Thanks Shane. I’ve had this same question for my 96 year-old mother who still lives alone. This is a good balance between cameras and maintaining her privacy. Exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you and the channel.
Shane, this is such a great video. I never thought that smart home tech could help to look after our loved ones. Appreciate you taking the time to do this video.
This is a great video and something I can see others needing. I really appreciate the very thorough explanation and step-by-step instructions that will make it super easy for others to do this. One other option you could do is the following: I would create a scene to turn the smart plug off. Then in the 2nd automation, instead of doing the Nothing command, I would run the scene to turn the plug off. That way I would only have two automations, instead of three automations.
Thank you. I have a friend that does not have any smart home accessories but is worried about this exact use case. I will help hi get some peace of mind using these concepts. This is one of the best vids I have seen on YourTube in a long time. I hope it will make him feel better about living alone.
Hey Darin. It seems that something has changed with HomeKit since this video was released and we no longer can access the power consumption from these types of smart plugs (via homekit or 3rd party apps). If. you only want a notification directly to your phone, you can use the Aqara app to configure a notification based on the plug's power consumption.
That was awesome Shane! I can potentially thousands of family member’s getting into the Smart Home scene by being able to utilize this type of setup to monitor their loved ones with confidence!
I really do appreciate all you do and share to help us. This is taking it to next level. Taking care of loved ones is what guided me to smart home technology and something so simple I never thought to do. Great work! Thank you.
Nice video, Shane and creative use of smart plug as "dummy" switch. I use a lot of virtual switches so totally get it when it comes to you offering an alternative for those not wanting to learn how to use them. I live in a large retirement community and am always looking for tips like yours to help folks out. Great job!
Glad more creators are talking about this. I created a group on Facebook called accessible smart homes for people with disabilities just for this reason.
You could get a smart hub with "security" (home, away, night) feature which I personally do not use such as the Aqara M1S or M2 hub and use the motion sensor to change the state of the security as a replacement of using a smart plug.
great video. I agree that this opens up a lot of ideas and this can be used in so many different scenarios. Great use of the smart plug as just a virtual switch. This is easier than trying to setup home bridge for a lot of people.
One other thing I would do is plug the smart plug into a UPS. That way if a power failure occurs, the smart plug will keep working. In this instance, I would also put the Apple Home Hub on a UPS as well, for the same reason.
Amazing learning what automation can do. Great idea and video. Quick question, you can't do messages for home automation shortcuts? For example if smoke detector is triggered? Would have to do same logic.....home automation to trigger a plug, then personal automation to send message? But then again that will only run at a specific time and not real time?
There are a couple of flaws in that automation logic: 1. If a person leaves home for an extended period of time on purpose (staying at friends, going on vacation or a trip, etc.). You will have to know exact times of absence and switch off those automations manually, otherwise you will continue getting those messages. 2. If there’s a robot vacuum in the house, it will trigger the motion sensor so the messages won’t be sent even if the person actually needs help.
This should be used as a "starting place." Each individual should consider their needs and personal setup and tailor this to work for their setup. For example, my grandpa doesn't have a robot vacuum, so no issue there. You can add a location based condition to the automation if you need to, etc.
Hey Shane, great idea. I looked through the comments and didn't see anything. If there is a loss of power, and when the power turns back on, won't the smart plug turn to "ON"?
It probably depends on the smart plug. I think some can revert to the last state, but this is definitely something good to think about and test. You could also consider plugging into a UPS, as some others have suggested.
I really like your approach to keeping it simple. In the list of required devices, you mentioned that it could be either an iPhone or iPad. Can a Wi-Fi-only iPad send an iMessage if there is no iPhone on the account? I'm thinking of an elderly person who may only have an iPad and HomeKit Hub using Apple TV and their home is managed as a second home under the kid's account
Great video!!! Can you share your logic on expanding this setup to account for when I'm going to be away for awhile, say like on a vacation? I want on build on this to include/remove other automations when I'm away for extended periods.
I'd probably just add a location condition somewhere. Maybe in the shortcut part say something like IF I am home. and the smart plug is off, send text message.
That’s a good idea. But what if you are out of your home on vacation let’s say? Or late at work? It will be helpful to improve the idea if there is no motion for 3 days. If you find a solution for this we will love to get it also. Thank you
You can configure the automation and customize it to fit your needs and setup. You could only run the text automation every few days instead of every day if you want.
I want help. I bought a set of aqara and connected it with the hub m2. I bought the door sensor, water and movement, all of them work, but the problem is that I do not receive notifications on my phone. Someone opened the door or there is a water leak. Thank you, brother.
I shall create this for my sons. There is a “fall detector” on the Apple Watch which is important to me with vertigo, especially seizure disorder and I live alone. I wonder if the short cut can activate the Apple Watch falling feature also.
Hi Joe. Yes the fall detection feature is great on the Apple Watch. This should be done automatically if a fall is ever detected by the Apple Watch. Here is what the Apple website says about the Apple Watch when a fall is detected: "If your Apple Watch detects that you're moving, it waits for you to respond to the alert and won't automatically call emergency services. If your watch detects that you've been immobile for about a minute, it will make the call automatically. After the call ends, your watch sends a message to your emergency contacts with your location letting them know that your watch detected a hard fall and dialed emergency services. Your watch gets your emergency contacts from your Medical ID. Some countries and regions have multiple emergency service numbers. For these countries, Apple Watch will call the number associated with ambulance services."
I recently did something “sorta” like this foe a friend who took her co-op into the realm of an actually 6/w store. In addition to all te=he regular motion sensors, locks, etc.. I set up 2 automations, one that alerts several employees if the power goes out, and another that alerts if the temperature in the freezer room get too warm.
@@ShaneCreates They have a (old, crappy) generator, and when it switches on, the freezers have a “dummy” outlet that controls a switch. If that switch turns on they (and I) get a message through IFTTT.
Perfect ! But still no way to create an active responsive personal automation pending a home trigger? Ie anytime there is no motion = then text me right away. Or anytime the dummy switch is turned on = text me right away. Wish they allowed this!!!
This is a pretty cool solution... I am still trying to find a way to get a text message to be automatically sent when someone rings my doorbell. The hassle that I'm experiencing is that I want the 'camera snapshot' that is generated to be included. One of these days I'll have enough time to figure it out. :) Thanks, as always, for the content!
This could be done without a motion sensor. Just have one or more buttons around the house which you could press to say "I'm still here, and still functioning". They could be electrical-outlet switches like you did here, or other kinds of switches or buttons. Maybe even have one close by your bed and couch so you won't have to exert much energy to press a button. Maybe also have an automation to flicker some lights on-and-off if you haven't pressed any button in of hours, to remind you that you'd want to press a button to avoid sending out an email. Back story: At one point I had some extensive surgery and then came home to recover. I was certainly in *no* mood for company, but realized the risk of being alone in that condition. So what I did was I had a friend who I'd send a short email to every few hours, and the deal was that if more than 10 hours went by without him getting an email, then he'd give me a call. If I didn't answer that then he'd stop my apartment. I'd always send an email just before going to sleep. So the above is basically the same idea as what I did after that surgery, except that it's using features of a smart home, and there is no need of thinking up some witty email to send every few hours!
I just wanted to try and come up with other ideas which might work better for some people who live with different circumstances. For instance, using a motion sensor might not work well for people who have multiple pets in their home. But the really valuable idea is the observation that we can use smart home automations for tasks like this. They can be simple ideas and yet very beneficial.
Hey Garance, thanks for sharing your idea and experience. I agree, coming up with other ideas for other use-cases is great. That's my goal with videos like these. Everyone's needs are different and hopefully videos like this help people come up with creative ideas that work for their situation. I like your idea. I might would suggest, instead of using a button specifically for this, to just use a light switch or a light bulb (that would get used every day) to trigger the smart plug automation. This way the person wouldn't have to remember to push the button. I could see having to remember to push a button specifically for this every day getting old and possibly forgetting. So I think it best to create something where the person doesn't need to stray from their typical, every day habits. Thanks for the ideas!
@@ShaneCreates - Taking advantage of a real-world switch (for lights or whatever) is a good option to think about, although your strategy works based on using automations to turn the switch off. I wouldn't want an automation to turn off a real light while I might be using it!
I live alone, and have a "help me" automation setup that I can trigger via a shortcut on my iphone quickbar, or via voice to my homepod mini. The automation first gives a 15 second delay (in case I triggered it accidentally which I sometimes do) and then will send a message to a set of contacts, as well as unlock my front door. In addition, it actually sends a link to my current GPS coordinates, in case I activate it while not at home. To do that I use the "Get Current Location" option, followed by "Get maps URL from" and pass it the CurrentLocation variable.
This is awesome but I’m running Amazon and my mom is running google, I understand your running on Apple HomeKit is there anyway you can do either a video for Amazon and google or a collaboration with someone else who does use them?
Shane, Awesome content. Since I started watching these videos I went and purchased Kasa home kit EP25P4 energy monitoring wi-fi plug. I wanted these for several reasons. 1. Entry into Home Kit. 2. Monitoring energy used to convert to solar later. 3. Learn automation as you’re videos have intrigued me. 4. Wanted to setup a text message like above except when the smart plug is not responding (No Power) at the receptacle. I lost a full beef one year from a Freezer breaker trip. Thought this might work. Does for smart plug off / on but not for not responding tried name but again nope. Any ideas ??? Don’t see Kasa in my actions for energy. Next venture probably Door Sensors or Garage openers as I seen the video. Keep up the good work.
Hey Kenneth, thanks for the kind words and support. Unfortunately you cannot automate based on an accessory going unresponsive. I have not used the Kasa smart plugs but maybe there is an option in the manufacturer’s app to send a push notification if the power consumption drops below a certain level? That’s not possible in homekit but maybe can be done in the manufacturer’s app.
Thanks Shane! I would like to create an automation to activate and deactivate my SMS based Alarm system. Is there a way to say “when the last person leave home->send an sms” and then “when a person that lives in my home arrives at home->send and sms” ??? I was not able to found a solution! Thanks
That is not possible natively because an automation using the location of multiple people must be ran on the homekit hub (home automation vs. personal automation). It is possible using some more advanced techniques with homebridge and other services, which we'll discuss on the channel soon. Stay tuned!
Hello Shane I’m wanting to know how can I set a automation or shortcut. To notify me wen a family member press Aqara mini switch button for my lights to flash red an send a alarm thru the aqua hub m1
The only way to automate an alarm through the Aqara hub is to set the automation in the Aqara app. If you are flashing homekit lights (non-Aqara) you can do that in the home app by creating an automation when the button is pressed then "convert to shortcut" and turn the light on and off through a series of wait and repeat actions.
PIR motion sensors will be better than pixel based motion sensors regarding things like leaves and trees in the wind (many camera motion sensors are pixel based). Pets is another story. I've heard of some Pet Immune motion sensors but I don't know how well they work. They might be ok at ignoring smaller animals. Some allow you to reduce sensitivity and things like that too.
hi shane , thanks for that it’s very apprecie but just one question if a movement is detected during the day you receveid a message only at 7PM correct? how we can receive a message during all the day ? i think it be better to be inform everytime in the entire day , what do you think ? thanks for all
Hey Franco, not exactly sure what you are asking. You can configure the automation to run whenever you want. You can have it run at 10am instead of 7pm if you want, or multiple times a day.
Hi Shane, I'm a French geek dad and I love following your videos, I'm more and more assiduous so keep it up :) I have a question, I installed the public beta version of IOS 16 and since Homekit does not recognize scenes with geolocation and I even have Siri that does not activate with my voice, it works only via the button ... My question: is it because of the beta version? Which version are you running for your tests? Is it better to switch back to iOS 15? Have a nice day, Morgan from France
Hi Morgan, thanks for watching and supporting the channel. I recommend NOT using developer betas unless you have a really good reason to. Most people should not use them, especially on your primary devices. At least wait until the public beta, or the official release. I will install betas sometimes on secondary devices for testing or content (never on my primary devices).
Fantastic video Shane. Do have a question about the motion sensor though. We have a total of 8 animals (6 cats and 2 dogs) that we share the house with. Is it possible to make the motion sensor less sensitive to minimize false "positives" due to cats being cats?
Hey Charles, thanks for watching. Yes, some motion sensors do have sensitivity adjustments (not all of them do). Alternatively, as some has discussed in the comments, you can use another device, like a homekit smart switch or smart light bulb (something that would normally get turned on every day), instead of the motion sensor. This way, when you turn on your light every day, it'll turn on that smart plug and therefor not send that text message. If you never turn on the light, it'll eventually send that text message. Just another way of doing it (possibly better if you have pets),
Such a great idea. I'd guess the most trafficked room would be the bathroom (for the motion sensor) - because they may not walk by the foyer but they GOTTA pee multiple times a day.
Nice video Shane! Just inspired me set up some new automations! How do different brands smart plugs compare? Do they all have the same relevant features that it shouldnt matter which smart plug I buy? Just buy the cheapest?
Thanks Timothy. Honestly, unless you care about power monitoring, it doesn't matter too much in terms of features, as long as they support HomeKit, or whatever platform you prefer. Some connect differently (wifi, thread, etc) which may or may not matter to you.
@@ShaneCreates I definitly care about power monitoring! haha. I like to see all the stats. Could you make a video comparing the different smart switches you have?
Good point for those with Aqara products. I wanted to create a solution that would work with ANY HomeKit products tho. With this, any homekit motion sensor would work.
I am just starting this sort of process. Mother in law lives on the same property as my wife and I but in a ‘Granny Flat’ I have Google Nest Mesh WIFI connecting her house and ours, with two eve cams to be able to see if she has fallen (wife and I are both shift workers) but I am trying to work out a method of her calling for help if something happens. I have the Google Nest Mesh wifi point that has Google Assistant and I have made a simple routine that if it hear’s her call “hey google help” it will tell her it is calling for help then sms my wife and I so that we can check the cameras and respond appropriately…Using this for the elderly is a fantastic idea but there is not much out there for this…I added her to our ‘Family Sharing’ so we can use ‘Find My’ but it has given her total access to all the items in our house (HomePod speakers Apple TV etc) this is confusing her as she can’t work out how to turn the phone speaker on when she makes a call as there is now to many choices that it confuses her……..
Well this was done in a testing environment for demonstration purposes at my home. But I would set this up at the person's house and configure everything to run on their phone and in their house. That's what I'm going to do for my grandfather.
Great video. How did you get personal requests in the home app to chose from???????? (The blue and orange options). I only see the typical HK options only. No options for personal requests/shortcuts.
Correct. Since it utilized a "personal" automation, it must run on the person's device in order to send that text message (that can't be done natively from a home automation).
Thanks Shane. I’ve been thinking about this sort of thing lately as I’m about to move alone to a new town where I don’t know anybody. Another thought for Kevin. There are products with fall detection, if that’s a concern. The Apple Watch has it, and I saw a ceiling light with it too. Not sure if that has made it to market yet. Apparently even wifi routers will be able to detect falls soon.
@@ShaneCreates it’s pretty amazing isn’t it. I’m not sure I can get one even though the security of it would be great alone on a homestead. But I have really bad luck with watches. Regular analog watches just die within a week or so of being on my wrist. I took the last one in to get the battery changed and the guy assured me the battery was fine and couldn’t see any reason for it not working. I just kill watches. When I decided to try a smart watch I tried a cheap one because I wasn’t sure if I’d kill it. Still don’t know because after 3 days I got welts on my wrist that took months to heal. I might buy a second hand Apple Watch at some point to see if it does the same thing, but that’s why I’ve been looking at other products too. The ceiling light is very clever but only really useful if you have one in every room which is likely to get very expensive. I wonder if any sensors can listen for a crash/bang noise of a fall. Alexa listens for glass breaking so surely it’s possible. Then maybe you could set up an automation so if a crash noise is heard, Siri asks if you are okay. If you don’t respond, or if you say no, she calls emergency services or a family member or neighbour. Ooh, maybe the Aqara vibration sensor would work. I do like your little automation too. I’ll be doing that after I move for sure.
Man! You are the reason i transformed to homekit over the past 2 years.i love my home now - full 100% homekit finally. Favorite brands must be Aqara and Meross as well as philips hue for my lights. I got rid of everything else except for circle doorbell and a couple of eufy cameras with aqara. I only have a question thats torturing me i cant make it happen. Any way to make native home automations run shortcuts? For example when my kid arrives home (using homekite arrive) would like my aqara hub in my studio room to play a ringtone.. any idea??!
Thanks for the support! I'm glad you are loving your HomeKit smart home setup too! Unfortunately, you cannot run personal shortcuts from HomeKit automations/triggers. The reason is that HomeKit Automations run on your HomeKit hub, personal automations run on your personal device (i.e. iPhone). So if you are running a shortcut utilizing the Aqara app, that shortcut is running on your iPhone and not the HomeKit hub. That's why we have such limited options when using Home automations/shortcuts.
@@ShaneCreates mmm, i kinda figured a workaround for now. I used homekit automation for when my kid arrives to turn on philips hue bulb in an unused srtorage room. I installed aqara motion/light detector in that unused room and set another automation in aqara for when it detects light to play ringtonew on my speakers. Its crazy but it works for now!!
Hey Shane, little twist for your video here (great video btw, not bashing on it) but do you think there’s a solution for people that would need this but have pets? Im just thinking if someone has a pet and something happens to them, the motion could still be detected by the pet walking around, making it seem like everything is still alright.
Use a light switch instead of motion detector. If a switch can't be replaced perhaps an automation with a smart bulb. "If smart bulb turns on then turn on smart plug". Just my guess.
Hey Tony, sure everyone may have different use cases. Hopefully videos like this can serve as a good starting place and spark some ideas. If you have pets, you may want to consider other ways to accomplish the same thing. Put a motion sensor in a very strategic place that maybe an animal would never be able to trigger. Or like @Mediiiicc suggested, use another device like a light bulb or something similar that would get used every day to trigger the smart plug. Just a few ideas.
Hello. everything can be done much easier. If you have an Agara motion sensor, then you can configure automation in the native Agara application. If there is no movement for a certain time up to 24 hours, then the app will send a message. It will be even more accurate if you buy a high-precision presence sensor Aqara RTCGQ13LM
Good point for those using Aqara. I wanted to create a general solution that would work for ANY HomeKit products. With this, it doesn't matter what motion sensor you use.
Lol; I have a shortcut that randomly generates a text using a list of adjectives to send my wife an “I ❤️ u” text. Completely insincere shhh don’t tell her, but in a pinch I can shoot her a text before she wakes up. Haha
Thanks Shane. I’ve had this same question for my 96 year-old mother who still lives alone. This is a good balance between cameras and maintaining her privacy. Exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you and the channel.
Hey Dave, I’m glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Shane, this is such a great video. I never thought that smart home tech could help to look after our loved ones. Appreciate you taking the time to do this video.
Thank you!
This is a great video and something I can see others needing. I really appreciate the very thorough explanation and step-by-step instructions that will make it super easy for others to do this.
One other option you could do is the following: I would create a scene to turn the smart plug off. Then in the 2nd automation, instead of doing the Nothing command, I would run the scene to turn the plug off. That way I would only have two automations, instead of three automations.
That is a great suggestion. Thanks Frederick!
Thank you. I have a friend that does not have any smart home accessories but is worried about this exact use case. I will help hi get some peace of mind using these concepts. This is one of the best vids I have seen on YourTube in a long time. I hope it will make him feel better about living alone.
Thank you for watching! 🙏🏻
Shane you’re an absolute legend. That could seriously save a life. Thank You 🙏.
Hey Darin. It seems that something has changed with HomeKit since this video was released and we no longer can access the power consumption from these types of smart plugs (via homekit or 3rd party apps). If. you only want a notification directly to your phone, you can use the Aqara app to configure a notification based on the plug's power consumption.
I think this is a very valuable topic for people to think about.
That was awesome Shane! I can potentially thousands of family member’s getting into the Smart Home scene by being able to utilize this type of setup to monitor their loved ones with confidence!
Thanks Greg!
Thanks Shane! I just set up the SOS Message automation. This is a great solution for those who live alone.
I really do appreciate all you do and share to help us. This is taking it to next level. Taking care of loved ones is what guided me to smart home technology and something so simple I never thought to do. Great work! Thank you.
Thanks James! I'm glad it was helpful.
50 iPhone 14s - wow that’s impressive. Sign me up!
Wow this is a great idea! Definitely can use this for my parents. This is what makes home automation worth it for sure. Thanks!
Nice video, Shane and creative use of smart plug as "dummy" switch. I use a lot of virtual switches so totally get it when it comes to you offering an alternative for those not wanting to learn how to use them. I live in a large retirement community and am always looking for tips like yours to help folks out. Great job!
Thanks Hugh!
This is really useful Shane. I was just presented with this concern for my mother in law who is 90 and lives alone.
I'm glad it was helpful!
This is such a good idea. Thanks for sharing Shane
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
This a very interesting topic. Way to think outside the box. Who knows maybe you’ll save a life with this one! Great stuff as always.
Thanks George!
Great video! And regarding Dummy Switches, I just found out that Starling Home Hubs can create them!
Thanks! I really like your tutorial style videos where you actually build actions.
Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
Wow you a super hero when it comes to smart homes and automations … I have learnt a lot from you … thanks ever so much for sharing
Thank you for the kind words. And thanks for watching!
Nice spin on what can be done with a smart home! I love technology! My wife hates it! 😂
Glad more creators are talking about this.
I created a group on Facebook called accessible smart homes for people with disabilities just for this reason.
That's great, thank you for that! I haven't been on Facebook in a long time. I need to get back on there probably for stuff like this.
@@ShaneCreates it will be extremely useful to have you in there, your knowledge of automation and programming especially 👍
You could get a smart hub with "security" (home, away, night) feature which I personally do not use such as the Aqara M1S or M2 hub and use the motion sensor to change the state of the security as a replacement of using a smart plug.
Excellent Shane! Great thoughts and an awesome set up for letting family know your condition!
Thanks Don!
This is such a great service, Shane. Thank you! Indeed, I look forward to a more advanced version of this video and set of actions.
Thanks for watching Dr. Cole!
Great video!! Will be sharing this video to my cousin to set up for his parents.
THANK YOU!! Shane and Kevin tor the much needed information. Ed
great video. I agree that this opens up a lot of ideas and this can be used in so many different scenarios. Great use of the smart plug as just a virtual switch. This is easier than trying to setup home bridge for a lot of people.
Wow... this is brilliant.
Great video! Perhaps it would be simpler to turn off the plug with the "otherwise" condition in the "if" statement to reset for the next day.
Yep, that is a great suggestion! Thanks!
One other thing I would do is plug the smart plug into a UPS. That way if a power failure occurs, the smart plug will keep working. In this instance, I would also put the Apple Home Hub on a UPS as well, for the same reason.
And the network gear …
Yes that’s a good suggestion. Thanks Frederick.
Amazing learning what automation can do. Great idea and video. Quick question, you can't do messages for home automation shortcuts? For example if smoke detector is triggered? Would have to do same logic.....home automation to trigger a plug, then personal automation to send message? But then again that will only run at a specific time and not real time?
There are a couple of flaws in that automation logic:
1. If a person leaves home for an extended period of time on purpose (staying at friends, going on vacation or a trip, etc.). You will have to know exact times of absence and switch off those automations manually, otherwise you will continue getting those messages.
2. If there’s a robot vacuum in the house, it will trigger the motion sensor so the messages won’t be sent even if the person actually needs help.
This should be used as a "starting place." Each individual should consider their needs and personal setup and tailor this to work for their setup. For example, my grandpa doesn't have a robot vacuum, so no issue there. You can add a location based condition to the automation if you need to, etc.
Wow! That's awesome!
Love your videos Shane!🔥
Thank you!! 🙏🏻
Hey Shane, great idea. I looked through the comments and didn't see anything. If there is a loss of power, and when the power turns back on, won't the smart plug turn to "ON"?
It probably depends on the smart plug. I think some can revert to the last state, but this is definitely something good to think about and test. You could also consider plugging into a UPS, as some others have suggested.
Great idea
This is a great automation.
Would it be feasible to only run the Personal Automation if the user is home?
Sure, you could simply add a location condition in the shortcut... IF I am at home.
I really like your approach to keeping it simple.
In the list of required devices, you mentioned that it could be either an iPhone or iPad. Can a Wi-Fi-only iPad send an iMessage if there is no iPhone on the account?
I'm thinking of an elderly person who may only have an iPad and HomeKit Hub using Apple TV and their home is managed as a second home under the kid's account
It should be able to as long as the iPad is on and connected to wifi (sends as iMessage)
Great video!!! Can you share your logic on expanding this setup to account for when I'm going to be away for awhile, say like on a vacation? I want on build on this to include/remove other automations when I'm away for extended periods.
I'd probably just add a location condition somewhere. Maybe in the shortcut part say something like IF I am home. and the smart plug is off, send text message.
That’s a good idea. But what if you are out of your home on vacation let’s say? Or late at work?
It will be helpful to improve the idea if there is no motion for 3 days.
If you find a solution for this we will love to get it also.
Thank you
You can configure the automation and customize it to fit your needs and setup. You could only run the text automation every few days instead of every day if you want.
I want help. I bought a set of aqara and connected it with the hub m2. I bought the door sensor, water and movement, all of them work, but the problem is that I do not receive notifications on my phone. Someone opened the door or there is a water leak. Thank you, brother.
Great idea Shane!
I shall create this for my sons. There is a “fall detector” on the Apple Watch which is important to me with vertigo, especially seizure disorder and I live alone. I wonder if the short cut can activate the Apple Watch falling feature also.
Hi Joe. Yes the fall detection feature is great on the Apple Watch. This should be done automatically if a fall is ever detected by the Apple Watch. Here is what the Apple website says about the Apple Watch when a fall is detected:
"If your Apple Watch detects that you're moving, it waits for you to respond to the alert and won't automatically call emergency services. If your watch detects that you've been immobile for about a minute, it will make the call automatically.
After the call ends, your watch sends a message to your emergency contacts with your location letting them know that your watch detected a hard fall and dialed emergency services. Your watch gets your emergency contacts from your Medical ID.
Some countries and regions have multiple emergency service numbers. For these countries, Apple Watch will call the number associated with ambulance services."
I recently did something “sorta” like this foe a friend who took her co-op into the realm of an actually 6/w store. In addition to all te=he regular motion sensors, locks, etc.. I set up 2 automations, one that alerts several employees if the power goes out, and another that alerts if the temperature in the freezer room get too warm.
Very nice, thanks for sharing! How are you setting up the automation to notify if the power goes out?
@@ShaneCreates They have a (old, crappy) generator, and when it switches on, the freezers have a “dummy” outlet that controls a switch. If that switch turns on they (and I) get a message through IFTTT.
Perfect !
But still no way to create an active responsive personal automation pending a home trigger?
Ie anytime there is no motion = then text me right away.
Or
anytime the dummy switch is turned on = text me right away.
Wish they allowed this!!!
No, still not possible natively. It can be done through Homebridge and some other means. Stay tuned as we'll discuss that on the channel soon!
This is a pretty cool solution...
I am still trying to find a way to get a text message to be automatically sent when someone rings my doorbell. The hassle that I'm experiencing is that I want the 'camera snapshot' that is generated to be included.
One of these days I'll have enough time to figure it out. :)
Thanks, as always, for the content!
I think I’ve got a good way to do the message part, but yea adding that snapshot is gonna be pretty difficult.
This could be done without a motion sensor. Just have one or more buttons around the house which you could press to say "I'm still here, and still functioning". They could be electrical-outlet switches like you did here, or other kinds of switches or buttons. Maybe even have one close by your bed and couch so you won't have to exert much energy to press a button. Maybe also have an automation to flicker some lights on-and-off if you haven't pressed any button in of hours, to remind you that you'd want to press a button to avoid sending out an email.
Back story: At one point I had some extensive surgery and then came home to recover. I was certainly in *no* mood for company, but realized the risk of being alone in that condition. So what I did was I had a friend who I'd send a short email to every few hours, and the deal was that if more than 10 hours went by without him getting an email, then he'd give me a call. If I didn't answer that then he'd stop my apartment. I'd always send an email just before going to sleep. So the above is basically the same idea as what I did after that surgery, except that it's using features of a smart home, and there is no need of thinking up some witty email to send every few hours!
I just wanted to try and come up with other ideas which might work better for some people who live with different circumstances. For instance, using a motion sensor might not work well for people who have multiple pets in their home. But the really valuable idea is the observation that we can use smart home automations for tasks like this. They can be simple ideas and yet very beneficial.
Hey Garance, thanks for sharing your idea and experience. I agree, coming up with other ideas for other use-cases is great. That's my goal with videos like these. Everyone's needs are different and hopefully videos like this help people come up with creative ideas that work for their situation.
I like your idea. I might would suggest, instead of using a button specifically for this, to just use a light switch or a light bulb (that would get used every day) to trigger the smart plug automation. This way the person wouldn't have to remember to push the button. I could see having to remember to push a button specifically for this every day getting old and possibly forgetting. So I think it best to create something where the person doesn't need to stray from their typical, every day habits.
Thanks for the ideas!
@@ShaneCreates - Taking advantage of a real-world switch (for lights or whatever) is a good option to think about, although your strategy works based on using automations to turn the switch off. I wouldn't want an automation to turn off a real light while I might be using it!
I live alone, and have a "help me" automation setup that I can trigger via a shortcut on my iphone quickbar, or via voice to my homepod mini. The automation first gives a 15 second delay (in case I triggered it accidentally which I sometimes do) and then will send a message to a set of contacts, as well as unlock my front door. In addition, it actually sends a link to my current GPS coordinates, in case I activate it while not at home. To do that I use the "Get Current Location" option, followed by "Get maps URL from" and pass it the CurrentLocation variable.
This is fantastic! Such a useful shortcut!
Thanks!
You're welcome! Thank you for the super thanks!
Is possible if alarm system triggered make call from mobile or send message?
This is awesome but I’m running Amazon and my mom is running google, I understand your running on Apple HomeKit is there anyway you can do either a video for Amazon and google or a collaboration with someone else who does use them?
So good.
Shane, Awesome content. Since I started watching these videos I went and purchased Kasa home kit EP25P4 energy monitoring wi-fi plug. I wanted these for several reasons. 1. Entry into Home Kit. 2. Monitoring energy used to convert to solar later. 3. Learn automation as you’re videos have intrigued me. 4. Wanted to setup a text message like above except when the smart plug is not responding (No Power) at the receptacle. I lost a full beef one year from a Freezer breaker trip. Thought this might work. Does for smart plug off / on but not for not responding tried name but again nope. Any ideas ??? Don’t see Kasa in my actions for energy. Next venture probably Door Sensors or Garage openers as I seen the video. Keep up the good work.
Hey Kenneth, thanks for the kind words and support. Unfortunately you cannot automate based on an accessory going unresponsive. I have not used the Kasa smart plugs but maybe there is an option in the manufacturer’s app to send a push notification if the power consumption drops below a certain level? That’s not possible in homekit but maybe can be done in the manufacturer’s app.
@@ShaneCreates I appreciate the reply
Thank you I will look at it.
Like I said new to this. Although I’ve done low voltage for years
Thanks Shane! I would like to create an automation to activate and deactivate my SMS based Alarm system. Is there a way to say “when the last person leave home->send an sms” and then “when a person that lives in my home arrives at home->send and sms” ??? I was not able to found a solution! Thanks
That is not possible natively because an automation using the location of multiple people must be ran on the homekit hub (home automation vs. personal automation). It is possible using some more advanced techniques with homebridge and other services, which we'll discuss on the channel soon. Stay tuned!
Hello Shane I’m wanting to know how can I set a automation or shortcut. To notify me wen a family member press Aqara mini switch button for my lights to flash red an send a alarm thru the aqua hub m1
The only way to automate an alarm through the Aqara hub is to set the automation in the Aqara app. If you are flashing homekit lights (non-Aqara) you can do that in the home app by creating an automation when the button is pressed then "convert to shortcut" and turn the light on and off through a series of wait and repeat actions.
Are there any motion detectors that will not be triggered by the movement of pets? Or shadows from leaves on trees blowing in the wind.
PIR motion sensors will be better than pixel based motion sensors regarding things like leaves and trees in the wind (many camera motion sensors are pixel based). Pets is another story. I've heard of some Pet Immune motion sensors but I don't know how well they work. They might be ok at ignoring smaller animals. Some allow you to reduce sensitivity and things like that too.
Awesome videos sorry I’m so late
Hi Shane. Great stuff. This should only work if someone is at home. Imagine that you go on vacations. Is there a away to say “only if I’m home”?
Thanks Filipe, yes you could also add a condition in there to only run when at home.
Hi Shane. It’s possible to have that condition on a personal automation?
hi shane , thanks for that it’s very apprecie but just one question if a movement is detected during the day you receveid a message only at 7PM correct? how we can receive a message during all the day ? i think it be better to be inform everytime in the entire day , what do you think ? thanks for all
Hey Franco, not exactly sure what you are asking. You can configure the automation to run whenever you want. You can have it run at 10am instead of 7pm if you want, or multiple times a day.
@@ShaneCreates
This is great! Nice job on this!
Thanks Michael!
Hi Shane,
I'm a French geek dad and I love following your videos, I'm more and more assiduous so keep it up :)
I have a question, I installed the public beta version of IOS 16 and since Homekit does not recognize scenes with geolocation and I even have Siri that does not activate with my voice, it works only via the button ...
My question: is it because of the beta version? Which version are you running for your tests? Is it better to switch back to iOS 15?
Have a nice day,
Morgan from France
Hi Morgan, thanks for watching and supporting the channel. I recommend NOT using developer betas unless you have a really good reason to. Most people should not use them, especially on your primary devices. At least wait until the public beta, or the official release.
I will install betas sometimes on secondary devices for testing or content (never on my primary devices).
Fantastic video Shane. Do have a question about the motion sensor though. We have a total of 8 animals (6 cats and 2 dogs) that we share the house with. Is it possible to make the motion sensor less sensitive to minimize false "positives" due to cats being cats?
Hey Charles, thanks for watching. Yes, some motion sensors do have sensitivity adjustments (not all of them do). Alternatively, as some has discussed in the comments, you can use another device, like a homekit smart switch or smart light bulb (something that would normally get turned on every day), instead of the motion sensor. This way, when you turn on your light every day, it'll turn on that smart plug and therefor not send that text message. If you never turn on the light, it'll eventually send that text message. Just another way of doing it (possibly better if you have pets),
Id recommend using a door sensor to the bathroom. Your bound to use the bathroom every morning when you wake up
Such a great idea. I'd guess the most trafficked room would be the bathroom (for the motion sensor) - because they may not walk by the foyer but they GOTTA pee multiple times a day.
Nice video Shane! Just inspired me set up some new automations! How do different brands smart plugs compare? Do they all have the same relevant features that it shouldnt matter which smart plug I buy? Just buy the cheapest?
Thanks Timothy. Honestly, unless you care about power monitoring, it doesn't matter too much in terms of features, as long as they support HomeKit, or whatever platform you prefer. Some connect differently (wifi, thread, etc) which may or may not matter to you.
@@ShaneCreates I definitly care about power monitoring! haha. I like to see all the stats. Could you make a video comparing the different smart switches you have?
This can be done in the aqara app with a few clicks? Even with the sending of a text?
Good point for those with Aqara products. I wanted to create a solution that would work with ANY HomeKit products tho. With this, any homekit motion sensor would work.
I am just starting this sort of process. Mother in law lives on the same property as my wife and I but in a ‘Granny Flat’ I have Google Nest Mesh WIFI connecting her house and ours, with two eve cams to be able to see if she has fallen (wife and I are both shift workers) but I am trying to work out a method of her calling for help if something happens. I have the Google Nest Mesh wifi point that has Google Assistant and I have made a simple routine that if it hear’s her call “hey google help” it will tell her it is calling for help then sms my wife and I so that we can check the cameras and respond appropriately…Using this for the elderly is a fantastic idea but there is not much out there for this…I added her to our ‘Family Sharing’ so we can use ‘Find My’ but it has given her total access to all the items in our house (HomePod speakers Apple TV etc) this is confusing her as she can’t work out how to turn the phone speaker on when she makes a call as there is now to many choices that it confuses her……..
Do you set this up as anther "home" on your iphone or set it up on their own iphone?
Well this was done in a testing environment for demonstration purposes at my home. But I would set this up at the person's house and configure everything to run on their phone and in their house. That's what I'm going to do for my grandfather.
Great video. How did you get personal requests in the home app to chose from???????? (The blue and orange options). I only see the typical HK options only. No options for personal requests/shortcuts.
It was Shortcuts app, not Home
Thanks for watching Roger. Those automations are setup in the Shortcuts app (Automations tab)
Does this automation only run on the specific IOS device - I assume it can’t run on just a HomePod mini if the iPhone is not at home ?
Correct. Since it utilized a "personal" automation, it must run on the person's device in order to send that text message (that can't be done natively from a home automation).
Thanks Shane. I’ve been thinking about this sort of thing lately as I’m about to move alone to a new town where I don’t know anybody. Another thought for Kevin. There are products with fall detection, if that’s a concern. The Apple Watch has it, and I saw a ceiling light with it too. Not sure if that has made it to market yet. Apparently even wifi routers will be able to detect falls soon.
Good point, thanks for sharing. We actually got Pappy an Apple Watch a couple of years ago for the same reason. 😃
@@ShaneCreates it’s pretty amazing isn’t it. I’m not sure I can get one even though the security of it would be great alone on a homestead. But I have really bad luck with watches. Regular analog watches just die within a week or so of being on my wrist. I took the last one in to get the battery changed and the guy assured me the battery was fine and couldn’t see any reason for it not working. I just kill watches. When I decided to try a smart watch I tried a cheap one because I wasn’t sure if I’d kill it. Still don’t know because after 3 days I got welts on my wrist that took months to heal. I might buy a second hand Apple Watch at some point to see if it does the same thing, but that’s why I’ve been looking at other products too. The ceiling light is very clever but only really useful if you have one in every room which is likely to get very expensive. I wonder if any sensors can listen for a crash/bang noise of a fall. Alexa listens for glass breaking so surely it’s possible. Then maybe you could set up an automation so if a crash noise is heard, Siri asks if you are okay. If you don’t respond, or if you say no, she calls emergency services or a family member or neighbour. Ooh, maybe the Aqara vibration sensor would work.
I do like your little automation too. I’ll be doing that after I move for sure.
Man! You are the reason i transformed to homekit over the past 2 years.i love my home now - full 100% homekit finally. Favorite brands must be Aqara and Meross as well as philips hue for my lights. I got rid of everything else except for circle doorbell and a couple of eufy cameras with aqara. I only have a question thats torturing me i cant make it happen. Any way to make native home automations run shortcuts? For example when my kid arrives home (using homekite arrive) would like my aqara hub in my studio room to play a ringtone.. any idea??!
Thanks for the support! I'm glad you are loving your HomeKit smart home setup too!
Unfortunately, you cannot run personal shortcuts from HomeKit automations/triggers. The reason is that HomeKit Automations run on your HomeKit hub, personal automations run on your personal device (i.e. iPhone). So if you are running a shortcut utilizing the Aqara app, that shortcut is running on your iPhone and not the HomeKit hub. That's why we have such limited options when using Home automations/shortcuts.
@@ShaneCreates mmm, i kinda figured a workaround for now. I used homekit automation for when my kid arrives to turn on philips hue bulb in an unused srtorage room. I installed aqara motion/light detector in that unused room and set another automation in aqara for when it detects light to play ringtonew on my speakers. Its crazy but it works for now!!
What about not triggering when away for vacation?
You can add a location condition to the personal automation... IF the smart plug is OFF, AND I am home, send text message.
@@ShaneCreates I couldn’t figure out how to do the AND statement?
Hey Shane, little twist for your video here (great video btw, not bashing on it) but do you think there’s a solution for people that would need this but have pets? Im just thinking if someone has a pet and something happens to them, the motion could still be detected by the pet walking around, making it seem like everything is still alright.
Use a light switch instead of motion detector. If a switch can't be replaced perhaps an automation with a smart bulb. "If smart bulb turns on then turn on smart plug". Just my guess.
Hey Tony, sure everyone may have different use cases. Hopefully videos like this can serve as a good starting place and spark some ideas.
If you have pets, you may want to consider other ways to accomplish the same thing. Put a motion sensor in a very strategic place that maybe an animal would never be able to trigger. Or like @Mediiiicc suggested, use another device like a light bulb or something similar that would get used every day to trigger the smart plug. Just a few ideas.
Drop the link to OF 😂
Hello. everything can be done much easier. If you have an Agara motion sensor, then you can configure automation in the native Agara application. If there is no movement for a certain time up to 24 hours, then the app will send a message. It will be even more accurate if you buy a high-precision presence sensor Aqara RTCGQ13LM
Good point for those using Aqara. I wanted to create a general solution that would work for ANY HomeKit products. With this, it doesn't matter what motion sensor you use.
great automations, please be a little bit more deliberate when choosing where to press, had to slow down to 75 % for us newbies/oldies, thanks.
Ok, thanks for the feedback.
this not working..
Lol; I have a shortcut that randomly generates a text using a list of adjectives to send my wife an “I ❤️ u” text. Completely insincere shhh don’t tell her, but in a pinch I can shoot her a text before she wakes up. Haha
😂😅 I love it!
LJ!!!! Lol
We were worried enough about my father-in-law that we got him an Apple Watch, which detects falls and alerts us, etc…
Sorry (not sorry) for being dark, but let's hope the motion sensor isn't picking up on their cats eating their owner.
If you have an animal this won’t work