Customers find value in the FP2 Presence Sensor for its reliable light sensor that quickly detects and alerts movement, as well as its fall detection feature that provides an added layer of safety. The sensor's automation capabilities also allow for seamless integration into smart home setups.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 37 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Next gen Presence Detector works with Apple Home
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Aqara is making excellent next generation products that Integrate seamlessly with Apple Home. Highly recommend the FP2 Presence Sensor. It was very easy to setup, uses AI to maps out the area or room, performs reliable and accurate and best of I can see it's status and make any changes on my Apple Home APP.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Fall detection
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Lots of potential for home automation
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have to admit, I did not really understand the potential of the Aqara FP2 when I first got it. I assumed it was like a motion sensor that would trigger things like my lights when I walked into a room and turn them off when I left. However, it’s much more powerful than that if you use the right home automation ecosystem.
The unit is a small white hockey puck about 2.5” in diameter. It sits on a double-hinged arm attached to a base with a rubber foot and can be oriented vertically (upside-down), at a right angle to or parallel to its base. The base also happens to be magnetic and can be attached to a metal surface or the metal mounting disc (two are included) attached via a screw or adhesive sticker. Setting up the unit in the Aqara Home app is simple and straight forward, since you don’t need an additional hub to connect to, however, you will have to have a 2.4 GHZ WiFi network or use Bluetooth to manage the device settings.
The FP2 sensor uses a 60-GHz mmWave RF sensor and has a 120° detection radius (up to 19.5 ft wide and 26 feet away) and covers about 430 sq ft of space. You can also divide up the sensing area into 30 separate zones and setup unique automations for each one. It can do this because unlike infrared, sound, or motion sensors, this technology can detect very slight movements, even if you're sitting or standing still, and captures data like range, velocity, and angle or movement for high accuracy tracking. This allows it to detect and monitor up to 5 people in a room simultaneously and trigger different actions locally for each person without actually capturing any real “images” of them. There is also a lux light sensor built in so you can trigger automations based on ambient light conditions as well.
The unit is powered via a 6ft USB-C to USBA cable, though doesn’t come with a power adapter, so you’ll need to provide a 5V 1Amp brick and choose a location close to where you’ll plug it in. Note that there’s no internal battery, so the unit will stop functioning if your power goes out but still functions if only the internet is out.
Once the sensor is set up, you’ll be able to map its sensing area and mark where furniture, doors, and windows are. This helps you visualize your space, so you can divide it into zones and create various triggers in more than one location for you home automation. Just note that if you set the sensor up in the corner of a room, the map grid won’t really line up well. It’s up to you how you want to use its sensing data when integrating with home automation ecosystems like Apple Home Kit/Assistant, Google Home, Alexa, and IFTTT. Aqara is also planning on including Matter integration at some point in the future as well.
In the Aqara app, you can set up automations to trigger under a variety of scenarios including when presence is detected in a zone, for a specific duration, or even entering/leaving a room from a specific direction. However, we use Alexa for home automation and although the zones were each pulled into the Alexa app as separate motion detectors, it seems the only trigger conditions currently available are ‘motion detected’ and ‘motion not detected', which essentially is whether someone enters or leaves a zone. So while I'm in my kitchen, it'll turn on the overhead lights, when I'm by the coffee machine it'll switch on the under cabinet lights, and when I leave the room everything turns off.
There also wasn’t a way to setup routines using the FP2’s light sensor in Alexa, though I was able to do so with IFTTT. While not as robust as what Aqara supports natively, the routines did work as advertised and the sensor was very accurate in sensing where in the room multiple people were. In general, the responsiveness was quite fast, not exactly instantaneous but a short enough delay between trigger and automation that it felt seamless as I moved about my space.
There are two other ways it can be used: when ceiling mounted it can detect when an individual falls and send out alerts, which may be helpful if caring for an elderly individual, and if used bedside can be used to monitor sleep (for one person) and tracks things like heart rate, sleep stages, and respiratory rate. There’s also some beta functions available right now for people counting and AI detection of robot vacuums and pets, though these features may not be permanent or included in the future.
Overall, what I like about the FP2 sensor is that with zone control, it can essentially take the place of multiple PIR motion sensors, and there are a number of different ways it can be used. For me, the potential is there for it to do pretty some advanced automation sequences, but your mileage may vary depending on with automation ecosystem you’re using.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Fall detection, Setup
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Impressive Presence Sensor!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This presence sensor from Aqara is nicely made. It is small but very capable. It has some water resistance. It is rated IPX5 and can be placed outdoors even in the bathrooms. This sensor uses 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi band, Bluetooth. According to the manufacturer, Matter will be supported in the near future via OTA update. It detects light, presence, sleep and can be used for fall detection. It is easy to set up with the use of the Aqara Home app. This sensor and its capabilities is targeted mostly for home automation thinkers. You can link your Aqara account with Google, Alexa, and IFTTT to create automations or use its own Aqara app. This device also works with Apple HomeKit out of the box. It is capable of creating multiple zones within a room and can detect up to 5 people at once. The sensor itself is small, light and can be placed practically anywhere. It is extremely accurate and the automation that can be created with it is crazy. However, you required mostly Aqara own equipment (for now). The reason I say that is because at the time of my review the sensor does not support Matter and if you don’t have Aqara devices the automations are kind of limited.
I created several zones within my bedroom highlighting 3 entrances/exit and my bed. What I wanted to create was, if the sensor sees me going in entrance 2 which was my bathroom to turn on the bathroom light. Another one was, if it detects presence on the bed for x period of time, to turn on the ceiling fan. Since I cannot link the sensor to Smartthing where I have most of my connected devices, I cannot do that. I tried with IFTTT and created a few applets and it did not go well. I hope with Matter support that can change. Even though Aqara supports Smartthing are mostly old devices via Zigbee, not the new ones. When I created some automations using the Aqara app and using Aqara products, it worked. The sensor is very accurate but is a hit or missed when doing automation in dedicated zones.
This sensor also detects falls but it has to be mounted on a ceiling and the cable provided it is too small for that type of application. It is approximately 6 feet. I came up with an idea to replicate the fall. I mounted the sensor on my ceiling fan and connected it to a powerbank and to my surprise it actually worked. I was impressed, I simulated falling several times and it nailed it every single time. Using the Aqara doorbell chime I created a fall alarm detection. Everytime a someone falls, the chime will sound an alarm. That also went flawlessly. The alarm sounded every single time I simulated the fall.
The accuracy doesn’t stop there. I also tried the sleep detection feature which is in beta at this moment, and that was crazy. I compared the sleep data with my smartwatch and it was just slightly off. I can attest that the accuracy this device works on is something to be impressed by. The numbers were extremely close for a device that doesn’t have to be worn. The sleep time was just off by 20 min and the heart rate was practically on par with my smartwatch only off by single digits, WOW. The features don't stop there, it has few AI settings. One of them was AI learning, the sensor will learn to detect pets and cleaning robots when someone is not present. Despite mostly being positive about this sensor, unfortunately it can only do one thing at a time. In other words if you use it for detection it has to be mounted in a certain way and it is only going to do just that. The same goes for sleeping and fall detection. I'm pretty sure when this device matures they can make some type of update and make it all in one with a single point of installation (ceiling).
Overall I am very impressed with this presence sensor. It is super accurate, small and easy to install. Its capabilities for home automation can be endless once it starts playing nice with third parties. At the price point it is definitely a must have for home automation thinkers. In the box you get Sensor, USB-C to USB-A cable, mounting kit with magnets and manual.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Fall detection, Zone positioning
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great addition
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Zone positioning is really important because it only reaches around 430 square feet. When you take that into consideration it’s really only equipped to sensor 1 decent size room.
And since it can detect up to five people this device is good for a busy part of your home. Like kitchen, living room, dining room, play room.
We are also able to integrate our google home device which makes controlling all our devices fairly easy. Syncing up requires the app, so that step can’t be skipped.
Fall detection is pretty funny. I think this is great for older people but it has glitched a couple times thinking someone in the home fell and it was just our dog jumping from the couch to the floor.
The device is super small so it can be easily mounted anywhere.
It doesn’t move in a 360 rotation so mount it in a way that it can bend to your preference.
Overall this is a good device to add to a full home kit. Don’t replace this with a home alarm, this is in addition to help keep your home and the people in it safe.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Fall detection, Setup
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Amazing little package
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor is a capable device in the smart device sector. Being able to utilize one device as multiple sensors is a small package is great. The precision accuracy is also a plus to not deter false positive notifications. The ability to detect up to 5 people in a room is also amazing to track your room and positions up to 430 square feet.
The Aqara Home app is easy enough to setup. I give it points for the simplicity of setup. For the install, I wish the hardware did not need to be plugged in all the time but I believe for the amount of functionality behind this small device, the constant power is needed. Luckily the connection is USB-C.
I did have issues with the network functionality of this device. Randomly I would open the app and click into the sensor only to not have it depict data accurately. It happens sporadically but worth a call out.
Bonus - If you have someone you care for in a healthcare setting, you can install this as a trip/fall sensor on the ceiling. It will be able to detect and notify as soon as the fall occurs. Zone and presence detection is void in this fall detection mode. It would be nice if maybe in a future version the ability to expand on this feature could be included.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great addition to the Aqara ecosystem.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was finally able to get ahold of one of these and this is what my smart home system has been missing! With one of these on my main floor I can detect presence across my kitchen, dining room, living room, and entryway, essentiall the entire first floor of my home and turn on and off all of my smart lighting. I've been wanting to upgrade to per-room presence sensing, and this definitely beats out other ideas like BT LE that requires you to always have your phone in your pocket, and to be programmed for each person. It lacks the ability to know WHO you are, but in my uses that's not important.
For other Home Assistant users like myself, you simply need to set up the device, use Aqara's app to define your zones, then use the Homekit Controller integration to pair the sensor to Home Assistant. After that it'll pull in occupancy sensors for each zone as well as a light level sensor (which I use to NOT turn on the lights during bright daytime).
I previously used time based automations to just turn on lights in the house at night and leave them on until turned off or bedtime, but this eliminates the need. No more darkness on stormy days. No more worrying about adjusting my light-on time offset throughout the year.
My favorite part is the fact that I set this up, added it to Home Assistant, and have never had to touch it again. It always works, it always works fast, you never have to unplug it and plug it back in to reset it. This is massively beneficial for visitors or those in your house that don't find joy in sitting in a dark room with your laptop trying to figure out why the lights stopped working. This is a solid device that any smart home needs!
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
If you’re really into programming automation
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We’ve all seen those sci-fi movies where the guy walks into a room and lights come on in specific areas as they move around the room. Well, this is one of the many devices that you will need to do something like that. Of course, it will also need all the other internet enabled things that can work with the automated systems like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT. But, this is what can help send the automated signal to the system because it knows where you are.
This device is small and simple, the complicated part comes in when you want to make use of it and set up all the automation. Like, if you want it to push notification of presence in the space, then you need to set that up with the If/Then automation. The one thing I don’t get, along with other Aqara products, why is everything USB and no power adapters included? I guess along with phones this is a new thing that we have to start working around. Then, on top of that this comes with a 2 meter USB-A to C cable, but to use some of the features you need to mount it to the ceiling, so if you want to do that, you will need to find a longer USB-C cable as well.
Provided your power is available nearby, setting the device up is pretty simple. Just mount what is essentially a washer on the wall and the device magnetically attaches. It is simple enough, but personally I would like something more firm/permanent. Then, with the app, you connect to the device and set everything up. This includes walking around the zone so you can set the bounds and configuring the zone to match your environment. Then it all comes down to adding your other devices and building your list of automations. This can be a slew of things like turning on lights, audio or whatever you want through fairly simple If/Then scenarios.
Personally, I don’t have much use for something like this. But, if you really want to create that sci-fi hands free type environment for your house, then this will get you another step closer.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Flexible detection for automation.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This small sensor can add some serious smarts to your home automation system.
Highlights:
* Multi-zone presence sensing via mm wave rather than PIR.
* Illumination measurement.
* Numerous mounting options.
* Adjustable bracket.
* Magnetic mount.
* Includes long USB-C power cord.
* Easy basic setup.
* Can be used for creative automations.
Room for Improvement:
* Tricky configuration.
* Setup screens have numerous text mistakes and some Chinese text.
* Fall detection requires ceiling mounting (with power cable trailing to ceiling).
Setup:
Installation was straightforward and easy. You plug in the supplied USB-C cable into the back of the sensor and then mount it where you’d like to detect presence and luminance. The built-in bracket allows for various pitch angles and can either be directly screwed into a wall or ceiling, or you can mount one of the two provided metal discs and then magnetically mount the sensor to the disc. The primary restriction is that if installed vertically, like on a wall, that the sensor be vertical (logo flat and right side up or down) and not at a rotated angle.
For fall detection, the sensor must be mounted on a ceiling which for most will be a challenge to trail a USB-C power cord to the sensor. Otherwise, mounting is fast and easy.
The printed documentation was minimal, but that’s OK for me. The sparse printed material had a QR code that directs you to get the free Aqara Home app. You don’t really need the app after setup if you’re using Apple Home or similar, but it has options and features that are only present in the app, so it’s a good idea to keep it around after setup. The app itself guides the installation with simple steps that sometimes felt like it was translated from another language. In fact, some of the steps still have non-English characters and text instructions that don’t match the step, but overall everything worked as expected. There are a lot of configuration and calibration steps so read each screen and follow the instructions for a successful setup.
There is an indicator light on the sensor for various statuses and a button to start a reset if necessary. There is also the Apple HomeKit sticker for use during setup and if needed again later.
Usage:
Once fully set up in both the Aqara app and Apple HomeKit, the sensor detects both light levels (luminance) and person/pet presence. Not only does it detect whether there is presence or not (like a typical sensor) but also how many people are in the detection area and where in the detection area they are! All of this information can be used to trigger automations which is really cool.
The app isn’t the best I’ve seen, but it is mostly organized and there are tons of options you can set up after the initial configuration. As mentioned above, some of the screens have non-English text or statements that don’t match the screen, but I’m sure the app will be updated and improved regularly. In the meantime, there is nothing in the app that prevents success in setting up or using the sensor.
Overall:
The product is thoughtfully designed and has a modern and sleek appearance. The mounting options are flexible and the features it provides for home automation are really unique at this price point. Aside from small improvements in the App, this presence sensor will really add some smarts to your home automations and should definitely be on your short list if you value the feature set like I do.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Works great for me!
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I just got my Aqara FP2 sensor earlier this week, and immediately set it up. Admittedly, it is way more sensor than I currently need, it's set up in my bedroom for home automation lighting, but I wanted a chance to play with it before I move and set it up for zone automation in my living room and kitchen areas. It connected immediately when added to the Aqara app on the first try, not sure why others were having issues. The app itself isn't really intuitive, and there aren't instructions, but I got the basic setup done as that was easy with the app, then called it a night. I did get some "ghosts" appearing in the room, 3 sometimes 4 other "presences" when I was actually alone in the room, but after a little research I found out that once you set up your "edges", "exits/entrances", and "interefernce zones" the ghosts will disappear. Without the edges set up, apparently the "signal" is reflected and YOUR presence shows up multiple times in various areas of the room. It's the setting up of edges, exits/entrances, and interference zones that is a bit hard to figure out, but once I got into the correct area in the app, it only took maybe 5 minutes for me. Now no more ghosts!
I am using this with Home Assistant, to automate my room, since it is wifi, I did have to first add the FP2 to Apple Home, then use the "Homekit Device" integration in Home Assistant, but it works FLAWLESSLY in my automations!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great sensor
|
|
Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Works great wih Home Assistant and Google Home. Very accurate!
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best presence sensor in the market.
|
|
Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This sensor is crazy good. Blew my mind as to how it works.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Setup
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I received the Aqara - FP2 Presence Sensor in White, it looks stylish and discrete. This sensor is suspended from a double-jointed hinge with a magnetic base at the end, has pre-drilled hole, you can anchor the sensor to a wall or It can be hung upside down at an angle.
The initial pairing process is very simple: you plug the sensor into the USB power supply using the included USB cable and activate pairing mode. It all takes less than a minute, and after keying in your Wi-Fi password, the sensor will be connected to the home network.
It can detect people within its 120-degree field of vision, it is also able to detect up to five people simultaneously. Detection also works without noticeable movement, such as when one is napping.
You can also choose from three current usage scenarios:
Presence detection: How many people are in the room and where are they? For this, the sensor must be mounted on the wall anywhere between 1.4 and 1.8 m high.
Fall detection: The sensor must be mounted on the ceiling.
Sleep tracking: Can track the sleep pattern of a single person in bed. To do this, the sensor must be mounted on the wall above the bed.
The AI person recognition function was designed to prevent pets and robot vacuum cleaners from being recognized as people by accident.
For the most part, it performed very well. Whether one is stationary or moving, people are located precisely by the sensor. The best thing is how recognition works without using any camera data. The sensor is not only fascinating but also really useful for home automation situations.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great for home automation
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This thing is awesome and the zone tracking works surprisingly well!
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Sleep function is not working
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve encountered issues with the sleep function not working as expected. Despite multiple attempts to use it, the feature fails to activate or maintain its intended purpose. This has been quite inconvenient, especially when relying on it for crucial tasks. Hoping for a quick update or fix to resolve this problem.”
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Aqara Official
Posted .
Sorry to hear that you don't have a good experience with the FP2
Please email us to [email protected], so that we can help you to solve the issue
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Incredible sensor, oh the possibilities!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got the Aqara Presence Sensor along with the Aqara hub, the Aqara Smart Lock U100 Kit, and the Aqara Smart Video DoorBell and am very pleased with the results, especially when integrated with Alexa. I had previously not had any experience with presence sensors and ended up watching several videos that explained what they do and how to harness functionality.
Installation was very easy. I downloaded the Aqara app and then watched a YouTube video showing the step-by-step installation which was very easy to follow. It did take numerous attempts to get to connect to my WiFi, which was indeed 2.4ghz as specified, but once connected it has worked flawlessly since. The wood trim in my home is white, so the FP2 blends almost invisibly into the wood trim around the picture window in my living room, giving it a full view of the room and entry foyer to my home.
I really like the integrations possible with other Aqara products Alexa. You can use IFTTT to perform tasks such as the first one I created: When I sit in my favorite chair, it turns on a floor lamp. I have barely scratched the surface of all the things the FP2 is capable of, but look forward to buying additional sensors for the bedrooms to turn lights off and on, adjust the thermostat, etc.
I can already give the Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor my unconditional recommendation based on the performance so far; and I can't wait to add a number of automations. If you have a WiFi router with only a 5ghz speed, be sure to set up a 2.4ghz SSID before installing Aqara products, and I recommend setting up the Aqara E1 hub 1st for the most seamless installation, especially if you are going to installing multiple Aqara devices and intend on using the Automations feature.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Setup
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Works great, sets up very easily
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve been creating my smart home for probably more than 4-5 years now and one my main problems is finding devices that play well with Apple Homekit. Most products either don’t work or are extremely pricey. As such, I tend to get items that are compatible with Alexa and hope that one day all devices will play together. When I saw that Aqara made a sensor that works with all of the major smart devices, I was excited to give it a try.
This sensor was pretty easy to setup and get running. I downloaded the Aqara app, followed the instructions and in less than ten minutes, I had it added to HomeKit and was testing out automations and setting. I have a smart bulb in my basement office, so I programmed the sensor to activate the light once movement was sensed. It worked perfectly without fail.
The light sensor was something that I didn’t really think I would use, but I can see the benefit of putting it in the rooms where my wife and kids tend to leave the lights on. I didn’t want to install smart switches in my entire home due to the cost, but using this I can at least try to explain to my wife why the electric bill is so high. Maybe then she will believe that the smarthome devices aren’t the major problem and that she and the kids are. Doubtful, but I’m optimistic.
I’ll probably end up putting this in my kids game room so that I can finally convince them that I know every time they go in that room to play video games. Realistically, I can already tell that, but it’s more fun with something like this. I’ll eventually come up with some other automations once I get it to it’s final destination, but for now, I’ll use it to have a little fun with my kids.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Fall detection, Zone positioning
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great sensor device for Apple HomeKit
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Aqara - FP2 Presence Sensor is a very unique smart home device. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever setup in my home before. The sensor can detect movement and can be used for quite a few scenarios. It has a fall detection feature. This can be quite useful for installing in the homes of your elderly loved ones, or any home for that matter. You can use it to detect the number of people in a room. It can be setup to turn on lamps and other devices as you move to certain parts of the room for areas it can detect. There are quite a few scenarios you can use to setup this device. I like using it to detect motion and turn on the lights when I enter and leave a certain room. The downside to that, is the lights would probably come on any time I would enter or leave the room. I only want that option during night time hours. With customization of this device, it’s possible to enable this feature at night and not enable it during the day, which is perfect for my needs. I also like how the system allows you to create smaller zones within a larger space. This way, each zone can do something independently from another zone. Overall, I’m impressed with what this device and do and what it provides in making my home a smart home.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Ease of use, Fall detection
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Discreet and very accurate
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Review for
Aqara - FP2 Presence Sensor - White
I really like that the Aqara Fp2 motion sensor uses radar instead of infrared, like so many similar products and that it doesn’t require a hub. I’m sure that’s why it’s a little higher cost, but it also makes it much more accurate and consistent. It can detect up to five people at the same time and you can set up to 30 different zones within the detected areas — think adjusting lighting as you move around in the space.
It was easy to set up with the Aqara app, although the entire setup does take a little time. Once it’s done, it seems to be totally hands off. This is great for a second home or just security, in general, but I also like the fact that it can be mounted on the ceiling and used as a fall detection device. This is great for monitoring seniors living on their own, without the privacy issues that camera systems present. With its IPX5 waterproof rating, you can even use it for fall detection in a bathroom. I may be getting another one for my mother-in-law’s place!
The sensor is designed for serious automation, if desired. You can use it to adjust the heat, turn on and off lights and appliances when it detects people, and adjust automatic blinds based on occupancy.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Accuracy, Ease of use
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
This thing is neat!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I'm not all about home automation. I like smart home gadgets but I don't do much of anything to automate them. I probably should, I just never really think of anything cool to do and when I do, I always think of some way that the automation will break with a family of my wife and I and our two small kids. I setup my first really simple automation with this thing and I'm sold. I need to automate all the things now.
Setup was simple enough. Just add the device in the Aqara app and it walks you through the setup steps and takes you through some installation options. There are quite a few things it can do (sleep tracking, basic occupancy tracking) but I was most excited about the zone tracking. Setting this up takes a little more work (and make sure you update your firmware) but I think it's worth it when you get it working the way you like.
Occupancy and presence sensors, for me, have never felt too appealing because of how long it took to detect that there wasn't anyone there anymore or how hard it was to tell how much they could actually see. This sensor knocks both of those issues out of the water. It gives you a representation of the objects in the room that it can detect so it's easy to see how much of your room is covered. You can even place some stickers to outline certain places in the room. I wish there was a way to just draw simple lines and stuff but the stickers work OK. The sensor also seems to detect you and update your position within about a second or two. It's pretty good.
After you have your room mostly mapped out the way you like it, you can set up some zones for different areas of the room. Mine is currently set up in our downstairs area that doubles as my work space/desk as well as the kids play area. So I'm able to specify a zone that just covers my work space and another one that covers the kids play area. Then you can sync the names up to HomeKit and when you look at the sensor in HomeKit, it'll show up as multiple sensors that you can use to trigger your automations. If I sit down at my desk, the dimmer overhead light comes on automatically. If I get up, it goes off. It's fairly accurate with where you are in the room and it opens up a lot of possibilities.
I haven't tried the sleep tracker because I'm not a single person so it probably wouldn't work right with me. But I think this sensor is worth it just for how neat it is to split your room up into zones and have different automations happen based on which parts of the room are being occupied.
If you like to automate your home, you probably want one of these.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Fall detection
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Promising but still a work in progress.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Aqara FP2 presence sensor is a unique product with a seemingly endless set of possibilities. I currently have PIR sensors (Hue Motion) all throughout my place but what makes the Aqara a real upgrade is that it uses mmWave, which is extremely more responsive and reliable. It's also mode advanced and can detect things like your position (standing, sitting, etc.). It features a light sensor as well, so if you wanted to have it control lighting, you could set conditions for when to bypass turning on the lights when a certain amount of light is detected, for example. Versus my current sensors, this one does require USB-C connectivity, which means more often than not people will be wiring it to a wall. This is an interesting choice, because if you wanted to use the sleep tracking features, it would need to be mounted above your bed. It should also be noted that the sleep tracking is only designed for tracking for one person (although you can use multiple sensors). The USB-C connectivity makes it more awkward for other placements, like my bathroom where outlets are scarce and at a premium. Battery would definitely be better here and it would be nice to see them add a magnet to the back of the FP2 so you could mount it on the wall easier. You could, in theory, run the USB-C cable to a battery pack, but considering the size of most battery packs, this would be less ideal. Do note that the initial setup is a little time-consuming and you must take your time to do it correctly as setting up accurate zones, edges and interference sources is critical to the experience you'll have with this device. Done incorrectly, you may find it gets "ghost detections" or stuck occupancy. It's also not possible to run multiple modes at once - so you can't utilize sleep monitoring, fall detection and zone detection (which you can have up to 30 per room and detect up to 5 people) at the same time. You would need to switch modes thru the app, which could be improved if you could automate the switching (maybe based on time of the day, for example). The device is still getting regular over the air updates to fine tune features and there's definitely a lot of potential for possibilities. It's a lot of trial and error to really take advantage of everything this sensor can really do. The only other major surprise was that it does use dated WiFi and Bluetooth standards.