Comcast is turning millions of its routers into motion detectors
Comcast is turning millions of its routers into motion detectors
Comcast 将数百万台路由器变成运动检测器
Comcast is bringing Wi-Fi motion sensing to millions of routers that are already in customers’ homes, turning the devices into activity monitors. A new update to the Xfinity Internet app, arriving today, August 18th, enables the feature on compatible Xfinity routers at no extra cost.
Comcast 正在为其数百万台已进入用户家庭的路由器引入 Wi-Fi 运动感知功能，将这些设备转变为活动监控器。Xfinity Internet 应用程序于 8 月 18 日推出的新更新，可在兼容的 Xfinity 路由器上免费启用此功能。
Announced as part of its new Xfinity Shield service, WiFi Motion can monitor activity in your home and send you notifications, similar to a standalone motion sensor. It works by detecting disruptions in the Wi-Fi signal between the Xfinity gateway and any Wi-Fi-connected device, giving you some insight into what’s happening in your home without buying additional hardware. Xfinity Shield is free for all customers and includes a new advanced security feature that protects devices from online threats, including malware and phishing attacks, and improved parental controls.
作为其全新 Xfinity Shield 服务的一部分，WiFi Motion 可以监控家中的活动并发送通知，功能类似于独立的运动传感器。它的工作原理是检测 Xfinity 网关与任何 Wi-Fi 连接设备之间的 Wi-Fi 信号干扰，让你无需购买额外硬件即可了解家中发生的情况。Xfinity Shield 对所有客户免费，并包含一项新的高级安全功能，可保护设备免受恶意软件和网络钓鱼攻击等在线威胁，同时还改进了家长控制功能。
Wi-Fi motion sensing is a technology that has been around for a while, but it’s only recently that it’s become accurate and reliable enough to catch on. Linksys launched a similar service in 2021, but discontinued it a few years later. Lighting company Wiz launched a line of Wi-Fi-sensing smart bulbs in 2023, and more recently Philips Hue deployed a similar radio-frequency sensing technology in its products (using Zigbee rather than Wi-Fi).
Wi-Fi 运动感知技术已经存在一段时间了，但直到最近才变得足够准确和可靠，从而开始流行起来。Linksys 曾在 2021 年推出过类似服务，但几年后便停止了。照明公司 Wiz 在 2023 年推出了一系列 Wi-Fi 感应智能灯泡，最近 Philips Hue 也在其产品中部署了类似的射频传感技术（使用的是 Zigbee 而非 Wi-Fi）。
Comcast’s motion sensing pairs with new modes in the Xfinity app — Home Watch, Away Watch, and Dark Watch (a night/sleep mode) — allowing you to turn sensing on or off based on your activities. WiFi Motion requires an advanced gateway, XB7 or newer. It’s opt in and can be turned on and off through the app.
Comcast 的运动感知功能与 Xfinity 应用程序中的新模式（居家监控、离家监控和夜间/睡眠模式）相结合，允许你根据自己的活动开启或关闭感知功能。WiFi Motion 需要高级网关（XB7 或更新型号）。该功能采用选择加入机制，可通过应用程序进行开关。
An improved indoor camera is part of Xfinity Shield Select and includes AI-powered smart alerts for people, pets, vehicles, and packages. Kohposh Kuda, SVP of consumer products at Xfinity, told The Verge that the company has put in a lot of work fine-tuning Wi-Fi motion sensing. “We have spent the last three years advancing the algorithms for WiFi Motion and tightening up some of the irregularities that came with the early versions of Wi-Fi sensing. We’re at a point where we feel confident in the WiFi Motion capability that customers can use this for motion detection in their home and for a basic level of security.”
改进后的室内摄像头是 Xfinity Shield Select 的一部分，包括针对人员、宠物、车辆和包裹的 AI 智能警报。Xfinity 消费产品高级副总裁 Kohposh Kuda 告诉《The Verge》，公司在微调 Wi-Fi 运动感知方面投入了大量工作。“我们过去三年一直在推进 WiFi Motion 的算法，并修复了早期 Wi-Fi 感应版本中存在的一些不规则问题。我们现在对 WiFi Motion 的能力充满信心，客户可以将其用于家中的运动检测和基础安全防护。”
Xfinity doesn’t see the technology as replacing traditional security systems with cameras and physical motion sensors just yet. “But for the average household … this provides an adequate level of security protection,” says Kuda. Xfinity already offers security cameras, and those remain available under a new service called Xfinity Shield Select. This costs $15 a month for an indoor camera and a door/window sensor and includes cloud video storage capabilities and a 24/7 urgent response service.
Xfinity 目前并不认为这项技术可以取代带有摄像头和物理运动传感器的传统安防系统。Kuda 表示：“但对于普通家庭来说……这提供了足够水平的安全保护。”Xfinity 已经提供安防摄像头，这些设备仍可通过名为 Xfinity Shield Select 的新服务获取。该服务每月收费 15 美元，包含一个室内摄像头和一个门窗传感器，并提供云视频存储功能和 24/7 紧急响应服务。
The potential uses for a reliable motion-sensing technology that doesn’t require additional hardware are broad, from home security to aging in place. Several companies are starting to develop solutions in this space, including ADT, which recently acquired Origin Wireless, one of the original Wi-Fi motion sensing companies. Comcast also has bigger plans for the technology. “We believe this is the foundation for what we think we can do with more advanced use cases,” says Kuda.
一种无需额外硬件的可靠运动感知技术，其潜在用途非常广泛，从家庭安全到居家养老皆可覆盖。多家公司正开始开发该领域的解决方案，包括最近收购了 Wi-Fi 运动感知先驱公司之一 Origin Wireless 的 ADT。Comcast 对这项技术也有更大的计划。Kuda 表示：“我们相信，这是我们未来实现更高级应用场景的基础。”