How to fool a motion sensor into thinking there's always motion?

Red Squirrel

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May 24, 2003
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We have these new lights at work that are really annoying as they turn off if there's no motion. So every 15 minutes or so I need to get up and walk around to make them all turn on. I guess that's one way to try to stay fit... lol but it really sucks when I'm trying to work on a project and keep getting interrupted by the lights going off.

Been thinking maybe there is a way I can fool the sensors. From brief research it looks like they basically create a "grid" and they look for a heat signature crossing one of the grid lines. So some way of creating a heat signature that moves around the room would probably work but it would need to be a large enough area I imagine, unless there is maybe some kind of way to simulate that? Would these sensors be sensitive to any specific wave lengths where I can flash a light at them or something?

They seem to be activated by vibrations as well since the lights that are near the air vents turn back on when the hvac kicks on.
 

pcgeek11

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Jun 12, 2005
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We have automatic lights as well, but they have motion sensors. You can just wave your arm and they come back on. If your were operating on a heat signature they would always be on where you are sitting, unless you are dead and have no heat signature.
 

Red Squirrel

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We have automatic lights as well, but they have motion sensors. You can just wave your arm and they come back on. If your were operating on a heat signature they would always be on where you are sitting, unless you are dead and have no heat signature.


The ones directly over me stay on, but it's all the other ones around, so it still gets pretty dark.

Just had a random idea... wonder if an oscillating radiant heater would work to fool the other ones.
 

ch33zw1z

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Nov 4, 2004
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I work in DC's with motion lights and it's pretty frustrating sometimes.

One trick some of the facilities guys came up with was to hang a ribbon with a square of paper on the end. It was hung from the drop ceiling frame near the motion sensors. The airflow in the DCs is usually good enough to blow it around and trick the motion sensor. It wasn't perfect but it work a good deal of the time.
 
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Red Squirrel

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It seems to require a decent size motion as just waving my arms is not enough, need to go walk closer to each light to get them to turn on.
 

mxnerd

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Buy a drone and programmed it so it will fly around the lights every 15 minutes. 😁
 

mxnerd

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How about a robot vacuum that runs every 15 minutes with a balloon tied to it? :p
 

shortylickens

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killster1

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you could ask your mommy about being scared of the dark and if monsters are real! Or possibly a heater that turns on every 13 mins and pushes some hot air around.
 

mindless1

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Aug 11, 2001
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Rewire the sensor out of the circuit. Bring tennis balls to work to throw at it so when it breaks you have access to do this.

Would these sensors be sensitive to any specific wave lengths where I can flash a light at them or something?

Try a red (near infrared) laser pointer.
 
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Red Squirrel

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Lol I'm tempted to rewire them tbh, I need a taller ladder though to reach up there.

The one we do have has a nice big platform to stand on though, I could safely fit a smaller step ladder on there. I'm pretty sure I had to do an APP module for that and it said not to do that. :p
 
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pcgeek11

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Lol I'm tempted to rewire them tbh, I need a taller ladder though to reach up there.

The one we do have has a nice big platform to stand on though, I could safely fit a smaller step ladder on there. I'm pretty sure I had to do an APP module for that and it said not to do that. :p



Don't do that.
 

sdifox

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mxnerd

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Why not just add another desk/table lamp? :rolleyes:
 
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