Air Quality Sensor by studio LUFF

The Air Quality Sensor by studio LUFF is a beautiful home object that helps you discover how air quality is affecting your environment. Air is an invisible life support system that we mostly give for granted. With this sensor kit people will be able to monitor their indoor air quality, augmenting their senses to be able to perceive the quality of the air. We are using one of the most accurate sensors available, the Plantower PMS7003, our project is designed to reliably and precisely read the air quality of your home.

The air quality is displayed on the LED dial, reflected on the wall. The visualization is based on the respective level in the AQI scale (more below). The pattern on the sensor evokes the suspended particulate matter.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Simply tap the center button to see the current air quality level.

2. If the air reaches above 50 in the AQI scale, you are going to be notified by a subtle animation. You can tap to dismiss it.

3. We believe that the main insights are gathered over time, that is why the Air Quality Sensor comes with an onboard SD card slot to save historical data. 4. The Air Quality Sensor can be added to your WiFi network, and a web interface can be accessed via your local network; for your privacy there are no servers, the data is stored only locally.

AIR QUALITY

As we explored sensors and electronics we started to be immersed in the literature surrounding air quality and we realized how widespread and important air quality is. According to health and government agencies and many scientific papers, air pollution is linked to a number of symptoms like:

• Premature death in people with heart or lung disease
• Nonfatal heart attacks
• Irregular heartbeat
• Aggravated asthma
• Decreased lung function
• Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing

You can check on the EPA website to learn more. Air quality is a complex issue, and there are many parameters affecting it. The most notable ones are VOCs (volatile organic compounds), ozone, NOx (nitrogen oxides), but the most recognized one is particulate matter, where the suspension in the air of particles smaller than 2.5 microns can pass from our respiratory system into our bloodstream, causing the above-mentioned symptoms.

That is why we wanted to create a sensor that measures particulate matter. Online there are websites tracking particulate matter at city scale, but with our experience we learned how this is a hyper-localized problem, it can change block to block and even home to home; that is why the Air Quality Sensor is a tool that helps you understand the air you are actually breathing, and should be in every house.
The AQI scale is based on reading particulate matter, and it's color coded according to national guidelines. In the sensor we are always reporting the AQI scale accordion to United States standards but we are also always providing the raw reading of ppm2.5, ppm10.0 and ppm1.0.

MY JOURNEY WITH AIR QUALITY

My story with air pollution began when I moved to the west coast of the United States. As I learned more about the surrounding environment, I became increasingly interested in the problem of air pollution. As a designer and technologist, I approached the topic by purchasing air quality modules and positioning them in my living room. I started noticing how air quality was affecting headaches and sore throats.

The pivotal event that pushed me to create a sensor people could use beyond just my living room happened during the wildfires of 2020, when extremely unhealthy air levels made hunting for spaces with good air quality a necessity. This increased awareness made me more conscious about when to open windows or when to start an air purifier. That is why I started working to spread these insights and develop a sensor that can live in many more homes.

A BETTER APPROACH IN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

This project is inspired by the Six Principles for Sustainable Computing that I co-wrote with Zaza Zuilhof, who is an experience designer at Apple.

We believe that technology needs to be built and used with more intention, that is why the Air Quality Sensor is embracing principles like cultivate understanding, strive for longevity, minimize materials, and inspire tinkering.

Cultivate Understanding

By cultivate understanding, we mean making sure that people know where their data is stored and how it's used. In our case, data is stored only locally on the onboard SD card; you can easily take the SD card and put it in your laptop to check the stored data.

Strive for Longevity

We are using top-of-the-line microcontrollers that are going to be supported for a long time into the future and are easily updated if needed. The design is so simple that it allows you to easily swap a sensor module if it ever stops working down the line.

Minimize materials

Our aesthetic aims to create a simple and effective device, without requiring injection molding or other expensive casings. Less is more.

Inspire tinkering

The Air Quality Sensor by studio LUFF it invites tinkering and the software and hardware architecture invites customization of the code of the sensor since its open source and compatible with Arduino.

Made in Italy

The Air Quality Sensor is fully manufactured in Italy to ensure quality and fairness. Each unit is assembled with attention to detail, ensuring both reliability and aesthetic quality. The factory where the Air Quality Sensor is built is socially and environmentally sustainable.