So I picked up a couple of Aqara vibration sensors on sale a few weeks back—wasn’t sure what I’d do with them beyond sticking one on the mailbox (classic move, right?). But wow, turns out these little guys are way more versatile than I thought.
Quick intro: I’m not super techy, just a curious smart home hobbyist who likes tinkering around. Ended up finding some fun (and surprisingly useful) ways to use the vibration sensor around the house. Sharing in case anyone’s looking for inspiration or other offbeat ideas:
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Laundry done alert – Tossed one on our old washing machine, paired it with a HomeKit automation to notify me when vibrations stop for more than 5 mins. No more forgotten laundry mid-Netflix binge.
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Drawer snooping detector – Placed one inside the drawer where we keep meds and sharp stuff. Got a notification the day my nephew tried a stealthy open—caught red-handed.
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Cat’s secret nap spot finder – Our cat has a habit of disappearing for hours. Stuck a sensor under one of the couch cushions, turns out that’s her royal napping throne… mystery solved.
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Fridge open too long? – Noticed my fridge door sometimes doesn’t fully seal. I set up a “vibration not detected within X minutes” alert to remind my distracted self to close it properly.
Would love to know if anyone else has gone beyond the usual “door tamper”/safe box kind of stuff. Any weird or genius tricks you’ve tried with these little guys?
Drop your hacks below