Presence-aware lighting from Varavivo replaces the blunt on/off logic of passive infrared switches with continuous, zone-level intelligence drawn from 60 GHz mmWave radar sensors that detect the micro-movements of a resting occupant just as reliably as those of someone crossing a room. Every fixture in the system, from tunable-white downlights to architectural dimmers, responds in real time to where people are and what the space is being used for. For rooms where a combined switch and sensor is cleaner, mmWave presence dimmers integrate Zigbee dimming and detection into a single wall plate. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office, occupancy-based lighting controls combined with LED sources reduce lighting energy consumption by 35 to 60 percent compared to manually switched installations.
How we approach it
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mmWave presence detection and a standard motion sensor?
A passive infrared (PIR) sensor detects changes in heat signature caused by physical movement. If you stop moving, the room reads as empty within 30 to 90 seconds and the lights cut out. A 60 GHz millimeter-wave radar sensor emits radio waves continuously and analyzes micro-Doppler returns from the human body, including the subtle chest movements of breathing. It tracks multiple people simultaneously across 30 configurable zones in a wide detection field. For rooms where ceiling mounting is not ideal, a combined mmWave presence dimmer puts equivalent sensing capability directly in the wall switch, and all detection logic runs locally with no cloud dependency.
What types of fixtures do you use, and how do you choose between them?
We choose fixtures by application. Tunable white and color-capable fixtures handle living areas, kitchens, and spaces where scene control matters, including gradient options for media rooms and primary suites. Adaptive circadian lamps are well-suited for bedrooms and wellness spaces, where an automatic shift from energizing daylight to warm amber in the evening nudges melatonin release without any manual scheduling. For formal rooms where lighting is part of the interior design specification, architectural-grade full-spectrum sources with color-consistency monitoring are the appropriate choice. The specific products we specify depend on scope, budget, and the existing infrastructure in your home.
Do the lights still work during an internet outage?
Yes. Presence sensors communicate to your local hub, and all automation logic runs on that hub without cloud involvement. Fixture scenes execute from the lighting bridge on your local network. Architectural dimmer systems use RF protocols that have no internet dependency. Remote access, meaning controlling lights from outside your home, is the only function that requires an active connection.
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