This DIY mmWave Presence Sensor Changed Everything - LD1125H | digiblurDIY
Summary
TLDRThis DIY tutorial introduces an affordable ESP home sensor to prevent lights from turning off when you're sitting still. The video demonstrates how to assemble the sensor using an ESP chip and mmWave radar technology to detect minute human movements. It also covers integrating humidity sensors for bathroom automation and provides detailed steps for setting up the ESP Home software, enabling real-time adjustments and automation directly from Home Assistant.
Takeaways
- π οΈ The video script describes a DIY project to create an ESP home sensor using an inexpensive mm-wave sensor to detect motion and prevent lights from turning off when sitting still.
- π The project aims to solve the issue of lights going out in places like bathrooms during activities like watching videos or taking a bath, where people might sit still for extended periods.
- π The mm-wave sensor used in the project is compared to a radar sensor, capable of detecting minute human movements, including breathing, which traditional PIR sensors might miss.
- π‘ The script mentions using an ESP8266 or ESP32 chip for the project, with a preference for ESP32 due to its capabilities, and the use of Dupont connectors for easy plug-and-play assembly.
- π The LD1125 mm-wave sensor is highlighted as a cost-effective option, costing around 10-12 USD, and its small size is emphasized for easy integration into projects.
- π The video covers the use of I2C sensors like the BME280 for additional functionalities such as measuring temperature, pressure, and humidity, which can be useful for automating bathroom ventilation.
- π§ The script provides practical tips on using a hot glue gun for securing components and ensuring they remain in place, as well as sealing them against moisture.
- π₯οΈ The software for the ESP chip is ESP Home, which is compatible with Home Assistant and can be installed through various methods, including Docker or an add-on.
- π The video demonstrates the process of configuring the ESP Home device, including setting up the sensor's sensitivity and distance parameters, which can be adjusted in real-time through the Home Assistant interface.
- π§ The script includes a step-by-step guide on installing the ESP Home software onto the ESP chip, including using the web installer and manually downloading and installing the firmware.
- π The final takeaway is an encouragement for viewers to build their own motion sensor system, highlighting the cost-effectiveness, ease of customization, and the satisfaction of creating a functional device.
Q & A
What is the main issue the video aims to solve?
-The video aims to solve the issue of lights turning off in a room when a person is sitting too still, such as while watching YouTube videos, by using a DIY ESP home sensor.
What is the purpose of the DIY ESP home sensor?
-The DIY ESP home sensor is designed to detect movement in a room, preventing the lights from turning off when someone is present but not moving much.
What type of sensor is recommended for this DIY project?
-The video recommends using an mm-wave sensor, which is a type of radar sensor that can detect minute human movements, including breathing.
What is the cost of the mm-wave sensor mentioned in the video?
-The mm-wave sensor, specifically the LD1125, costs around 10 to 12 U.S. dollars.
What additional sensors can be integrated with the ESP chip for a more comprehensive setup?
-Additional sensors like the BME280 or AHT21 for humidity and temperature can be integrated with the ESP chip to create a more comprehensive home automation setup.
How does the video demonstrate the effectiveness of the DIY sensor?
-The video demonstrates the effectiveness of the DIY sensor by showing it triggering occupancy detection even when the person is lying in a tub and barely moving.
What is the significance of using Dupont connectors in the project?
-Dupont connectors are used for their simplicity and ease of use; they allow for plug-and-play functionality without the need for soldering.
How can one adjust the sensitivity of the mm-wave sensor?
-The sensitivity of the mm-wave sensor can be adjusted through the software settings in the ESP home dashboard, allowing for customization based on the specific environment.
What software is recommended for programming the ESP chips?
-ESP Home is the recommended software for programming the ESP chips, which is compatible with Home Assistant for easy integration and automation.
How can one ensure the DIY sensor is not triggered by constant moving devices like ceiling fans?
-One can adjust the sensor's sensitivity and angle, or use metal pieces to direct the signal away from constant moving devices to prevent false triggers.
What is the process for installing the software on the ESP chip?
-The process involves downloading the software, using a web installer for ESP Home, connecting the ESP chip to a computer, and then installing the software via the web interface.
Outlines
π οΈ DIY ESP Home Sensor for Motion Detection
The script introduces a do-it-yourself project to create an ESP-based home sensor using an inexpensive millimeter wave (mm wave) sensor. The purpose of this sensor is to detect motion in areas like bathrooms to prevent lights from turning off when one is still. The video demonstrates the effectiveness of the sensor in detecting even slight movements, like breathing. It also discusses the use of an ESP8266 chip, which can be easily connected using Dupont connectors without the need for soldering. The excitement about the sensor's capabilities and its affordability is evident, and the video promises a detailed guide on building the sensor in subsequent parts.
π Wiring and Setup of the ESP32 with Sensors
This paragraph delves into the specifics of setting up the ESP32 with various sensors, including a comparison of different Dupont jumper sizes and the importance of selecting the right ones for the mm wave sensor. The video mentions the use of the ESP32 over the ESP8266 for its advantages and shows how to connect a micro USB cable for power. It also covers the integration of a BME280 sensor for measuring humidity and temperature, and the use of hot glue to secure and insulate the components. The paragraph highlights the process of tweaking the sensor's sensitivity to avoid false triggers from moving objects like ceiling fans and emphasizes the ease of installation and customization of the DIY sensor.
π₯οΈ ESP Home Software Configuration and Setup
The script outlines the software aspect of the project, focusing on the ESP Home setup for the ESP32 chip. It provides guidance on installing ESP Home, either through add-ons or Docker, and accessing the web-based graphical user interface. The video details the process of creating a new device within ESP Home, configuring it with code snippets provided by the video creator or sourced from GitHub. It also explains how to adjust settings such as update intervals, Wi-Fi credentials, and UART pins for the sensor. The importance of using the correct pins and settings for the BME 280 sensor and the option to enable debug mode via UART are also discussed.
π Flashing and Integrating the ESP32 into Home Assistant
This section describes the process of flashing the ESP32 with the configured software using the web installer for ESP Home. It provides a step-by-step guide on connecting the ESP32 to a computer, initiating the installation process, and monitoring the progress through the status LED. The video also explains how to integrate the newly flashed device into Home Assistant, either through auto-discovery or manual addition, and emphasizes the ability to adjust sensitivity and other settings in real-time within the Home Assistant interface.
ποΈ Adjusting Sensitivity and Testing the DIY Sensor
The final paragraph discusses the fine-tuning of the sensor's sensitivity settings within Home Assistant to suit the specific needs of the user's environment. It explains how to adjust the distance sensitivity and movement clearance time to prevent false triggers and ensure the sensor accurately detects occupancy. The video concludes with a demonstration of the sensor's effectiveness after tweaking the settings, showing that it remains triggered even when the user tries to sit still, thus validating the successful implementation of the DIY ESP home sensor.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘DIY ESP Home Sensor
π‘MM Wave Sensor
π‘PIR Sensor
π‘ESP8266
π‘ESP32
π‘Dupont Connectors
π‘BME280
π‘I2C
π‘ESP Home
π‘Home Assistant
Highlights
Creating an inexpensive DIY ESP home sensor to prevent accidents caused by motion sensors turning off lights when one is too still.
Demonstrating how to adjust the sensor's sensitivity to avoid false triggers from ceiling fans or other moving objects.
Using an ESP8266 or ESP32 chip for the sensor's core functionality, emphasizing the affordability and ease of use.
Exploring the use of mm wave sensors as an alternative to PIR sensors for detecting minute human movements.
Integrating temperature and humidity sensors like the BME280 or AHT21 for additional environmental monitoring.
The importance of using the correct size of Dupont jumpers for connecting the components.
Using a hot glue gun to secure and insulate the sensor components in place.
The option to angle the sensor to avoid false triggers from adjacent objects or movements.
Configuring the sensor using ESP Home software for easy adjustments and integration with Home Assistant.
A detailed guide on installing ESP Home on ESP32 chips, including using the web installer for convenience.
Real-time tweaking of sensor settings directly in Home Assistant for optimal performance.
The capability to set movement clearance and occupied waiting times to suit different environments.
The practical application of the sensor in a bathroom to automate vent activation and prevent moisture buildup.
The use of a micro USB cable for power and the convenience of a single wire solution.
The potential for hiding the mm wave sensor in various locations as long as it's not obstructed by metal.
The excitement and satisfaction of building a functional sensor from scratch and its impact on home automation.
The final demonstration of the sensor's effectiveness in maintaining light and triggering automation without false triggers.
Transcripts
we've all been there doing your deed
watching your favorite YouTube videos
yeah then the lights go out
because you're sitting too damn still
so we're going to show you how to fix
this with your own inexpensive DIY ESP
home sensor to move the rugs so you
don't bust your butt on the floor okay
and you're trying to come back and forth
now run back and forth try to run in and
run out
go fast
you did it anyway
[Music]
okay try to do it without falling as
much
run when I come back
it still gets you huh
pretty damn quick for mm wave no
additional PIR sensor needed and it's a
freaking 10 damn sensor well then you
gotta add the ESP but that's not
expensive at all
pretty awesome and you can see my sexy
legs I haven't been this excited about a
damn sensor quite some time especially a
ten dollar sense or two and you can
build it yourself and then say I built
that so for part two of the
awkwardness of this video laying in the
tub here yes I am fully clothed so no
need to report the video we wear clothes
then the other part as well but if you
see the movement I can hold my breath
and get it to go to clear
but then when I breathe again it goes to
detected showing movement but you know
the occupancy stays triggered but pretty
cool little thing you can do just off of
a sensor in the ceiling that's pretty
badass
how did I come to wanting to do my own
without you know buying something built
you know ready to go well I'd like to do
in my bathroom I like to have motion if
you've been around the channel you've
seen some of my little bathroom sensors
that I've done I put up in the ceiling
that have a PIR which is that passive
infrared and then you know you do have
the temperature humidity and that way
the humidity gets too high that you can
turn on the vent and that way you don't
have all that moisture build up which is
bad for your bathroom and it's fully
automated because you know your other
guests they don't turn the bathroom
vents on and their only problem with
that of course is uh if you sit very
still for some pirs then of course the
light turns off and if you're doing your
deed and everything and whatnot and yes
half I'm going to say what not for you
quite a lot and whatnot but especially
if the wife is taking a bath and just
soaking and you have the lights go off
yeah that's not a very good uh Waf this
one was the one I built a while back and
all I was doing was just taking a like
Decor face plate I know not everybody's
in the US but I could basically take
just a blank face plate whatever your
wiring standard is and then I have it in
a box up in my ceiling and I'm able to
run low voltage to it and then I just
have an ESP chip this is the esp8266 on
the bottom and I just have Dupont
connectors and if you're not sure you've
never seen duponts they're pretty damn
simple see these little jumpers these
are already pre-made there's no
soldering there's no white weird wiring
you know you just plugging and playing
and following a couple things of like
Hey where's the positive go where's the
negative go so these just pop on and pop
off
and that's pretty much that simple now
the only problem is if you do it a lot
you pull them on and off the little
spring will wear out but hey you can
take your um glue gun yeah this is a
wonderful little invention and throw
just a little dab of hot glue on it and
it will stay there until the next time
you have to pull it down and want to
maybe change it like we're doing here
now I have tried a lot of different damn
mm wave sensors and if you're not really
familiar with mm wave just think of it
as a radar sensor that detects if a
person is breathing or making those
little minute movements that a human you
know would typically make that would be
alive
and it picks up and you know you set
your sensitivity now if you don't want
to be you can't set it too sensitive and
then say some ceiling fans and
everything
but once you kind of get things tweaked
it works damn awesome the
ld1125 is around 10 to 12 U.S and it's a
pretty small size I mean look the
comparison of the ESP chip it's smaller
than it now the only thing that's going
to be weird about it is the pins on the
back you need the smaller I think
they're two millimeter but I probably
don't need to correct if I don't get the
size right there's some smaller Dupont
jumper ends and they do make these you
can made up already but you can see the
different size you can see the size is a
lot different
between the two different sizes of
DuPont jumpers but just make sure you
get the right jumpers for these versus
you know the regular style Dupont jumper
but you got to have them on either side
you get what I'm saying
so that way you can plug it straight up
to the
esp8266 or I went with esp32 because
there really isn't a reason to do 8266
unless you just have them around I
prefer to go esp32 and
these are pretty damn cool I found these
on Amazon I'm sure they're on AliExpress
and whatever I'll probably link them
around it's your regular
little old school micro USB this is
pretty cool because
this is the whole wire
you can take and it is if you can see
the stuff here probably look pretty
close you just gonna see the positive
and negative that way you could run
whatever wire over to it and you're like
a low voltage wire into that box and
then you could come up with your wire
here
and plug it in and go just like that now
I did mention humidity how the hell are
you going to get humidity Travis
well that's like this
there's some other sensors there's the
keep want to say the sht the 31 but
these little I squared C sensors they
just plug into some other pins on the
ESP chip and
there's a I like the BME the BME 280
works really well for humidity but
there's also the aht 21 that I've tested
and of course that sht31 and I'll leave
all that below some of them you can get
them pre-soldered but some of them do
not come with the pin headers soldered
on so just be aware that when you're
purchasing them this is what it looks
like from you know the it's I have it in
the ceiling and I probably will show a
picture here and this one I just have
the BME 280 in there and I just drill a
small hole as you can see there and
that's the only thing I have exposed is
the sensor of that four to pick up that
humidity
now this is going to look like ass but
hey I'm the only one that's going to see
it well I guess everyone out there as
well but
hot glue gun is your friend and yes you
may laugh I put had hot glue gun stuff
from different wall plates from like
capacitive touch buttons and everything
and stuff in the ceiling they've been up
through the Louisiana heat in the Attic
cooking for years
and perfectly fine and the other great
thing about it it's so easy to get one
of these at the hobby store or whatever
and then you can just glue the hell out
of it and it seals the chip right up so
you won't get any moisture on it or
whatever this one you can see I just
glued down the BME 280. I threw a little
glue on the little on the DuPont jumpers
that way they won't come off
and one thing you'll notice I did if you
can get on the camera is I angled I
threw a little glue underneath because
this is the chip here
and so these targets face down
and that's what you know all you're
seeing is this here
and the back of it well I threw a little
glue because I wanted the chip
to be at an angle if I'm trying to get
to my angles right
so I wanted to be at an angle because I
actually had an issue when I first put
it up that if we put your arm on the
back of the couch that was on that
adjacent wall well then it would set the
light off well so I angled it a little
bit and turned down some of the
sensitivity and was able to tweak it and
you know it works great I'm the only one
that sees it so I did throw a glue all
along the back of it to seal it and then
because in case the ESP chip came down
which is kind of impossible for it to do
that then it wouldn't
you know touch on it or whatnot and
there it is Dick for you again Heff it
just seals everything up and then I took
some I just put a dab of Super Glue on
on the DuPont jumpers on the board that
way it won't you know come off but
that's all up to you and how you want to
build it if you want to build something
that goes in the wall you want to build
something in a different 3D printed case
or whatever type of thing because you
know the mm wave think about it you
don't have to really see it like you did
a PIR sensor you could hide it in
something as long as it's not metal
because metal of course going to stop
that 24 gigahertz really well which is
not a bad thing if you're trying to hide
it from some ceiling fans you can
actually use some different metal pieces
and things to uh you know direct the
signal from being able to see a constant
moving device such as a computer fan or
ceiling fan or whatever else may be
moving in the room now the software
we're going to put on the ESP chips well
of course that is ESP home if you're
running home assistant a h a Os or
Docker or however you're running this
thing you can run ESP home there's tons
of different ways to install it add-ons
Docker do the whole deal it's pretty
much gonna all look and work the same
check out ESP home dot IO and you can go
show how to get started with it or
whatever
now once you do get that and come back
and see my boring ass talk
you should have this dashboard of ESP
home and that would be like in your
add-ons or whatever it's the web GUI 2
where you manage all the stuff and
there's still no dark mode
um yeah now we're just gonna make a new
device we're going to copy everything
into it no big deal let's just go
through here and we'll say continue and
we'll call it
esp32 radar video
whatever you want to call it I'm gonna
delete mine later
this is going to be esp32 I just hit
skip because you don't want to install
it right now and it should be somewhere
in your list I got a bunch of junk
um so they should just hit edit
and you should get the everything in
here now
we're just going to copy and paste
things over all this
so
I have all this I'll leave the link down
it'll come from our website if you
really just want to copy and paste it
you want to download it or whatever now
the code where this comes from I didn't
make it all just tweaked a few things it
came from the great kingpatrick 3399 he
has a bunch of these different models
all on his GitHub and he has all the the
yaml files and everything and the
manuals and how if you want to wire it
or whatever or the configuration the
settings pretty simple stuff uh but I'll
take the ones that I have tweaked and
I'll have them ready to go on my website
where you can just copy and paste those
if you like there's no dark mode here of
course and just after my eye surgery I'm
still kind of sensitive to light so I'm
just going to use notepad plus plus to
go over some of his code go ahead and
set your name now the update time I have
that for my humidity sensor I just just
have it wanting to check the humidity
temperature every 30 seconds I don't
need it more than that I added down here
the I squared C you can change those to
whatever you want as long as they're
valid pins
um everything else I left the same here
API if you want to throw an encryption
key in you're more than welcome to I use
these locally I didn't need an
encryption key nor the password you can
put those in there my Wi-Fi I do have
this set using my secrets because I need
static IPS for make mine work that well
if you don't need yours you can just
leave it back as default
which was this here it's just three
lines
you know Wi-Fi SSID and password I
didn't need the fallback access point
mode because it is just a ESP chip and I
can get to it fairly easy but if you
want to leave it in there and put in
their captive portal more than welcome
to see here's the RX pin and TX pin and
I'm using those for uart2 it's
recommended otherwise you will have
issues that's that tx2 and rx2 on the
esp32 then I added the BME 280 right
here for temperature pressure and
humidity where they don't really need
temperature so I I just don't add it to
the card in home assistant and I did use
the over sampling 2x I only needed it to
take two samples and then jump out I
didn't need I think the default's like
five or six and something crazy I didn't
need that does is it moist or not and
then the uart text I Le if you set this
internal as true you won't see this it's
more of a debug
but it's also more for the chip to sin
every time there's movement and that
could make things a little slower and
that's pretty much it the rest of it's
all Patrick's code from his GitHub so
definitely thanks to that for him
figuring all this crap out with this
sensor because it's really awesome that
you can tweak everything right in home
assistant in real time if you jump over
here to home assistant you're not sure
how to install on an esp32 chip in ESP
home if you look in the home assistant
side ESP home I have the full procedure
with screenshots on how to create your
little sensor like we just did and then
how to flash it install it most people
get worried about the word flash but
it's just writing it to the chip it's
installing it so we'll hit the install
button now the first time you do this
you do need to manually do it so I'm
gonna hit manual download
now you want to use modern format now it
will take some time to build depending
on what you're building this on just go
do something else and just come back and
check on him now if you change some
other things a little bit later a lot of
times it will just change that small
pieces and cache what it built and it'll
build a lot faster so once it's done
compiling it will automatically download
to the computer so don't delete that
file but if you head over and probably
the easiest one that's non-geeky is the
web installer for ESP home
and if you just look at you can go here
it says install ESP Home factory bin via
web browser that's on my website again
we're just going to go here now at this
point do plug in
point over here like you can see but you
can see I've got my USB cable plugged in
and I do need to plug that into the
computer should not but sometimes some
of the esp32s you do need to hold down
the boot Button while applying power for
a few seconds but most of them they you
don't have to do that so we'll go ahead
and try it with this one we'll go here
and oh look this works with dark mode
but it looks really really funky
whatever we're going to hit connect and
there it is
this is that cp2102 I think that's
another cable I probably have that come
30
so we'll hit connect
and we're going to say install and we
will choose the file that's gonna be the
file that just downloaded to your local
computer and that's gonna be that master
bath one I have built and hit install
and if everything went correct and your
thing is hooked up you should get the
erasing message and don't browse away I
know it's tempted to go browse to your
favorite YouTube websites and whatever
else just let it do the install and
we'll come right back it doesn't take
that long and I can actually see the
blue light the status LED blinking on me
so it's probably booting up by the time
I get done running my mouth if you come
back and jump into the ESP home
dashboard
we should see
a master bath potentially there it is
goes online
now the logs I think I have it turned
down where it doesn't spew out tons of
data because I found that that was you
know just bogging down that chip too
much but you can go turn on all those
debug and everything if you do have
issues but I can already see it found my
I squared C that's that BME 280 so I
should be good now let's go add it into
home assistant now a lot of times you'll
get a notification when you pull up home
assistant it'll Auto Discovery boom it's
great pretty awesome but I have to go in
and put mine manually you have to do
that I'm going into Integrations
and adding ESP home
and I'm putting in that IP address and
hit submit
there we go esp32 master bath and we'll
go ahead and we'll call it in the area
the master bathroom will be good at
doing that and hit finish
we should see it down here
there's a device give it a little bit
sometimes I have seen this page take a
little bit to load
and then we'll go ahead and we'll say
add to dashboard and you can see
everything's working got humidity you
got the temperature and the distance the
way this is laid out you can see now
this is my one that I have working and
tweaked and everything and you really
what's the cool thing about this is you
can go ahead and install this and you
can go sit there with your phone and
play with these little sliders and just
walk away let it re reset it re-triggers
come back in you can all do it in real
time unlike say some of those other
sensors this is pretty badass where you
can do all this now the MTH mth2 mth3
that's the different I guess the other
one I call it Gates but that's the
distance for sensitivity MTH 1 is 0 to
2.8 and then 2.8 to 8 and then eight and
I do believe the sensitivity
the higher you slide the slider is the
less sensitive it is see on this
particular one in this bathroom I got a
small bat front bathroom I didn't need
like eight meters of distance and I
didn't want it reading eight meters
because then that's going to go well
beyond that room and Trigger so I set
them all the way like don't be sensitive
at all
and then I even said this is the max
distance
I even set the max distance to 1.9
that's kind of I where I needed it to be
so I could catch the tub and it has
worked out well
now you're gonna play around with all
with yours there's also the movement
clearance time and then I think that's
the direction let me go back on let me
see what that is yeah move
occupied to clearance waiting time and
then move to occupied waiting time and
really you just got to go in and go play
around with these and watch the sensors
but it's not that crazy to do because
there's not a whole lot of stuff to mess
with really so it's pretty
simple to mess around with and then you
can drive all your automation straight
from it and I love this damn thing so
it's go build one dude it's it's badass
trust me it has changed stuff and it's
not that expensive to do
all right dude so we turned the blind
all right dude so we turn the clearance
time and the movement time way down now
I want you to go trick the light like
you did the last one go in there and try
to sit still
you can't do it can you
it stays triggered huh
come out
stop
come back right here it's cool and stuff
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