Onvis is considered one of the most reliable HomeKit providers. They produce quality products and are usually among the first to use new technologies such as Thread. I recently purchased a new Onvis smart motion sensor that allows me to automate the lighting of some rooms in the living room and monitor the temperature.
HomeKit Weekly is a series dedicated to smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to the Apple smart home system.
What can you do with the Onvis smart motion sensor?
The Onvis Smart Motion Sensor tracks motion, but it does more too. It also monitors indoor temperature and humidity. You can monitor these statistics through Siri and the Home app and automate them. If you're monitoring humidity below a certain level, you can turn on your HomeKit humidifier to raise the level. If you use the Onvis app, you can also access this data and it is stored locally for 32 days.
Because the Onvis Smart Motion Sensor is battery-powered, it can easily be placed on a bookshelf or hidden behind something as long as it is in line of sight.
Setting up with HomeKit
The Onvis smart motion sensor is native to HomeKit, meaning there is no bridge from another app in the software. There is a HomeKit QR code on the side of the device, so by pulling the battery tab you can scan it using the Home app > +> Add an accessory.
The Home app took about a minute to connect to it, but then I was able to name the device and select the room in my house where it would be located. You can also change this in the future.
HomeKit automation is where the device shines. On the first floor of our house there are three different sets of lights that we usually turn on in the morning. Using this device, I designed an automation that turns the lights on to a certain dim level when motion is detected between 5:00 and 7:00 am. The idea is that when I wake up in the morning, it detects me and automatically turns the light on to a preset level. I manually turn this light on when I wake up every morning. Now it is fully automated.
To summarize the Onvis Smart Motion Sensor
Overall, this is a great option for HomeKit if you need a motion sensor. An important bonus is that it also tracks temperature and humidity. No Onvis cloud and no tracking of your data. Everything stays local on your device and in HomeKit. It also supports Thread for improved reliability.
You can purchase the Onvis Smart Motion Sensor on Amazon or directly from Onvis.
