere, is a pretty interesting one.