Laboratory validation translates a sensor’s theoretical performance into reliable, repeatable results. For thermal occupancy and activity sensing, controlled testing helps quantify accuracy, sensitivity, environmental limits, and how anonymized outputs behave across scenarios. Rigorous lab data is essential for procurement teams, research projects, and educators who need reproducible, auditable results.
In our sensors lab and partner testbeds we focus on metrics that matter to researchers and operators alike:
- Occupancy detection accuracy across single and multi-person scenarios
- Detection latency and event timeliness for real-time analytics
- Spatial resolution and range for heat-map generation
- Sensitivity to environmental factors (temperature, airflow, humidity)
- False alarm rates in motionless/ambient conditions
- Privacy characteristics: anonymized heat signatures and absence of PII
- Durability under prolonged continuous operation
Each test is designed to isolate variables so results are repeatable and comparable across devices.
We combine chamber-based experiments, controlled real-world testbeds, and statistical analysis to evaluate sensor performance.
Controlled chamber testing
Chamber tests allow precise control of temperature, humidity, and thermal sources. Typical chamber protocols include:
- Calibrated thermal targets to represent human-scale heat sources
- Stepwise variation of ambient temperature and airflow to quantify drift
- Repeatable occupancy sequences (single person, groups, staggered entries) to measure detection and latency
- Long-duration soak tests to evaluate stability and noise characteristics
These methods make it possible to derive sensitivity curves, limit-of-detection, and standardized performance reports.
Real-world testbeds
Chambers are complemented by on-site deployments in representative environments:
- Offices and classrooms to test typical occupancy patterns
- Corridors and lobbies for transient detection performance
- Laboratories and clinical spaces to assess privacy requirements and compliance
Real-world testing validates chamber findings and assesses integration behavior with building systems and analytics platforms.