How to Fix Inaccurate Yi Person Detection
Yi Home and Kami cameras offer intelligent person detection, a feature designed to reduce the number of false alerts you receive from your security camera. Instead of notifying you for every moving leaf or passing car, it should only alert you when a human is detected. However, when this feature behaves inaccurately—either by missing people entirely or by sending false alerts for non-human motion—it can be unreliable. This guide will help you troubleshoot and fine-tune the person detection on your Yi camera.
The accuracy of AI-powered features like person detection is not just about the software; it's heavily influenced by the camera's environment and settings. By optimising these factors, you can dramatically improve its performance.
Common Causes for Incorrect Person Detection
Let's look at why your camera might be struggling to distinguish people from other objects.
Sub-Optimal Camera Placement and Angle
If the camera is mounted too high, it will mostly see the tops of people's heads, which is not ideal for the AI algorithm. If it's too low, it might be easily triggered by pets. The camera needs a clear, unobstructed view of the human form, typically from a height of 7-10 feet and angled slightly downwards.
Incorrect Sensitivity Settings
Inside the Yi Home app, you can set the sensitivity for motion and person detection. If the sensitivity is set too high, the camera is more likely to misinterpret shadows, light changes, or swaying branches as a person. If it's set too low, it may fail to detect a person who is far away or only partially in view.
Challenging Environmental Conditions
- Lighting: Strong backlighting (e.g., pointing at the sun) can create silhouettes that are hard to analyse. Conversely, very low light can make it difficult to discern shapes.
- Complex Backgrounds: A busy background with lots of moving objects, like trees blowing in the wind or flags, can confuse the detection algorithm.
- Obstructions: The camera's view being partially blocked by a pillar, furniture, or even a dirty lens can lead to missed detections.
Outdated Firmware
Yi regularly releases firmware updates that include improvements to their AI detection algorithms. If your camera is running on old firmware, you are not benefiting from the latest enhancements and bug fixes.
Steps to Improve Person Detection Accuracy
Follow these steps to calibrate your camera for better results.
- Optimise Camera Placement: This is the most critical step. Position your camera where it has a clear view of the area you want to monitor. Avoid pointing it directly at sources of light or at areas with constant, irrelevant motion (like a busy street or rustling trees). Ensure the human shape will be clearly visible and not obscured.
- Adjust Sensitivity Levels: Go into your camera's settings in the Yi Home app. Select 'Smart Detection'. You will see a sensitivity setting (often Low, Medium, High). If you are getting false alerts, lower the sensitivity. If the camera is missing people, increase it. You may need to experiment to find the right balance for your specific environment.
- Define Activity Zones: A powerful tool to reduce false alerts is the 'Activity Zone'. This allows you to draw a specific area within the camera's view where you want it to look for people. By excluding areas with problematic motion (like a public pavement or your neighbour's garden), you can significantly improve accuracy.
- Update the Firmware: In the camera's settings, go to the 'Firmware' section. If an update is available, the app will prompt you to install it. Always keep your firmware up to date to ensure you have the best-performing detection algorithms.
- Clean the Camera Lens: A smudged or dirty lens can obscure the view and impact the AI's ability to analyse the scene correctly. Clean the lens gently with a soft, dry microfibre cloth.
- Reboot the Camera: If you've made changes to the settings and they don't seem to be taking effect, try rebooting the camera. You can usually do this through the app's settings or by briefly unplugging it from power.
By taking a methodical approach to camera placement, sensitivity settings, and firmware updates, you can transform your Yi camera's person detection from a source of frustration into a reliable and effective security tool.