Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors: Setup Guide + Best Devices
Summary
- Fundamentals of mmWave technology.
- How to achieve multi-room coverage.
- The best mmWave sensors for 2025.
- Step-by-step setup and optimization guide.
- Frequently Asked Questions.
Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors utilizes millimetre-wave radar to detect micro-movements, such as the rising and falling of a chest during breathing.
Traditional PIR (Passive Infrared) sensors rely on significant heat movement, often leaving you in the dark while reading or working at a desk quietly.
This technology operates at high frequencies, typically between 24GHz and 60GHz, allowing for precise distance, velocity, and angle measurements within defined zones.
By deploying these sensors across various rooms, your smart home system gains a granular understanding of where people are located.
Unlike cameras, these sensors maintain user privacy while providing high-resolution data that distinguishes between a human, a pet, or a mechanical fan.
This precision is the backbone of high-end home automation in 2025.
How Does Multi-Room Tracking Differ from Traditional Motion Sensing?
Standard motion sensing is binary; it simply detects if something moved. In contrast, Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors creates a continuous data stream of occupancy states throughout your entire living space.
The primary difference lies in the “static presence” capability.
When you sit perfectly still, mmWave sensors continue to report “occupied” because they detect your heartbeat and subtle respiratory movements through the air.
Furthermore, multi-room setups involve “hand-off” logic.
As you move from the kitchen to the living room, the system tracks your trajectory, ensuring lights transition smoothly without any frustrating delays or timeouts.
Read more: Security Flaws You Don’t Know You Have: How Hackers Target Smart Homes
Why is 60GHz Frequency Preferred for Home Presence Detection?
While 24GHz sensors are common and affordable, 60GHz modules offer superior bandwidth and resolution.
This allows for better separation of multiple targets and reduces false triggers from inanimate objects.
For those implementing Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors, 60GHz provides the sensitivity required to detect a person sleeping in a bed versus an empty room with a spinning ceiling fan.
High-frequency sensors can also penetrate thin materials like drywall or glass. While this sounds like a disadvantage, it actually allows for creative, hidden installations behind wall panels or inside light fixtures.
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Which are the Best mmWave Sensors for 2025?
Choosing the right hardware is critical for a reliable experience.
The market has matured significantly, with several manufacturers offering “Prosumer” grade equipment that integrates easily with Home Assistant or Apple Home.
The Aqara FP2 remains a top contender due to its “Zone Positioning” feature, which can monitor up to 30 unique areas within a single large room or open-plan space.
Alternatively, the Everything Presence One is highly praised in the enthusiast community for its open-source firmware and inclusion of light and noise sensors for even better automation triggers.
| Device Name | Frequency | Max Range | Connectivity | Key Feature |
| Aqara FP2 | 60GHz | 8 Meters | Wi-Fi | Multi-person tracking |
| Everything Presence One | 24GHz | 6 Meters | ESPHome / Wi-Fi | All-in-one sensor array |
| Screek Workshop Human Sensor | 24GHz | 6 Meters | ESPHome | Low-latency local control |
| Tuya ZY-M100 | 5.8/24GHz | 5 Meters | Zigbee | Cost-effective entry point |
| Linptech ES1 | 24GHz | 6 Meters | Zigbee | Ultra-thin mounting design |
How to Set Up Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors
To begin, you need a central hub like Home Assistant. This platform allows you to aggregate data from different brands of sensors into one cohesive multi-room logic engine.
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Start by mapping your zones. Place your sensors at a height of 1.5 to 2 meters. Avoid placing them directly facing air conditioners or curtains, as constant mechanical movement causes “ghosting.”
Configure your “Entrance” and “Exit” zones. By defining where doorways are located, your system can better predict when a person is moving between rooms rather than just disappearing from a sensor’s view.
You can learn more about the technical specifications of radar frequencies and their impact on human health at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines.
What are the Main Challenges of mmWave Installation?
The most common issue is “false positives.” Because mmWave is so sensitive, it can detect a vibrating refrigerator or even heavy rain hitting a window if the sensitivity is too high.
You must spend time “masking” certain areas in your software. Masking tells the sensor to ignore specific coordinates, such as a corner where a robotic vacuum charger is located.
Power management is another factor. Unlike PIR sensors that run on batteries for years, Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors usually requires a constant USB power supply due to high energy consumption.
When Should You Use mmWave Over Other Technologies?
Use mmWave in rooms where people remain stationary for long periods. This includes offices, bedrooms, and living rooms where “light-outs” during a movie are a common nuisance with old technology.
Bathrooms are another ideal location. mmWave can detect a person behind a glass shower door, a feat that is impossible for standard infrared sensors which cannot “see” through glass.
However, for hallways or transit areas, a simple PIR sensor might still be more efficient. Combining both technologies—known as “Hybrid Sensing”—provides the most robust smart home experience available today.
Future Trends in Multi-Room Occupancy
As we move through 2025, we are seeing the integration of AI with radar data. Future systems will recognize specific “gaits” or walking patterns to identify exactly who is in the room.
We are also seeing “Fall Detection” becoming a standard feature.
This allows the Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors to send emergency alerts if an elderly resident falls and remains motionless.
The move toward Matter-over-Thread compatibility ensures that these complex sensors will work across all major platforms, making professional-grade automation accessible to every homeowner without proprietary lock-in.
Conclusion
Implementing Multi-Room Presence Detection Using mmWave Sensors is the single most impactful upgrade you can make to your smart home’s “intelligence” and overall responsiveness.
By shifting from motion-based triggers to true occupancy-based logic, you eliminate the friction of manual switches.
Your home finally begins to work for you, anticipating your needs through invisible, precise technology.
Whether you choose the polished Aqara ecosystem or the customizable ESPHome route, the result is a home that feels truly alive and aware.
For deeper technical dives into home automation standards, visit Matter – Connectivity Standards Alliance.
FAQ
Can mmWave sensors see through walls?
While some frequencies can penetrate drywall, they are usually tuned to stay within a single room. Proper sensitivity calibration prevents “seeing” through walls into adjacent spaces.
Do these sensors work in the dark?
Yes, mmWave radar does not rely on light. It works perfectly in total darkness, making it ideal for night-time path lighting and security applications.
Are mmWave sensors safe?
Yes, the power levels used in consumer mmWave sensors are extremely low. They fall well within international safety standards for non-ionizing radiation and human exposure.
Can pets trigger the sensors?
Yes, pets will be detected. However, many modern sensors allow you to set “exclusion zones” or height filters to ignore movement near the floor where pets typically roam.
