Being able to turn your Philips Hue bulbs on and off from a phone is convenient and all, but why can’t your smart home be really smart and figure out when you need the light turned on all by itself? That’s exactly what the Philips Hue Motion Sensor is looking to add to your existing roster of Philips Hue lighting solutions.
Instead of having to pull out a phone, launch an app, and tap a few virtual buttons, the device simply detects the presence of people in the room to decide whether to switch the lights on or off. As in, it switches on when it detects people and switches off when everyone’s gone, turning your indoor lighting into a fully automated system.
The Philips Hue Motion Sensor also comes with a light sensor, so it won’t switch on the lights if it’s bright enough in the room (like if it’s morning in a space with lots of windows) even if it detects movement. Everything, of course, from the color temperature of the lights and how long it should wait before switching off to how bright the room needs to be to not need extra light and motion sensitivity can be set from the accompanying app, allowing you to customize everything to your liking.
The device itself comes in a small box that can be mounted up a wall using adhesive backing. Do note, you’ll probably need to install one of these in every room, as the detection range is limited to 16.5 feet. It powers using a pair of AAA batteries.
Slated for availability in October, the Philips Hue Motion Sensor is priced at $39.95.