5 Smart Ways To Use Motion Detectors Around Your Home

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Motion detectors might make you think about smart security systems and surveillance, but they can be great and inexpensive tools that you can use around your home for other purposes as well. Motion sensors are easily programmable, and they can be connected to pretty much any other device without much tech know-how. They're small and often cost less than $50, like the Ring Alarm Motion Detector. You can place them strategically around your home to automate lighting, monitor activity, or notify your loved ones that you have arrived.

Motion detectors aren't just for convenience and safety. You can also use them to add some flair to your home by making your rooms respond to your presence. You can set one up to play music when you enter the shower or trigger a scent diffuser in your guest room. It's also possible to program a feeding schedule for your pets so you no longer have to worry about them missing a meal or being overfed. You can automate just about anything with motion detectors, so here are five smart ways to use them.

Porch lights that switch on as soon as someone approaches the door have been around for a while, but you can also use them to automate lighting indoors. All you have to do is get motion detectors and arrange them strategically around the house while connecting them to your lighting system. Then you can set up your lights to turn on as soon as you enter the room and turn off when you leave. Also, you can convert your Amazon Echo into a motion detector if you already have one and integrate it with your smart home system.

That said, you can use motion detectors to set various mood lights, night lamps, or even colorful LED strips. This is especially useful if you have young children who are afraid of the dark. Set up a dim night light that will turn on if they wake up or help them navigate to the bathroom. Set up a night mode throughout the house, and you won't have to deal with waking up to harsh, bright lights anymore. All you have to do is connect your nightstand lamp to the motion sensor and use a light dimming setting.

Motion detectors can also be helpful tools for pet owners. If you work long hours and you're not always home to take care of your pet, you can use motion detectors to automate some tasks. Set up automated feeders and water dispensers. As soon as your dog or a cat approaches the feeder, the motion detector will trigger the release of the food or water, perhaps paired with a timer. That way, you won't have to worry about returning home to a mess or overfeeding your pet by leaving it with too much food.

Another great way to use motion detectors is to set a door to automatically open when your pet approaches. That means your pet will be able to go outside and do their business even if you're not home. Also, if you have exotic pets, motion detectors can help you automate lights for terrariums and aquariums. Some pets, such as lizards and snakes, are motivated by light. Have it turn on in their living space when you come home. Manage their sleeping habits with automated lighting and you'll know your pet will be awake when you're home.

Want to feel like you just stepped into a futuristic arcade when you walk into your game room? Set up a motion detector and connect it to multiple different device that trigger all at once when you enter the room. You could grab the Roku Smart LED Strip+ SE to display your favorite color scheme or set your console to power on automatically by pairing the motion detector with smart plugs. Background music could instantly play for you when your motion is detected. Even your game chair's ambient light can be triggered automatically.

On top of that, you can use the motion detectors to help you track the amount of time you're playing games. Program a sensor to detect your lack of movement and remind you after a set amount of time to take a break and stretch. You could even play a sound through a smart speaker or change the light scheme in your room at set intervals. This is a subtle way to have fun gaming without completely losing track of time.

Who says you can't mix romance and tech? Be creative, and set up a motion detector near your front door, or even at the front of your driveway, to automatically send a sweet text message to your partner. This may seem like a small gesture, but it will be a welcome one, especially after a long, hard day of work. To set up an automatic text message with a motion sensor, you'll also need a smart home hub or an app like IFTTT. This will allow you to program your motion detector to automatically send a custom text message to the selected phone number.

That said, it's not just a nice gesture. This sort of system can also be practical in many scenarios. For instance, if you have an elderly parent who lives alone, you can set up an SMS alert to notify you that they arrived home safely. And if the message doesn't arrive when expected, you have an early sign that something might be wrong and you can quickly take action.

There's no longer a need to waste energy heating up (or cooling down) an empty room. You can use cheap motion detectors and connect them to smart thermostats in your home to automate heating or cooling. Imagine you come home from work, and when the motion sensor detects your presence, the AC starts cooling your home. When you're absent, the system will power down to preserve energy and lower your bills.

This can be especially useful in larger homes where there's no need to heat or cool every room all the time. There's no need to heat the guest room, basement, or office if nobody is in them. Also, you can sync up automated temperature control from your Google Nest Thermostat or ecobee with your lighting systems. Have the entire room come to life when you enter it and let it shut itself down when you leave.