Home Monitoring System Uses Wi-Fi Motion Detection Via Beacons

Cognitive Systems announced availability of its latest Aura home monitoring system, which uses Wi-Fi and beacons to detect motion by monitoring the disruption of wireless signals caused by movement. The expandable system uses algorithms and machine learning to distinguish among people, pets and mechanical motion, such as a fan, said the company. Using three or more beacons unlocks mesh motion sensing, which allows users to be notified where and when motion occurs in their home via app. Users can create scenes with IFTTT (If This Then That), using motion as a trigger to turn on connected devices such as lights and Wi-Fi cameras. Aura is compatible with Alexa and Google Home for voice control. Use cases are family alerts to let parents know when kids arrive home from school, go to bed or “try to sneak out at night” and for elderly care to keep tabs of an aging parent when motion isn’t detected, said the company. Future smart home integrations will be enabled through software upgrades, said the company. The starter kit is $199 for a hub and one beacon; additional beacons are $99 each. The system is available at Aurahome.com and will be available from Amazon in coming weeks, Aura said.