Non Intrusive location detection

MoXi consists of three parts: MoXi positioning sensors, MoXi coordinators and the MoXi application. The positioning sensors are battery powered. They are placed on the walls (e,g, with industrial tape) of the house to be monitored with a maximum of one per wall, and they connect wirelessly to MoXi coordinators.

The coordinators control the sensors. Together they create a mesh network in the house that makes sure that all data is properly transmitted to a linux box, a computer or anything else where the MoXi application is running

The application analyses the data and determines where people are, their exact position (+-30cm), and act when a given event has happened (such as a person entering in a room) as instructed. The MoXi software will also facilitate the installation of MoXi as well as the integration of third-party software. It will run on OSX, Linux and Windows.

Connect anything to MoXi

MoXi is more than just positioning. It also implements a robust self-adapting 2.4Ghz mesh network that can be used by other sensors or similar devices. We will make available a small board (called the MoXi node) that can be used to connect any device to MoXi. In this way, we could connect CO2 sensors, garage door motors, Arduino devices or even a robot. All using or being controlled by MoXi positioning information.

More about the MoXi node

The MoXi node alone and mounted on a our Silicam prototype The MoXi node alone and mounted on a our Silicam prototype

You are probably asking yourself how to connect your devices to our network. It is rather simple, actually. You can use our MoXi node to plug it directly into a mikroBUS socket or to an Arduino via an Arduino UNO click shield. Now your device can be easily connected to our network. The MoXi node allows a very reliable communication among your devices, our system and/or computers by using only a serial port. Communication between devices is possible and it can happen via any route and device/pc connected to our network depending on the application.

Features:

3.3V @ ~30mA
802.15.4 Compliant (base of zigbee)
250kbps/625kbps data rates
1mW output (+0dBm)
100ft (~30m) range
FCC/CE certified
Trace Antenna

Back to the past. The beginning!


The functional prototype that proved it all (2011)!The functional prototype that proved it all (2011)!

MoXi has been an evolution passing several years of work in vision algorithms and sensor networks. In fact the name comes form a the Dutch expression "Ik zie het al" or "I see it all" ... if you google it, you will find several references to a few Xetal chip on which some of us actually worked. Somehow this is really our roots: then we were doing crazy stuff on network cameras, gesture recognition, face recognition, tracking, etc. This showed how we should not do it!

All changed in 2010, when new people brought fresh ideas and we started looking at cheaper ways than using fancy cameras and technology to do tracking. It was fun time. We would dress up as doctor and patient in order to make all sort of tests. Our sensors were not sexy, but ugly boards on wood planks attached to the walls and with wires hanging out. Check the video to see what I mean! From there on, all went rather fast (or better felt rather fast) leading to our first product with lot of work ... especially for its CE and FCC compliancy tests.

Setting up the system for EMC testSetting up the system for EMC testIt is amazing what EMC test needs apart from antennas!It is amazing what EMC test needs apart from antennas!The first positive EMC resultsThe first positive EMC results

Now we are here. Proposing the original technology extended to the full house. We keep working and progressing as I type. We will not stop till it is finished. A successful kickstarter would really make the difference for us. All of you backers could help us making sure MoXi will not be just how we think it should be. But how it should be. So thanks for supporting us and help spread the word about this project. Time flies!