From Wi-Fi to Spy-Fi—we test Plume’s new motion detection feature

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  In the live view of Plume motion, you can get a rapidly updating idea of how much movement the kit sees. You're looking at my kids wandering around the living room right now. [credit: Jim Salter ]

At CES 2020, Wi-Fi mesh kit manufacturer Plume announced the addition of motion-sensing capability to its newer Superpod devices. Before we go any further, let's be clear about what we're talking about-this is not detection of a device you're holding, like a phone or tablet. Instead, Plume is doing real-time analysis of extremely low-level RF data pulled from the Superpods' radios. This is real motion detection, with no gimmicks involved.

Plume Motion requires Superpods-at least for now. The Superpods can also use stationary devices-including any original generation pods, or computers or IoT devices connected to the Wi-Fi-to further refine their detection.

Plume co-founder Adam Hotchkiss explained to us that, although any Wi-Fi device could theoretically be used to sense the data necessary to analyze motion, not all Wi-Fi chipsets actually expose that data. The Qualcomm IPQ4019 chipset used in the Superpods exposes the necessary RF data, but the older QCA9557 chipset used in the first-generation pods does not.

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