How to Fix Inaccurate Person Detection on Your Merkury Camera
Smart person detection is a fantastic feature, designed to provide you with meaningful alerts while filtering out the "noise" of general motion. However, if your Merkury camera is constantly sending you notifications for pets, shadows, or swaying trees, it can quickly become more of an annoyance than a help.
Merkury cameras are typically managed through the Geeni smart home app. By diving into the settings and optimising your camera's placement, you can significantly improve the accuracy of its person detection and reduce unwanted alerts.
## 1. Adjust Motion Detection Sensitivity
The first and easiest step is to calibrate the sensitivity. A setting that is too high will cause the camera to react to the slightest movement, often misinterpreting it as a person.
- Navigate to Settings: Open the Geeni app, select your Merkury camera, and tap the settings icon (usually a gear or three dots).
- Find Detection Settings: Go into the "Detection" or "Motion Detection" menu.
- Lower the Sensitivity: You will likely see a slider for "Motion Sensitivity" set to High, Medium, or Low. If it's on High, change it to Medium. If it's already on Medium, try Low.
- Test the Changes: Allow some time to see if this change has reduced the number of false alerts. You want to find a balance where it ignores minor movements but still reliably detects people.
## 2. Configure a Motion Detection Zone
This is one of the most powerful tools for eliminating false alerts. A detection zone (or activity zone) lets you specify the exact area in the camera's field of view that it should monitor for motion.
- Access Zone Settings: Within the same "Detection" menu, look for an option called "Motion Detection Zone" or "Activity Area".
- Define Your Area: The app will show you the camera's live view with a grid overlay. You can select the grid squares corresponding to the area you care about, such as your front door, a driveway, or a garden path.
- Exclude Problem Areas: Crucially, you should deselect any areas that cause false triggers. This includes busy roads, bushes or trees that move in the wind, or areas with dramatic shadow changes throughout the day. By telling the camera to ignore these zones, you drastically cut down on irrelevant notifications.
## 3. Optimise Camera Placement and Environment
The physical position and environment of the camera play a huge role in the AI's ability to work correctly.
- Angle and Height: Position the camera so that it has a clear, unobstructed view of the area. An ideal height is 2-3 metres off the ground, angled slightly downwards. This provides a clear view of a person's entire body, making detection more reliable.
- Avoid Reflective Surfaces: Do not point the camera directly at a window or a shiny surface. Reflections can be misinterpreted as motion and trigger false alerts.
- Check for IR Reflection: At night, the camera's infrared (IR) lights can reflect off nearby surfaces (like a soffit, wall, or window), creating a bright spot that can interfere with motion detection. Ensure the camera's immediate foreground is clear.
- Clean the Lens: A smudge, cobweb, or piece of dirt on the lens can sometimes cause detection issues, especially at night when the IR lights are on. Wipe the lens with a soft, clean cloth.
## 4. Keep Your Firmware Updated
Manufacturers periodically release firmware updates for their cameras. These updates can include improvements to the person detection algorithms, making them more accurate. Always check within the Geeni app for any available firmware updates for your Merkury camera and install them.
By combining these software tweaks and physical adjustments, you can train your Merkury camera to be a much more accurate and reliable security tool.