🪑 DIY Zigbee bed/chair occupancy sensor

I need to find a way to install one of these inside my toilet seat :sunglasses:

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just slap the Aquara sensor to the side of the toilet with one bit on the seat, ive done this to prevent the motion lights going off while i read on my throne and it works great, also got an aqura humidity sensor in the shower so when im in the shower it stops them going off as well.

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So you could also use it as a bed occupancy sensor?

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Not tested, but it should work.

Does the sensor go below the fabric of the seat or underneath the foam padding as well? How thick do you think the foam could be? Do you think the sensor could trigger under a sofa cushion, for example?

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See :point_right: Zigbee Bed occupancy sensor

that thinking out side the box chair

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Great project :+1:!

Question, I’m thinking of using this as a bed sensor… But will the mattress be too heavy (will it set the sensor as always on?) Or can you calibrate to different weight?

Thanks! I can’t test it now, but it should work. The only way to calibrate it, is to put something between it, a layer of foam for example.

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I did here

works good

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Wow, didn’t know about those car seat sensors, looks like the perfect solution, I’m definitely going to try this out!

I’ve picked up a set of four load cells (50kg each, so 200kg allowed for the bed). I’m planning to wire that up and make an mqtt sensor that reports the weight on the bed. Here’s a youtube on the build… firmware links are included in the description: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCEgeDN0RLw

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This is amazing. Im going to start music playlists on my google home speaker when the shower gets turned on during the morning. TY

Thanks for sharing! Never could find any pressure sensors when searching them on Ali. Never thought of searching for a car seat, great solution.

I’m going to use this as a bed sensor, if it doesn’t work I’ll revert to Velostat which I still have laying around.
And as a office chair sensor :slight_smile:

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I guess I have a solution.
My bathroom has two sensors. PIR and door sensor.
PIR sensor sets timer for 15min after last motion (basically infinity). Door sensor sets same timer to 20sec.

So you have light once you open door, no need to wave for PIR to engage. Once you are inside PIR resets timer for 15min. If you go out light goes off in 20sec. If someone came in on the same go, PIR will keep light on.

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That’s a pretty good idea! My kids usually don’t close the door all the way which is a bit of a problem but I think I could put the door sensor over near the hinges to account for that.

You can also use the Aqara door sensor to detect if the door is locked.

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If you keep doors open, you need to move once you enter. Light will swich on, just not so fast. But if doors was closed it is reactive as freezer. You dont see darkness at all.

Then for exiting, of you open door and go away it shuts down. Problem if doors are kept open and someone enter-leave room, light will stay for too long. But you can reduce pir to 1min for open doors, and keep 15min for closed door.

One more problem is that PIR does not register movement inside shower (in my case). So while someone is in the cabin you dont want to touch the door. I solved it by adding one more doors sensor in shower cabin :slight_smile:

Current solution works almost good enough for my wife :slight_smile: And once you control light yourself you get all the perks: you have cool white for daytime, warm white for evening and dim light during the night.

For those intending to use this as a bed sensor, please post a follow-up with placement details and sensitivity. I am hoping to put it between a king size mattress and box spring.

Thanks.

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Does anyone know this type of pressure sensor would work on a mesh chair, in which you technically sit “on air”? I guess I would tape it to the underside of the mesh.

Or does the sensor need to have a hard surface underneath it to actually work?