Looks cool! Does it work outdoors too? And can it be battery-powered?
Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
41–50 of 84 posts
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#42> No hub required - TOMMY runs as a Home Assistant add-on or on a Linux host (Docker) and uses supporting devices to create a sensing network. I don't see how either the HA instance or the Linux host can't be viewed as a hub. No hub required feels untrue to me. I assume this question is intended to clarify that some additional device is not necessary, but I think this could be reworded.
OTOH, when you buy any Bosch, IKEA, Hue, Aqara device, it says on the box: Hub required (and they do mean get our hub and place next to all other hubs. Even though Home Assistant will usually work fine-ok). So I see where he’s coming from, and I interpreted it as intended.
Don’t the matter compatible ones work with any hub?
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#43[deleted]
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#44[flagged]
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#45This is a signal that I need to get off of Wifi altogether. The data from CSI and BFI are too insecure and no one cares about the privacy concerns. I'm sure ICE agents are going to love this technology.
This tech is at least a decade old.
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#46Seems to be based on See through walls by MIT (2013)? Good job porting it to esp32. I was just looking a week ago to do the same thing - basically reproducing this work. I'll definitely try this. https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/seeing-through-walls-comp...
I believe that was the initial paper which really started the Wi-Fi sensing research. Although a lot of research has come after that. It's a really fascinating technology with a whole range of possibilities beyond just motion and presence sensing.
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#47Seems to be based on See through walls by MIT (2013)? Good job porting it to esp32. I was just looking a week ago to do the same thing - basically reproducing this work. I'll definitely try this. https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/seeing-through-walls-comp...
"ESP32 CSI Toolkit", papers+code, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA https://stevenmhernandez.github.io/ESP32-CSI-Tool/
"Wi-ESP", papers+code, KITS WRL, South Korea, https://wrlab.github.io/Wi-ESP/
"Espressif CSI sample applications", Shanghai, China, https://github.com/espressif/esp-csi
"CSI-MURDER", paper+code, WiFi Sensing countermeasures, EU, https://ans.unibs.it/projects/csi-murder/
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#48Cool. Going to try it out. I think I sent an "application" to Discord (not a discord pro and never encountered having to apply before so hope I did it correctly)
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
Great questions. Neighbor detection: I haven't had issues with neighbor movement affecting detection in my testing. The devices form a mesh within your defined zone, so they're primarily sensing disruptions between your own nodes. If you do experience false positives, there's a sensitivity adjustment in the dashboard. Privacy/spying: In TOMMY, I've explicitly disabled the ability to use devices outside your own netwo…
>Wi-Fi sensing as a broader technology could theoretically be used for surveillance if someone controlled devices on both sides of your walls. It's similar to other wireless technologies in that regard. The key is controlling your own hardware. Does this mean that a nosy neighbor or someone else who wanted to surveil your residence could accomplish this by placing multiple devices around but not necessarily on your p…
While theoretically possible, this would be a very involved surveillance method compared to simpler alternatives that already exist (cameras with telephoto lenses, thermal imaging, simply watching schedules, etc.). Wi-Fi sensing isn't easier or more covert than existing methods. At the current state of the technology, other methods are far more suitable for people who want to spy on others.
The effective range of each device factors into the sensing area. The closer together the sensors are the higher sensing sensitivity it has. In my 90 square meter apartment I can create a sensing area with a sensor in each end of the apartment.
Additionally, TOMMY is designed to only work with devices you've explicitly flashed and added to your system. It won't interact with random ESP32s that might be nearby.
The deer management is actually a very interesting use case. I am interested in hearing your results if you decide to set it up for that.
Re: Show HN: Tommy – Turn ESP32 devices into through-wall motion sensors
#50Cool. Going to try it out. I think I sent an "application" to Discord (not a discord pro and never encountered having to apply before so hope I did it correctly)
Sounds good. Your application should be approved now. Otherwise let me know.