Qwiic PIR Motion Sensor
Passive infrared motion detector with Qwiic connector. Detects movement up to 5 meters away across a wide field of view.
Say it to PAL
“Send me a notification when it sees someone move.”
The code PAL writes
p.onSensorChange('qwiic-pir', 'motion', (value) => {
if (value > 0) {
p.notify('Motion detected!');
}
});
await p.waitUntilStopped();“Turn the screen on when someone is in the room.”
The code PAL writes
let wakeUntil = 0;
let occupied = false;
p.setVariable('occupied', false);
p.onSensorChange('qwiic-pir', 'motion', (value) => {
if (value > 0) wakeUntil = Date.now() + 600000; // 10 min
});
p.every(1000, () => {
const now = Date.now() < wakeUntil;
if (now === occupied) return;
occupied = now;
// The screen's view reads variables.occupied and draws it: a script never draws a screen.
p.setVariable('occupied', occupied);
});
await p.waitUntilStopped();When to pick it
Detects people/pets in a room (passive infrared, up to 5m, wide field of view). Simple motion yes/no. Default for occupancy and security. Don't confuse with IMU sensors which detect the board itself moving.
Good to know
- Needs ~30 seconds after power-on to stabilize (PIR warm-up).
- Can't see through glass, walls, or solid objects.
- Sensitive to sudden temperature changes (opening a hot oven, sunlight moving across sensor) — may false-trigger.
- Best mounted at waist-to-chest height pointing ACROSS the area, not straight at a doorway.
- Does not work well outdoors in direct sunlight (infrared interference).
About it
A PIR (passive infrared) motion sensor that detects people, animals, and other warm objects moving within its field of view. Uses an ATtiny84 microcontroller to expose the PIR's digital output over I2C, providing debounced motion events and configurable debounce timing. Great for occupancy detection, security, and activity monitoring.
Where to buy
Facts
Tested
We connected it to a Raspberry Pi, read it over its real connection, checked that it gives accurate readings through Palpable, and signed it off.
I2C address
The Qwiic PIR Motion Sensor answers at I2C address 0x12. Its address can be changed in software.
Current
170 µA
The catalog lists a typical draw of 170 µA for the PIR, copied from the maker’s description and not measured by Palpable.
Board size
25.4 × 25.4 mm
The PIR board measures 25.4 × 25.4 mm and stands 12.5 mm tall with its parts. It has 2 mounting holes. These dimensions are from the maker’s mechanical drawing.
Chips
EKMC4607112K, ATtiny84
Its sensor is the Panasonic EKMC4607112K. Its microcontroller is the Microchip ATtiny84.
Free to reuse
Every fact here is open data under CC BY 4.0. Copy it into your own docs or code, and credit Palpable. Download it
This record was last changed on October 29, 2026.