The smart home theme from Xiaomi is not new for those who have been following the company for a long time, are not afraid to buy Chinese versions and sometimes suffer from flashing. This was the case until recently. Now Xiaomi is officially present in Russia and is preparing versions of its gadgets for our country.

We took an initial set of Xiaomi smart home sensors to test and tell you what interesting these technologies can give you and why it’s time for your home to become smart.

What are we talking about?

A set of security sensors Mi Smart Sensor Set officially costs 6990 rubles, and you can find it even cheaper on Yandex.Market. It includes:

• Sensor controller Mi. This is the first thing you should take to build a smart home network. Xiaomi itself calls it the “heart and brain” of the house.
• Wireless switch. In fact, a button that works from anywhere in the house and allows you to control the house.
• Motion sensor for windows and doors. Magnetic sensors that are glued to the door and window to monitor their position.
• Two motion sensors. Infrared sensors for motion detection.

We have taken such a set. The same Chinese version is installed in our studio, Xiaomi cameras are still connected to it.

How do they work?

All of the above devices are interconnected using ZigBee technology. Surprisingly, as soon as I plugged in the sensor controller, all the other gadgets were already connected to it.

If you suddenly do not know, a “smart home” is, in theory, a set of interconnected devices that synchronize with each other and perform certain actions that you specify.

The main controller can not only manage everything. It also has a speaker that allows you to play a siren, any of your music or an alert about arming the house. Since this is the Russian version, the commands during the first setup will also be in Russian, the voice is female. There is only one button to start the setup.

In addition, the controller has a backlight with support for 16 million colors, which allows it not only to accompany the melody by blinking, but also to work as a night light. The latter is turned on not automatically, but with a button, like setting the alarm.

The button is universal, it is a remote control and can be stored anywhere, the main thing is not to lose it. Work scenarios are also configured in the application.

With the latter, sensors, everything is clear, they do not carry any additional functions, except for the most important thing – interaction with other gadgets.

What can they do?

We come to the main question – functionality. I would describe the full range of possibilities, but I will be more down to earth and tell specifically about those that we have on the test.

This set allows you to protect your home from burglars. Put sensors on the window and door, add infrared sensors to track movements and press a button when you exit. That’s it, now when you open doors or move, an alarm will work and a notification will be sent to your phone. What’s next? We’ll have to run home urgently. And this is where the question of improvements arises.

But first, I will clarify that all interaction with devices takes place within the Mi Home application. Previously, it was not localized, now everything is ok, in Russian, you can use it, set up scripts.

Now for examples. Everything that I will tell you about is in the assortment of Xiaomi.

1. When the window is opened, the sensors transmit a signal and the air purifier automatically turns on.
2. The humidity sensor reads below normal and the humidifier automatically turns on.
3. When the temperature in the apartment has exceeded, for example, 26 degrees, the sensor turns on the air conditioner.
4. When the alarm is triggered, the security cameras are automatically turned on and the picture is transmitted online to your smartphone.
5. We came home, the lights in the room automatically turn on.

This is just what came to mind first. There are many options and it’s really impressive.

Conclusion

Smart home from Xiaomi is one of the most successful, and most importantly, affordable implementations. So far, not everything is officially sold in Russia, but no one forbids taking Chinese models. True, it will not be possible to connect them to the Russian versions of the devices, keep this in mind.

In May, Yandex announced the support by the Xiaomi smart home of the voice assistant Alice. This is another step towards convenience, as it will allow you to control your home with your voice without using your smartphone.

Therefore, if you still think that a smart home is a distant future, then I hasten to please you – this is the present, which you can try right now. Start with a basic kit, and then gradually expand it with what you really need.