I am looking for a better presence detection solution, and estimote looks promising.
What I am considering is using estimotes within the house and to use a sticker as a better presence detector.
Has anyone done thing that could walk me through what would need to be done exactly? Thanks in advance!
There are a couple of threads discussing ibeacons. I use estimotes at my house. However, you need to understand how they work. If you’re not already familiar with I beacons, you need to read up on that.
BeaconThings used to be an easy way to add beacons to SmartThings, but I’m not sure if that app is still being supported. @obycode would know.
Yea, I’ve started reading on them. Estimotes with stickers seems like an idea solution. Though I would need something in my house (maybe raspberry pi) than can monitor the estimotes and know when a sticker comes into/leaves range.
Stickers are hard to use inside a house as they have a fixed distance of about 3 m. The regular estimotes have more adjustment options. Stickers are good for zone detection.
This is interesting. It doesn’t seem to be priced (software) for home use, but I’ll have to do more reading.
What is? Estimotes? They’re mostly used by stores, but the price isn’t terrible. The regular line, now called “proximity beacons” are three for $59, so about $20 each. Those are the ones I have.
The “indoor location UWB beacons” come in a set of four (not three) for $159. Those are intended for commercial use. You need three or four per room to define a room so they would get to be very expensive for home use. They’re intended for a department store where someone walks from sporting-goods to men’s clothing and the store wants their app to show different featured items depending on where the person is standing. Or a museum which wants to pull up different information depending on which exhibit you’re standing near.
“Stickers” are 10 for $99, but these are much less precise than the other models. They’re really intended for things like “the bicycle arrived home.”
Estimotes can be used with any Ibeacon receiving station software.
Yea, Estimotes. I’m looking to go to the next level in a couple spaces in my house…
Since Bluetooth, like zigbee, travels through walls, it can be difficult to define a “room.” The estimote location beacons communicate between a group of four to define a common space which generally solves the room issue, but then requires four beacons per room. So definitely gets expensive.
Just need presence detection, not location…