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Bluetooth 5.1lets devices track each other down to the centimeter.
At best it can do things at your command (even if it’s a scheduled command).
If you’re outside your home, the problem only gets worse.
When you leave or arrive, any knowledge of your presence relies ongeofencing.
But theBluetooth SIG has introduced version 5.1,which dramatically improves location awareness.
A Bluetooth 5.1 connection allows for both directional pointing and positional locating down to the centimeter.
This means you would know exactly where in a room an object is and in what direction.
Bluetooth 5.1 isn’t just for finding your stuff; it could be the future of the smarthome.
The closest option ismulti-room audio, but playing music throughout your home isn’t always what you want.
Or if you prefer, your music could stop or pause because you left the room.
Late at night, this would negate the need to fumble for a light switch or pull chain.
When you leave the closet or bathroom, the lights could turn off.
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As you walk through your home, your lights could follow.
If someone else is already present, the lights can stay on as you leave.
Smarter Heating and Cooling
Automatic room-to-room presence control can go beyond lights and music as well.
Craig Lloyd / How-To Geek
This same method of room control applies to devices connected tosmart plugs, like portable heaters or dehumidifiers.
But with presence detection, your mesh internet could prioritize the closest router to you.
By giving higher priority, you should enjoy better speed and a more reliable connection on all your devices.
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Voice assistants would also benefit in having a better idea of who you are.
This information would make for a more reliable experience in differentiating you from other users in your home.
Cameras can tell the difference, but that involvesfacial recognition, which may raise some privacy concerns.
Geofencing is limited to arrival and departure and can be unreliable.
What About Guests and Privacy?
The one downside to this suggestion is that you’d need to carry something to make this all work.
Some privacy implications will need to be thought through as well.
