Sonar Power Manager

[techidave]

I just discovered this cool piece of software while reading thewindowsclub blog.  it turns off your display on your laptop a few seconds after you leave it by using sonar. 

The Sonar Power Manager  uses a new user presence detection technique to shut off the computer display when you are not present.  The goal is to shut off the screen immediately after you leave, even if you just moved the mouse 10 seconds ago.

It uses a very simple type of sonar system to accomplish this: The Sonar Power Manger uses ultrasonics (sound above 20kHz in frequency and which humans cannot hear) on your computers regular sound system.

Source: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/make-windows-computer-sleep-when-you-move-away#more-9240#ixzz0ohcjmGZp

see the original website here

[techidave]

Well I tried it for a day or so.  It did shut the display off, but it worked too well.  It would shut it off even while I was working on the laptop.  So I uninstalled it.

Oh well, it just sounded like a cool utility.

[Deozaan]

Sounds interesting in theory but in practice... well as you've found out, YMMV.

[lanux128]

perhaps this is more like a proof-of-concept software that needs some tinkering yet.

[joby_toss]

My problem is that I use headphones 99% of the time spent on my laptop...I guess I'm out of luck with this one.
Regarding the "works to well" problem, isn't there some kind of sensitivity to adjust?

[techidave]

there probably is something to adjust. I just didn't take the time to look for it.  Besides after I used it for a bit, I decided it wasn't quite as cool as I originally thought. 

[Stoic Joker]

*Shrug* It comes with Source Code - So I'm guessing everything is adjustable.

I'm thinking of trying it on my desktop.

[Stoic Joker]

Well... Good News/Bad News:

Good News; It installed and ran fine on my Windos 7 x64 desktop

Bad News; It could not resolve a point where the monitors were to be shut off.

It all seemed to be working fine values all had values with nothing flatlined but couldn't quite get there. However (in fair-ness) my speakers are slightly behind the monitors so it could be distorting the sound reflection a bit ... Laptops that do not have the speakers in the front may have issues with this also. It's just a theory (and I'm not a "Sound Guy").

Bummer really, this is a great idea - I may play with it more later.

[Shades]

It does not sound so safe (no pun intended), especially when you replace persons quickly enough. But combined with the web cam that is in most laptops nowadays (for facial recognition) it could work.