Whole slew of new sensors in the ceiling at work. Need help ID'ing

So we just moved into a new hospital and the ceilings are covered with sensors. Lets face it Im a bit paranoid and want to know what they are.

I was suspicious then had access to a storage area and saw the underpinnings. I think its camera but want to see if anybody has thoughts about it. The system is connected to a data cable Cat 5-6 and heads off to a router.

In most rooms its flush with the false ceiling, but this room did not have that and you could see them. There is one in every room.

a reply to: FredT


Without knowing where you work, I'll have to say that these are similar to the sensors that popped up a few years ago in the grocery stores to track customer movements. The data was used for designing floor plans and product placements for better visibility.

Depending on where you work, those sensors could be used for monitoring employee movements for better foot traffic layouts, monitoring employee activities for better time management, or they could be for something completely different. As I said it will just depend on where you work.

originally posted by: Guyfriday
Depending on where you work, those sensors could be used for monitoring employee movements for better foot traffic layouts, monitoring employee activities for better time management, or they could be for something completely different. As I said it will just depend on where you work.

Its a hopsital and they are in non patient care areas

Definitely look like CCTV cams.

Hard to find anything that resembles them. Light motion sensors come close.

a reply to: FredT


Then I would go with:

monitoring employee movements for better foot traffic layouts, monitoring employee activities for better time management

But now that I think about it, could they be an alarm system instead? The black dot kind of looks like an alarm speaker, but it could be a sensor I guess. You could ask a custodian if they know anything about it (they usually know more about a building than most building managers)

I worked in an office that had an official “walk pattern”. I kid you not..there was a memo and consequences for failure to adhere to this policy. Basically you could get in trouble if you took an unapproved route to the bathroom or the copier.

It kinds of looks like a monitoring system for employee movement and probably has video as well.

Could it be a smart light sensor? A few companies have wireless sensors but most have to be wired with cat 5 or phone wire.

a reply to: Metallicus


I knew somebody that used to make those charts for the IRS buildings. It's always cracked me up when they would complain about only having "ONE WAY" to get to and from the bathroom.

It's 2018 and we are discussing what new little sensors might be in any place where the public goes? Really?
Maybe benign. Really? I
f the are innocent, then best to assume that is why you can see them. Distracts the people from considering the real spy cameras that they CANNOT see.
I'ts 2018.

a reply to: FredT

Hit one with a 5mW green laser pointer. If they have to replace it, it's probably video.

a reply to: FredT

there is a app called google goggles that may help you figure it out. The app uses your camera, you take a picture of an object or or really anything and it then uses the power of google to try to figure out what it is. Though be warned that if those are CCTV hide the fact that you are take a picture of it.

a reply to: Metallicus

It sounds like you have worked at a place that held personal/secret knowledge of people or activities. Sounds kinda like where I work in big pharma. Though now I just handle misuse of info or product that could result in a PR issue.

Wireless receivers for cardiac monitors?

I had a heart attack in 2005 and the VA had wireless monitors that they put on me while i was in the cardiac care area. This allowed the person to get up and walk the halls and let the nurses watch the monitor for abnormalities.

a reply to: FredT

just ask

PS - hard to tell from pic quality - but the 2 sensor heads look different to me

ALWAYS assume they are cameras.
Seriously. In an age of "cyber security", almost everywhere you go, except inside your own house, you can/will be monitored. And even in your home, they can use mics/camera in your phone or TV to listen and track you.

My workplace had a lot of sensors that looked very similar to those and they were fire detectors all wired back to a central panel. They have a led that flashes about once every 30 seconds if all's ok, lighting up continuously if a fault or fire is detected. The central control panel (on the ground floor near the main entrance) dials the fire brigade automatically plus sounds the evacuation alarm and shows which sensor (floor & location) triggered the alarm.

Just a thought

originally posted by: FredT
So we just moved into a new hospital and the ceilings are covered with sensors. Lets face it Im a bit paranoid and want to know what they are.

I was suspicious then had access to a storage area and saw the underpinnings. I think its camera but want to see if anybody has thoughts about it. The system is connected to a data cable Cat 5-6 and heads off to a router.

In most rooms its flush with the false ceiling, but this room did not have that and you could see them. There is one in every room.

Looks like the RFID tags that security or other personnel have to tap their reader to in order to show they did their rounds. Nothing nefarious I don't think.

Their called guard tour patrol systems I believe.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Tap them on the ceiling?

Hmm no..

They’re infrared sensors to track staff and patient movements.

Similar to this I imagine..

hospitalnews.com...

Arasaka surveillance systems 35 mk ii.
They read any device which pass and can release nerve agent from the main command console.

It may be a sensor which will be connected to the lighting to save on energy costs.