Sunday, January 09, 2011

The Floor Sensor

Pet proof motion detectors are not a new thing, in fact, there have been quite a number of attempts at differentiating a human vs a pet. Manufacturer claims range from PIR type sensors being able to determine whether the object is in fact the proper vertical height of a human (As if Criminals cannot crawl on the floor and pets do not jump off furniture) while others lay claims to be able to determine the actual weight of  the object by means of some calculation based on the amount of space occupied by the object combined with it's movement patterns blah blah blah.
Fact of the matter is, although some of these sensors work... well let's say occasionally. The reason I am so skeptical of PIR based "Pet Proof" motion detectors is because variables can change. While a simple change in the size of number of pets may adversely effect one sensor, location of furniture can drastically effect another. Combine with that, the reduced effective sensitivity of a "Pet Proof" motion detectors and you may well not be receiving the actual interior protection you expect and paid for.
So what can someone with a pet or a number of pet do to protect the interior of their home without having to deal with reduced coverage or false alarms? Well, there are a few option out there. In the past, I have spoken at length about glassbreak detectors. These are great audio sensors which are designed to detect the sound of breaking glass. When installed properly, glassbreak detectors will sound the alarm if someone attempts to gain access to your home or business by means of breaking a window. Since glassbreak detectors are not motion sensing devices, they are very pet proof. In some cases, a large dog barking right below the detector may cause a false alarm. Proper placement and installation, however, will alleviate most bark initiated false alarms.
So what about interior motion detection. Well, since we have determined standard PIR based "Pet Proof" motion detectors are a load of Bollocks, let move forward to a tried, proven and under utilized technology.. The Floor Sensor. This detector is designed to be installed on the under part of a floor joist. Once covered with drywall, the security alarm floor sensor is invisible, except for its' ability to detect activity on the floor above.
The Pulsar Security Alarm Floor Sensor works by detecting micro flex changes in the floor joist itself. Once installed, the Security Alarm Pulsar Floor Sensor can be adjusted for varying levels of sensitivity. This way, the movements of small pet can be ignored, while a much heavier human will trigger the alarm. As with any technology, Pulsar Security Alarm Floor Sensors do have a few inherent weaknesses, however, these can easily be overcome with proper installation, testing and maintenance. For example, moving a couch over a floor sensor will pre-stress the floor and reduce the Pulsar Security Alarm Floor Sensors' ability to detect activity.
Although the Pulsar Floor Sensor is designed to be installed during the construction phase, a knowledgeable Security Alarm Installation technician should be able to install the Pulsar Security Alarm Floor Sensor in most pre-existing home situations.
In addition to Security, the Pulsar Floor Sensor can be used for many home automation / convenience features such as lighting control, shower automation and even  in place of a doorbell on the front porch.

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