An estimated 15% of homes globally are forecast to have a smart home device installed by 2023. This trend is primarily driven by energy efficiency. More people want to save energy costs, and smart devices can make that happen. They can also upgrade their security with these DIY home automation solutions. Smart lighting sensors are one of the latest products to enter the market. The user can save great energy with these innovative home systems because they optimize lighting.
With so many types on the market, we compiled this guide so you can choose one based on your specific needs.
Smart Lighting Sensors: What is Smart Lighting?
Controlling light bulb temperature and intensity with a smartphone application
Bright lighting provides an advanced method of lighting your home. Smart LED bulbs connect to apps or intelligent home assistants, so you can automate and control them remotely without using traditional wall switches.
In conventional light bulbs, a switch turns the light on and off. It is sometimes possible to dim or brighten the lighting with a hardwired dimmer switch. The functionality of traditional home lighting is typically limited to this.
You can, however, control your lights much more conveniently with intelligent lighting. Smart bulbs and LED-integrated fixtures remain connected to your home’s power supply.
However, you can use your smartphone, tablet, or intelligent assistant to control them wirelessly.
Smart Lighting Sensors: What Are the Benefits of Smart Lighting?
Four different color lights are set up in the living room – 3D render
Apart from the obvious benefit of improving the aesthetic appeal of your property, the benefits of intelligent lighting include:
Convenience
The most significant benefit is the comfort that comes with installing this system.
You can stay tucked in bed, watching TV, or reading your book with the lights off and the house secure at the snap of a finger.
Bright lighting makes it easy to switch between natural and artificial light throughout the day. To adjust the brightness of the lights in the evening, press a button on the app or dimmer.
And if you want, voice activation makes adjusting your light settings as easy as talking to Siri or Alexa.
Safety
Bright lighting is an easy way to protect your home against intruders. Motion sensor lights can illuminate your home when someone approaches your front door.
That way, you can prevent burglars from entering your property.
Not only is this a security boost, but it also can save energy because you won’t have to let your lights on when you’re not home.
Energy-efficient
With regards to energy efficiency, bright lighting is one of the most efficient ways to boost the efficiency of your home.
These lights are more than 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. Bright lighting lets you adjust brightness levels to suit different purposes and reduce wasted energy.
Affordability
It comes with a hefty price tag, but intelligent lighting comes with significant tax benefits and subsidies because it is energy-efficient and saves on utility bills in the long run.
Whether you install bright lighting in your home or your business, there are rebates and incentives you can take advantage of to offset the costs.
What Are the Types of Smart Lighting?
Male hand on a dark background showing drawn light bulb
The types of bright lighting include:
Smart Light Bulbs
Wi-Fi-based intelligent bulbs are a low-cost lighting solution. You can install them in standard bulb holders. To use these bulbs, you need to connect them to a Wi-Fi network and control them remotely.
This smart home gadget has many benefits, including the ability to control it remotely, users can adjust the brightness, the presence of mood-based light colors, and it is IFTTT compatible. You can also control it from Alexa or Google Home.
Bright Lights Connected With Hub
With this intelligent lighting, you can add bright lighting to an existing innovative home system. A HUB connects them to the internet. Without the HUB, they will not work.
Smart Lighting Sensors: Motion Sensing Light
Motion-sensing bright lights are exactly what they sound like – lights that turn on when they sense motion. There is usually a PIR sensor installed in these lights.
You can use motion-sensing bright lights for various purposes, such as increasing security, providing illumination in dark areas, or adding convenience.
Commonly Used Smart Lighting Sensors
Young woman controlling the home light with a smart home in the living room.
A light sensor is a component that detects the amount of natural light in a room and controls the intensity of artificial illumination to match it. As a result, energy efficiency increases, and glare decreases.
Photosensitive sensor: This electronic sensor can automatically turn the circuit on and off depending on the amount of light in the morning and at night (sunrise and sunset). Photosensitive sensors control LED lighting by monitoring the weather, period, and region. The six primary smart sensors of LED lighting are:
Infrared sensor: In technical terms, an infrared sensor is a device that detects and responds to light waves in the infrared spectrum. In layman’s terms, this type of sensor is used in LED bright lighting to detect the presence of people or objects and turn the lights on or off accordingly.
Ultrasonic sensor: An ultrasonic sensor for LED bright lighting is a device that uses ultrasonic waves to detect the presence of objects. This technology is often used in intelligent lighting systems to turn on the lights when someone enters a room. When someone leaves the room, the lights turn off.
Temperature Sensor:
In LED intelligent lighting, temperature sensors control the LEDs’ light output. By monitoring the temperature of the LEDs, the sensors can adjust the light output to maintain a consistent light level. It helps to extend the LEDs’ life and improve the lighting system’s efficiency.
Temperature and humidity sensor
- Voice sensor: Voice sensors for LED bright lighting is a technology that allows users to control their lights using voice commands. The voice sensor detects the user’s voice and converts it into a signal for controlling the light. This type of lighting is becoming increasingly popular in homes and office spaces as it offers a more convenient and efficient way to manage light.
- Microwave sensor: The microwave sensor in LED lighting is a device that detects the presence of people or objects using radio waves. These sensors fit well in applications where it is critical to know when someone or something is in a particular area, such as security systems. Microwave sensors can also automate lighting, such as turning on lights when someone enters a room.
How to Use Motion Sensors for Smart Lights
Intelligent home automation is a cell phone device that controls the lights in the house.
By connecting your bright lights to your motion sensors, you can easily set your system to turn on and off automatically as you enter and leave a room. You can also use them indoors and outdoors.
How to use outdoor motion sensors
Your entrances are ideal spots to install motion sensors for intelligent lights. For example, you should install the motion sensor outside your home near your porch, office, or garage.
How to use indoor motion sensors
The staircase, hallway, bathroom, and kitchen are among other ideal spots to install motion sensors for intelligent lights. The sensors serve you well in these areas, especially at night.
How to Keep Motion Sensor Lights on
Two conference rooms with glass and dark wooden walls and an open space open office area
Motion sensor lights are typically programmed to go off after some periods of inactivity. However, you can adjust the timers on your bright glow to your preference.
You sometimes need this intelligent lighting technology to remain on for longer without detecting motion.
For instance, if you’re hosting a few friends on your porch, doing some DIY work in the garage. Here are a few tricks to keeping motion sensor lights on longer:
Turning on and off the motion sensor quickly
To make the light stay on, turn the motion sensor ON, OFF, and ON quickly to override motion detection.
When you want to return to motion detection mode, turn the motion sensor off, wait for 10 seconds, and then turn it back on again. After a few seconds, the motion sensor will return to its default mode.
Install a motion sensor switch that you can turn on and off
If you have an occupancy or vacancy wall switch controlling an indoor motion-activated light, you should install a motion switch with an ON/OFF mode.
When the ON mode is enabled, the light will stay on permanently, and when the OFF mode is selected, the light will be off indefinitely.
Adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor
Another trick to keep your motion sensor lights on is slightly reducing the device’s sensitivity. Most motion-activated lights can detect motion within a 15- to 30-foot range. You can reduce the motion detection zone to keep your motion sensor lights on longer.
Small solar-powered led light with motion sensor
Summary
Bright lighting is an incredible innovation to complement the rising number of intelligent homes globally. It saves energy, improves safety, and adds convenience to your life.
With the various sensors and controls available, you can control your LED light systems from anywhere in your home using your smartphone or other connected devices.
Moreover, you can automate your LED lights based on preset schedules to create the ideal ambiance at specific times of the day.
Consider adding an intelligent lighting system to your home today and enjoy peace of mind as you save on energy costs.
