Industry observers note that by monitoring signal interference, WiFi Motion can accurately detect and track people and objects in and through physical space. Comcast, the largest residential internet service provider in the US, is introducing a fresh capability called “WiFi Motion” that enables physical motion detection using nothing but Wi-Fi signals.
According to the latest update, now, the theory is being put into practice. The technology behind WiFi Motion is still relatively fresh—we reported on Wi-Fi body fingerprinting last year—and has thus far mostly been theory and proofs of concept.
As part of the ongoing story, all connected routers and other network devices can then use WiFi Motion together to monitor the home and protect against intruders. In the Xfinity app, users will be able to enable or disable the “Xfinity Shield” option, according to Comcast’s official disclosure.
In a fresh development, however, the disadvantage compared to conventional home surveillance systems is that WiFi Motion doesn’t provide a clear image of the environment. Users can’t take photos or record videos, so in the showcase of a break-in, it’s not possible to identify faces or other visual characteristics. The service is free for Comcast customers and doesn’t require any additional cameras or sensors.
Industry observers note that alongside Comcast, other firms like Linksy, Wiz, and Philips Hue have also launched similar services. However, the technology still needs time to develop in order to become more accurate and less prone to errors. Nevertheless, Wi-Fi-based surveillance is becoming increasingly attractive, especially among businesses.
As part of the ongoing story, techCrunch, for example, warns against using WiFi Motion in one’s own home without due care. In its terms and conditions, Comcast reserves the right to pass on data to third parties without informing users beforehand. This data could, for example, be used by governments for legal proceedings and more. Of course, there are privacy concerns, too.
In a fresh development, this article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.
The report highlights that after studying communication science, she went straight into a job at PCMagazin and Connect Living. Since then, she has been writing about everything to do with PCs and technology topics, and has been a permanent editor at our German sister site PC-WELT since May 2024. Laura is an enthusiastic gamer as well as a movie and TV fan.