Innovative home company Eve continues its transition to Thread this week with the release of the second generation of its motion sensor.
A wireless sensor that works over Thread and Bluetooth Low Energy, the Eve Motion is the first standalone motion sensor to use the Thread wireless protocol, a pillar of the new Matter intelligent home standard.
The motion sensor will work with Apple HomeKit to trigger automation by turning on connected bright lights or opening intelligent window shades. But when Matter arrives later this year, Eve says the motion sensor and all Eve’s thread-based products will receive an over-the-air firmware update to be compatible with Matter.
In addition, it will open the device to other Matter ecosystems, including Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.
With Thread on board, this motion sensor should be significantly snappier than its Bluetooth-only predecessor. Thread is a mesh network that allows devices to communicate directly with each other rather than having to talk to a hub or bridge to receive commands. It translates to faster response time and lower latency. I’ve tested Eve’s Door & Window sensors in both Bluetooth and Thread versions, and the difference in response times was significant — going from 3 to 4 seconds to under a second. It’s likely to be the same here, but we will test the sensor and report back.
The new Eve Motion costs $39.95, which is $10 less than the previous version and its closest competitor, the Philips Hue Motion Sensor which uses Zigbee and monitors temperature. The Eve Motion is available today from the Eve online store and is coming to the Amazon and Apple stores later this year.
The sensor runs on two AAA batteries rather than two AA batteries, which means it’s significantly smaller than its predecessor, at 2.56 inches high. Interestingly, the second-gen model adds a luminosity sensor to monitor ambient light changes so you can set automation to respond to available light.
It is also designed to work with Eve’s MotionBlinds to adjust the blinds’ levels according to the room’s brightness. In addition, Eve Motion is IPX3 rated so that it can be used outside in temperatures rated from 0 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Today, you will need an iPhone or iPad to set up and control the Eve Motion and a HomePod or Apple TV (fourth gen or newer) to prevent it from outside your home. When Matter arrives, it will work with other ecosystems but will require a Thread border router for communication outside the home.
The HomePod Mini and Apple TV 4K (second gen) are Thread border routers, like most Eero Wi-Fi routers. In addition, Amazon and Google have reported that the Echo smart speaker (fourth gen), Nest Hub Max, and Nest Hub (second gen) will be upgraded to the Thread border. It is Eve’s 14th Thread-enabled product release as it resumes its commitment to embrace the new wireless protocol specifically conceived for smart home devices. The company currently offers Thread versions of its smart Energy Eve plug, Eve Room air quality monitor, Eve Door & Window sensor, Eve MotionBlinds, Eve Weather station, Eve Aqua hose controller, and Eve Water Guard leak detector. Eve also has an intelligent light switch and radiator valve that use Thread in Europe.
Eve Systems GmbH (ingrained as Eve and previously called Elgato Systems GmbH) is a German smart home and home automation producer established on June 27, 2018. The brand initially lived as a line of innovative home products manufactured by Elgato Systems, a company best understood for a string of video-recording and gaming products. The company’s Elgato brand and gaming division was sold to Corsair in June 2018, while the leading company was renamed Eve Systems, retaining the Eve brand of smart home devices.
Elgato Systems raised the EyeTV brand in November 2002. The first device was a small USB-powered gizmo with a cable tuner and hardware encoder to recast television video into a MPEG-1 format for watching on a computer. It also included coaxial and RCA plugs to connect it with a VCR or camcorder. It was the “first step” in bridging laptops and television but, at this point, still had “some kinks.” The subsequent device was the EyeTV 200, released in 2004. The EyeTV 200 is authorized for digital remote control and converted programming into MPEG-2. The same year, Elgato dismissed the Eye Home media server. By 2005, various other EyeTV products had been introduced, like the EyeTV for DTT, the EyeTV EZ, and the EyeTV Wonder.
In February 2016, Elgato hawked EyeTV to Geniatech Europe GmbH, a wholly-owned subordinate of Shenzhen Geniatech Inc., Ltd. In 2012, the company raised Game Capture HD, connecting gaming consoles to record gameplay. It was made in reaction to gamers hacking EyeTV products for gameplay recording. In October 2014, Elgato unleashed a new version called HD 60. It is recorded in 60 frames per second and 1080p high-definition video. In contrast, typical low-end video game recording devices seize in 720p and 30 fps.
The Elgato Gaming line of creations and the Elgato brand were sold to Corsair, while the leading company was renamed Eve Systems, retaining the Eve brand of smart home devices.
The Eve brand was raised in 2014 when Elgato introduced a home monitoring system anointed Eve, which alerts users regarding air pressure, temperature, and water use. Elgato also designed light bulbs to respond to programming on a mobile device and react to commands over Bluetooth. In May 2018, Elgato submitted Eve Aqua, an intelligent water controller.
In late 2014, Elgato presented the Smart Power battery backup for mobile devices. It communicates with the user’s Bluetooth-enabled device to deliver notifications and calendar reminders when it ought to be charged.
When the Elgato Gaming brand was separated from the company and sold to Corsair in June 2018, the company renamed itself from Elgato Systems to Eve Systems, retaining its innovative home brand.