I know there is not really a category for this but i wanted to pos this to the community with the hopes that hardware manufacturers will see it.
many of us swap out our legacy light switches with smart ones. also many times sensors are placed in rooms near the light switches. wouldn't it be nice if there was a faceplate for the light switches that were a few inches taller and had magnetic section with qi charger embedded into it. then any sensor with a qi charge receiver could be simply stuck on the wall and get continuous power.
In some cases, perhaps. And that is the key really. One of my litmus test in my professional life is to ask two questions:
Why would anyone buy it?
Why wouldn't everyone buy it?
Some are inclined to think of the many cases where this would not be attractive. Others will think of some aspect that is attractive. It is important to do both.
Also check out the Swidget switches and Outlets. They have Zwave control, temp/humid, motion & air quality. They replied to one of my inquires stating "the Hubitat team themselves are developing the drivers for our products" but so far only HA is on the Swidget website. Site also states Zigbee is coming out soon.
The main problem with this concept is that the placement of outlets and switches (within any given space) isn't usually optimal for sensors. Sometimes, but not typically.
Thank you. I appreciate the information about the timeline. Although I would say, "should happen" instead of "will happen," bureaucracies being what they are.
However...("When You Wish Upon a Star" swells in the background) I do wonder if the integration of mmWave sensors may tip the scales on this. They can sense through furniture and other barriers, which means they don't need an unobstructed view of the area being monitored. That capability can also make mmWave sensors challenging in terms of false positives (sensing movement behind the sensor, or from another room through walls, etc.). As long as the Inovelli sensors are shielded properly and have a wide range of adjustments this switch/sensor integration could be a game changer.
A little more research - confirmed it's 24GHz sensor, which would be my preference to minimize false positives w/mmWave:
Equipped with a discreet 24 GHz millimeter wave sensor
$75 may seem like a lot, but the included sensor is saving cost of seperate mmWave sensor, and means you don't have to find a good spot for a separate sensor where you can run power. If I didn't already have as many mmWave sensors as I can use in my home (actually have one extra at this point) this would be a very tempting device to try out.
a smart bulb with built-in mmWave sensor would be great. I wonder how long it will be before they come out. Smoke detector with mmWave would be a no brainer as well.
If you absolutely need something now, don't forget the Jasco/GE Embrighten Smart Motion Dimmer and Switch. They're a little long in the tooth (no smart bulb mode, PIR vs. mmWave, 500-series chips) and visually different from a typical switch, but the motion detection is very responsive and I have several throughout the house.
Field of view is nearly 180 degrees, which is amazing. You can put one of these on the light switch just inside the door and still get an immediate response when someone steps into a room.
GE JASCO has some dual zwave switch/dimmer and motion built in. Agreed not every room they make sense...but the ones that DO make sense they are fantastic as far as I'm concerned.
