SwitchBot has introduced a new battery-powered Presence Sensor designed to deliver more reliable room detection and smarter automation than traditional motion sensors. Equipped with a 60Hz mmWave radar, a PIR sensor, and a built-in light sensor, the device focuses on solving a common issue in home automation: accurately identifying when a room is truly occupied.
Smarter Sensing Through Micro-Motion Detection
The onboard PIR sensor handles fast initial detection whenever someone enters a space, but it’s the mmWave radar that makes the biggest difference. By recognizing micro-movements—including subtle posture shifts and even breathing—the sensor can maintain accurate presence status even when a person is sitting still. This addresses one of the biggest limitations of PIR-only sensors, which often turn lights off prematurely or misread occupancy in quiet rooms.
Context-Aware Automation With Light-Level Data
Complementing motion and micro-motion detection, the integrated light sensor adds contextual awareness. By understanding the room’s lighting conditions, the sensor can support smarter automation logic, ensuring that lights and appliances remain active only when necessary. Multiple anti-interference measures further enhance accuracy, including AI environmental learning that identifies fan or HVAC frequencies and filters them out, along with a pet-avoidance option enabled by adjusting the angle of its magnetic base.
Long Battery Life and Flexible Placement
Despite the advanced detection capabilities, the device runs on just two AAA batteries, offering up to two years of life thanks to ultra-low-power mmWave technology. The Presence Sensor mounts easily to walls, desks, or metal surfaces using its magnetic, adhesive-ready base. With IPX5 water resistance and coverage up to 8 meters for motion and 5 meters for static presence across a 120-degree field, it’s flexible enough for bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways, and larger living spaces.
Built for Modern Smart-Home Ecosystems
The sensor integrates with major smart-home platforms, supporting Matter (via SwitchBot’s Matter-enabled hubs), Home Assistant, and popular voice assistants. It allows presence and light-level data to be used across systems and supports local automation so actions like lighting control continue to function even without an Internet connection. This blend of ecosystem compatibility and offline reliability makes it well suited for both cloud-based and fully local smart-home setups.
Pricing and Availability
The SwitchBot Presence Sensor is now available through the official SwitchBot website and Amazon Stores at an MSRP of USD 29.99 / GBP 32.99 / EUR 32.99 / CAD 35.99.
