How to Fix Inaccurate Person Detection on Your August Camera
August's smart cameras and doorbells are equipped with intelligent features like Person Detection, designed to provide you with more meaningful notifications. This technology is supposed to differentiate between people, animals, and other moving objects, ensuring you're only alerted to what matters. However, sometimes the system can get it wrong, leading to missed alerts or false alarms.
If you're finding that your August camera is struggling to correctly identify people, this troubleshooting guide will walk you through the common causes and solutions to improve its accuracy.
## Why Is My Person Detection Unreliable?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is powerful, but it's not perfect. Several factors can influence how accurately your camera's smart detection works.
Common causes for incorrect detection include:
- Poor Camera Placement: If the camera is too high, too low, or angled in a way that it only sees the top of a person's head or their legs, the algorithm may struggle to identify them.
- Challenging Lighting Conditions: Strong backlighting (e.g., the sun directly behind a person) can create a silhouette, making detection difficult. Similarly, deep shadows or low-light situations can obscure features.
- Obstructions: The person may be partially hidden behind a pillar, a large plant, or another object, preventing the camera from getting a clear view.
- Distance and Speed: A person who is very far away or moving very quickly through the frame may not be identified correctly.
- Outdated Firmware: August regularly releases software updates to improve the performance and accuracy of their detection algorithms. An outdated firmware can lead to poor performance.
- Dirty Lens: A smudged or dirty camera lens can distort the image, making it harder for the AI to analyse the scene accurately.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Improve Detection Accuracy
Let's work through the solutions to get your smart alerts working as they should.
### 1. Check Your In-App Settings
First, ensure that the feature is configured correctly in the August app.
- Open the August app and select the camera you want to adjust.
- Go to Camera Settings.
- Find the menu for Smart Alerts or Notification Settings.
- Confirm that Person Detection is toggled on.
- Check your notification preferences. You should have an option to receive notifications for "People Only". Make sure this is selected to filter out other types of motion.
### 2. Optimise Camera Placement
The physical position of your camera is one of the most critical factors for accurate detection.
- Height: Install your camera approximately 2-3 metres (7-10 feet) from the ground.
- Angle: Angle the camera slightly downwards. This provides a clear view of the person's entire body as they approach. Avoid top-down or sharp side-on angles.
- Field of View: Ensure there are no immediate obstructions like walls, pillars, or thick bushes blocking the main pathways you want to monitor.
### 3. Improve Lighting Conditions
Good lighting is essential for the AI to work effectively.
- Avoid Backlighting: Try not to point the camera directly at the rising or setting sun. If a porch light is causing lens flare at night, consider using a lower-wattage bulb or repositioning the camera.
- Add External Lighting: If an area is too dark at night for the camera's night vision to be effective, consider adding a motion-activated security light. This will illuminate the subject, making them much easier to identify.
### 4. Perform Essential Maintenance
- Clean the Lens: Regularly wipe the camera lens with a soft, microfibre cloth to remove any dust, smudges, or water spots.
- Update Firmware: In the August app, go to your device settings and check for any available firmware updates. Always install these updates as they often contain crucial performance improvements.
- Reboot the Camera: Sometimes, a simple reboot can resolve temporary glitches. You can usually do this by power cycling the device (unplugging it and plugging it back in).
By carefully reviewing your settings and optimising your camera's physical environment, you can significantly improve the accuracy of August's Person Detection and start receiving the smart, reliable alerts you expect.