How can I detect presence (without using the app or ping IP)

nteuniss

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to think out a flow that sets presence so I can build other flows based on the status if we are home or not. The main goal is to have a flow for security lighting that switches on after sunset when we are not at home.

Before raising this question I did some testing with presence using the Homey app. That seems to work in most cases but not all.

Sometimes when we leave the house my wife does not bring her phone with her. That leaves her presence status 'at home' so the security lighting would not turn on.

I'm looking for a clean solution, without having to setup extra RaspberryPi or so, where a small token (Bluetooth Low Energy) is attached to our keychains and Homey can detect if the keys are in the house or gone.

Is that something that is available or possibly scoped in roadmap for near future?

swttt

Aurora (can't find the link) might be an (expensive) solution for this. Currently not working with homey, but maybe some day a developer wil get it to work.

I am still hoping for some bluetooth solution based on small bracelets that can track me per room. Seems possible already but to much like a hobby project to setup. would love to have an out of the box solution for this.

Other then this i don't know how to do it any other way without apps or phones.

Wimstradamus

maybe a button that the last person to leave the house preses so the flow starts?
i got my hue tap programmed as a alarm on button (its also my light off) and a rfid reader at the front door to turn the alarm off.

nteuniss

@swttt
Same here. It would be a great if athom would support a bluetooth feature in the Homey that detects those kind of bluetooth chips/dongles. I was not looking for an extra project to build if Homey is going to support it soon.

On the forum I read that it might be supported after a media feature is released. Still wondering if BT will be enabled soon.

nteuniss

Wimstradamus said:

maybe a button that the last person to leave the house preses so the flow starts?
i got my hue tap programmed as a alarm on button (its also my light off) and a rfid reader at the front door to turn the alarm off.

Sure a button will work, but it would be great if I can attach BLE chips to things and have Homey do the magic. This would even be interested to have more Homeys in other rooms to detect presence through the whole house.

swttt

Homey's don't work together, so i'll never buy multiple of them...there are some BLE beacons that can track a fitbit for example. But thats far from an off the shelf product. You can place one in every room and they don't cost much.

Bluetooth is already (partially) activated in Homey, but very beta and subject to change.