Presence Sensor FP2 Review – MacRumors – do phone

Aqara this week launched the Presence Sensor FP2 – a model new millimeter wave sensor that goes far past the capabilities of extra standard movement sensors to facilitate highly effective automations, with help for Apple HomeKit.

The sensor makes use of millimeter wave radar know-how to detect human presence in a room with better precision than conventional passive infrared sensors, permitting for extra particular automations and a extra dependable expertise. Aqara says that FP2 detects even the slightest motion, akin to respiratory, to determine human presence. This stage of precision signifies that customers can arrange automations to activate lights and maintain them on when somebody is in an space, even when there’s very minimal movement that extra standard sensors wouldn’t have the ability to sense, for instance.

The sensor comes with a two meter USB-A to USB-C energy cable, two adhesive magnetic mounting plates, a screw, a wall anchor, and an instruction guide. You could present your personal USB-A wall adapter to energy the machine.

Design

The sensor sports activities a particularly compact design with a rounded physique and matte white end. On the high, there’s a pairing button and an ambient mild sensor. The design is sufficiently discreet to tuck within the nook of a room or depart on a tabletop.

The bottom of the sensor swivels out and absolutely extends, serving to you to place it precisely as you would like. The bottom is magnetic, permitting you to stick it to one of many included magnetic plates should you plan to put in the sensor on a wall or ceiling. Swivelling out the bottom additionally reveals the USB-C port required to energy the machine and a ‌HomeKit‌ pairing code sticker.

The FP2 is IPX5 rated in opposition to water and mud, which permits it to be put in in humid environments like bogs and even some open air areas.

Set Up, Performance, and HomeKit Assist

Whereas the Presence Sensor FP2 requires an Aqara hub, there are a number of choices to select from, such because the M1S or M2 hub. Establishing the FP2 follows the identical course of as many different Aqara equipment. Merely join the FP2 to an influence supply, open the Aqara app, maintain down the small button on the accent, and comply with the on-display screen directions.

To take full benefit of the FP2’s options, you could use the Aqara app. The sensor has separate modes relying on the place you propose to place the sensor, every with subsequent choices for fantastic-tuning to your precise wants. Customers can arrange varied detection zones and targets, in addition to exclude sure areas from the sensor to stop motion in these areas triggering automations.

The app lets you outline as much as 30 zones inside a room, every with their very own automations. After establishing these zones within the Aqara app, the configuration may be synced to Apple’s Residence app as a number of movement or occupancy sensors, permitting you to make use of the FP2 natively in a ‌HomeKit‌ setup and create automations. The constructed-in mild sensor can also be uncovered to ‌HomeKit‌.

The sensor can detect presence as much as eight meters away and pinpoint the precise location of people within the room with extraordinary accuracy, as seen within the Aqara app. It could possibly additionally observe as much as 5 individuals without delay, permitting for the management of various zones primarily based on the actual-time location of every particular person. The detection of presence is impressively instantaneous and noticeably extra correct than easier movement sensor equipment.

The FP2 additionally provides some distinctive options akin to fall detection within the Aqara app. Different capabilities, together with posture, standing, sitting, and mendacity detection, are set to be added with an replace to the machine. The FP2 could even have the ability to help sleep monitoring and respiratory price detection sooner or later by way of an replace, based on Aqara.

Backside Line and The way to Purchase

With its vary of superior options, Presence Sensor FP2 is likely one of the most exact, versatile, and distinctive good house sensors out there in the marketplace. At $82.99, it’s costlier than a easy movement sensor, however it provides much better performance.

The FP2 can operate as as much as 30 particular person movement sensors in Apple’s Residence app with a particularly excessive stage of sensitivity and accuracy, making it simple to suggest over shopping for a extra restricted movement sensor. Matter compatibility is ready to come back to the FP2 Presence Sensor by way of an over-the-air replace, and Aqara has extra options deliberate for the machine sooner or later, making it a good selection for any good house setup.

The necessity for fixed energy by way of USB-C is nearly the one caveat to the FP2, since lots of the much less succesful movement sensors in the marketplace use battery energy, which makes it simple to put them precisely the place you need them. The necessity for wired energy means you simply should suppose a little bit extra fastidiously about the place you propose to make use of the FP2.

The Presence Sensor FP2 is offered from Amazon in North America and Europe, in addition to selected Aqara retailers worldwide. Aqara is presently providing a 15% low cost on the brand new machine on the Amazon by means of April 22 with the next low cost codes:

• Amazon North America: FP2USCA1 (relevant to Amazon US & Canada)
• Amazon Europe: EU5PSFP2 ​(relevant to Amazon France, Germany, Italy, Spain & UK)

Be aware: Aqara supplied MacRumors with a FP2 Presence Sensor for the aim of this evaluation. No different compensation was acquired.