Smart Staircase Lighting with Bluetooth Control

Axioma turned to Lumission to provide lighting and control for the main staircase of a student residence in Belgium — a space that was extremely narrow and tall, constructed with reinforced concrete and stainless steel.

A setting where conventional wireless systems would fail, and where detection had to be precise in order to guarantee the safety of residents.

To integrate control directly into the luminaires — which also included emergency modules with very limited available space — Lumission selected compact wireless control devices from Hytronik and configured the entire installation using the Koolmesh app.

This combination enabled a smooth, section-by-section lighting system that works perfectly even in an environment that at first glance seemed totally incompatible with any wireless control solution.

THE CHALLENGE

A staircase that is extremely narrow and tall, spanning multiple floors.
Construction made of reinforced concrete and stainless steel, causing serious shielding that blocks wireless signals.
The need for a genuine “follow‑me” or sequential lighting system — no mass switch‑on.
Precise detection in a tight, metal‑clad space: no interference or false triggers due to metal reflections.
Control had to be integrated into luminaires already housing emergency modules, with very limited internal space.
Physical access to luminaires was difficult due to their height and awkward positions, complicating any manual configuration.

THE SOLUTION

1. Hytronik HCD038/BT Bluetooth control module — integrated within each luminaire.

To retain the original design and accommodate the small internal space (due to the emergency module), the team installed a compact Bluetooth control module.

Each luminaire became a node in a mesh network, ensuring stable communication even within the heavily reinforced environment of concrete and steel.

2. Hytronik SAM20 microwave sensor — optimised for tight, metallic spaces.

The initially used sensors triggered false detections because of reflections from the metal structure.

The SAM20 sensor, designed for narrow spaces, was selected — it detects only real movement within the intended stair segment, avoids unwanted triggers on other floors, and ensures a fluid, precise lighting sequence.

3. External antenna to strengthen communication where shielding was too severe.

In certain sections of the stairwell, the wireless signal was trapped between steel and concrete.

By adding an external antenna, the team extended communication reach and ensured the mesh network remained stable and continuous throughout the full height of the stairwell.

Simplified configuration thanks to Koolmesh’s dedicated staircase mode.

4. The entire setup was configured through the Koolmesh app.

A key advantage: Koolmesh offers a “staircase” scene, designed specifically for sequential lighting behaviour floor by floor.

All that was needed was to:

Order the luminaires according to their actual physical position,
Adjust sensor sensitivity, timings, and standby light levels,
And validate the final behaviour from a mobile device. This avoided working at height and greatly reduced installation time.

5. Easy maintenance via QR‑code network export.

Once configured, Koolmesh allowed the network to be exported via a QR code — giving the client an exact copy of the programming for future adjustments, without requiring technical intervention.

THE RESULTS

Stable wireless communication despite the heavily shielded environment.
Precise, section-by-section sequential lighting — with no mass switch‑on.
A network ready for future expansion without additional wiring or construction.
Smooth, natural lighting that guides users step by step.
Reliable operation with no false triggers.
Fast commissioning thanks to Koolmesh’s staircase mode.
Easy maintenance via QR code.
A solution fully aligned with Axioma’s requirements and the needs of the student residence.

Hytronik Products Integrated

SAM20 HF Lowbay | Daylight Harvest | RJ12 connector to control body

Side view of HCD038/BT Control body Bluetooth DALI with PSU Attachable sensor heads

HCD038/BT Bluetooth DALI Control unit | Built-in PSU | Attachable sensor heads

Have a lighting control project in mind?

Send us your plans.
We’ll help turn them into a lighting control solution ready to move forward.
Our team can help with the control strategy, product selection, annotated drawings and bill of materials — free of charge and with no obligation.

Get free project planning

PERFECT SEQUENTIAL LIGHTING WITH BLUETOOTH CONTROL IN A HIGHLY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT

Hytronik Products Integrated

Have a lighting control project in mind?