A Retrofit Capacitive Sensing Occupancy Detector Using Fluorescent Lamps

This paper presents a retrofit system that exploits a fluorescent lamp's own stray electric fields for capacitive sensing. Occupancy detection for demand-side energy management is a key application. The experimental system demonstrates a detection range of 10 ft. between the lamp and the nearest edge of the occupant. A full system model is presented including the simulation of a lumped element capacitive model. The full system model is validated against experimental data.