I guess it depends on the type of implementation and what kind of multi-modal detections are used, but just for simplicity, since I mentioned LiDAR already, light and shadows have no effect on the Wyze Robot vacuum’s LiDAR. Same with Radar, because it is based on the returning signal from actual obstacles. Any mask (lighting/shadows, etc) won’t affect any of that.
Also, Wyze could try using something like a dual-lens camera to capture stereo images and estimate the depth of each pixel. Apparently a single-lens camera can do the same thing by using some deep learning algorithms to infer the depth from monocular images. I don’t know a lot about it, just that it is possible Maybe they’re looking into something like that. I’m of the understanding that this is a possible way to ignore light. But I’m assuming it would require more complex hardware.
I’ve also heard there is a technique called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) that would allow the camera to build a map of the environment and track it’s own position within it. This is usually used for things like robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, etc to navigate dynamic space, but it can also work for stationary cameras if they have a way to observe the changes in the environment. For example, just like a self-driving car uses SLAM when it is stopped at a crosswalk to monitor people walking across it while it is stationary, the same thing could be implemented in a security camera to have it monitor people or animals in 3D space crossing it’s various detection range/zones/perimeter and track them in the same way using a stereo vision SLAM system to estimate the depth of each pixel. They could create a similar SLAM system that also combines other sensors for a more comprehensive representation, especially if it is integrated with a suitable sensor configuration and algorithm to handle a moderately dynamic environment in a static position. It would certainly be a really interesting disrupter. The main question would be price and feasibility. It would certainly be a first though.
Not off-hand. I have read many articles over the last couple years, and asked questions to AI’s to understand more and get new links to more info as I had questions.
But today I was reading something similar that triggered the idea to me that was worth mentioning in here as something along the lines of things Wyze could do and the kind of “new” things they could do with cameras that would be cool to explore.
LiDAR or radar alone would be a disaster. It would be worse than pixel comparison for rain, snow, fog, dew, bugs and the source of some shadows (leaves, branches, etc.). Offboard IR would no longer be a mitigation at night.
We are still in Kirkland, but we downsized to a smaller office nearby to save cash since so many employees are now working remote. Also, to get away from the nonstop construction haha.
Got it! @WyzeDave, should stop by and say hi sometime again (live just north of downtown). Met your team at the beach back in spring of 2018 after you had moved south from Bothell and into 98033.
When ‘back home’ (Europe) a week in winter of 2022, stumbled into the son of one of my cousins (hadn’t seem him since he was a baby). I showed how I could keep an eye on the house while away. The young dude (well, he is in his early 20s…) looked at the Wyze logo and said: ‘David Crosby? He’s one of my favorites and I follow him on YouTube!’
What are the chances - this coming from the son of a cousin who was very ‘distanced’ [from society], very ‘anti-technology’, etc? It was very cool to see how the kid not only had developed a keen interest (and skills) but also how he had also influenced his dad (my cousin) to be much more engaged in today’s [modern] society. Maybe Wyze can claim a wee bit of credit for it
Here’s a goal for 2024: have your cameras work properly and/or the way they are advertised.
Your motion detection and alerts work less than 10% of the time, and 100% of the time they have captured nothing but an empty porch after we have entered/or left the field of view when testing. These would be great for any thief that will hang around and pose for the cameras. On the one image of our face (when it was supposed to record video – which it never seems to do) when we zoom in on our faces it was a pixelated blob, totally useless. What a waste of money. Thank God I can return them.
Hello? Did someone call my name? Guilty as charged.
Of course, that is not to say that I don’t provide Wyze criticism and feedback and disagree with them where warranted. I despite calling myself a “Wyze Fanboy” in the post, I recently openly criticized them and made a lot of suggestions toward changes too.
That was only one of the more recent public examples…I give Wyze lots of criticism and feedback. Maybe even more often than some of the “trolls” do…albeit in a respectful and constructive manner.
I think it is a disservice for anyone to be a blind “yes man” so to speak. Group think is more damaging than helpful. A True fan boy that is passionate or cares about a brand or any other group or thing will also make sure to provide constructive criticism and feedback to help said group/company/brand/person progress and improve. Blind loyal tribalism is not constructive.
I am passionate about Wyze and many of their adopted values, etc…but I think it is helpful for them to hear me give them honest feedback too. That doesn’t mean I have to be a jerk about it though. I can give criticism constructively and respectfully and I find it to be very effective when done properly. I find that in my experience, respectful, constructive criticism and feedback are more likely to be listened to than throwing an out of control troll-like tantrum…but being a passionate fan-boy doesn’t mean I don’t give them criticism and such when it is warranted.
But Fanboy? Yeah, I think most people agree that I qualify.
Well written Sir and I completely agree with your approach, particularly the bit I quoted below. My personal observation, since becoming a customer in 2019, is many extreme fanboys make excuses and do not hold WYZE accountable. For instance, the whole WPA3 support for v2 cameras that was announced July of 2021 in the release notes. You want to see a ton of excuses and little to no accountability, check out this thread: V2 WPA3 support - Does anyone have it working?
While so far I love the Floodlight Pro, Battery Cam Pro, and V3 Pro, switched out all my Ring equipment expect for my video doorbell 4. The Wyze options I tried for the door bell are just not on par in terms of FOV and the ring preroll feature. Hoping for a better doorbell from Wyze. Also maybe consider something like Rings subscription feature that includes a extended warranty feature.
If it’s FOV you care about, check out the Wyze video doorbell pro.
Wyze has started doing a short pre roll on some of their newer wired cameras, but not the battery ones. Using an SD card in wired cameras also helps catch anything pre-roll that a person might like to review when the SD card is set to continuous recording.
I had the Video Doorbell pro and returned it, was just not on par for me on my Ring Video Doorbell 4. All other ring products were replaced spotlights and floodlights , the Wyze Battery Cam Pro and Floodlight Pro I replaced them with were much better in every aspect than Ring. The doorbell not so much, So I will just hold out for another generation of doorbell products.
Nice, hopefully there will be a battery version. That is one other thing I like about the ring and the Wyze Cam battery pro is you can just pop out the battery and have another one charged and ready with no downtime instead of removing the whole unit to recharge.
You should probably contact support, but I mean, if you really want to waste the shipping costs to “give them away” to the office to just throw them away for you, their office address is on their contact page:
Just keep in mind that without an RMA label associating it with a specific Support call, you will not get a reply, you will not get a replacement, they will not get fixed and sent back. They’ll probably just get thrown away if you send them to the office. So, honestly there is no point in doing that, but technically you could waste the money to do so if you want. It wouldn’t have any point though. It wouldn’t get seen by any leadership. There probably wouldn’t be any data purposes.
If you are looking for a warranty claim or something, you can try to go through support instead.
Thanks for the suggestions. I have contacted support. They can not give me the new address in Seattle. The one one the landing page is an old address. Support is based in the Philippines. It costs money here to recycle electronics, about the same as shipping their “goods” back to them. This will also disprove that they refurbish what they get back.
Thanks
J
Really? I live in California. I have taken large Tub type TV sets, Flat Screen TVs’ and numerous old computers (minus the memory cards and hard drives) to the e- recycle places here and the only thing required is an address, name and signature for any type of TV or large monitor. Takes me less than 5 min to drop off sign and leave. $0.00
