This review is dedicated to the end-users (homeowners) as I present the tools (Smartphone app) and functionalities of the device for the average user and some basic features on the dashboard. Later on, I will review the same monitor for businesses where we will have the chance to see and analyze the more advanced tools which are present on the dashboard for all.
Airthinx IAQ is an Air Quality Monitor (AQM) that was built for experts with many communication protocols in order to ensure that users will be able to access air quality measurements from anywhere and air quality sensors that matter in the indoor environment.
Technical Specifications
PM1 / PM2.5 / PM10 Sensors (0~500 μg/m3)
CO2 Sensor (0~3000 ppm)
CH2O Sensor (0~1 mg/m3)
TVOC Sensor (1-10ppm of EtOH) (0-1ppm of Isobutylene)
Some of you have contacted me because you wanted to know my opinion on uHoo’s latest update. Since June 2020, uHoo has implemented a Virus Index which is a patent-pending technology that uses the power of air quality data to help you know how suitable your close environment is for a virus to survive and spread.
uHoo is an air quality monitor that features nine environmental and pollution sensors. If you want to learn more, read my review here.
(Scroll down for the Spanish version/Desplácese hacia abajo para la versión en español)
Two years ago I reviewed the BRISE C200 and I have been using it everyday but I had never thought before that the UV sterilization process will come so handy. It provides an extra layer of protection in a house or in small office especially during this covid-19 pandemic.
I don’t know about your experience during the lockdown, but mine was quite frustrating when I had to go out for grocery shopping and return home or even when I ventilate my house. A lot of things had been written about the SARS–CoV–2 virus, like that it could survive on clothes, on surfaces (keys, phones, money, etc) and that it can be an airborne pathogen.
Airborne means that a virus is transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes.Read More »
We all know that cars contribute a lot to air pollution in urban environments, like particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, among the most common. I see many fellow environmentalists who try to push cities towards a future without cars, but I think with the current means it is very difficult to win the battle.
The automotive industry spends millions on advertising, and they always target the emotional connection that forms between a driver and a car. They will never tell you that cars are important tools that will help you on your work or any other everyday tasks, but they will tell you that a car will offer you freedom as you will be able to escape away from your problems or it will make you a powerful human being and so on.
Take, for example, the first three ads I got as a result when I googled “Car ads”. Powerful subliminal messages to lure you into thinking that a car will make you a new person.
Just by Googling “Car ads”
When environmental scientists urge communities to leave cars behind they don’t actually do a great job of spreading the message around because they are not trained to do this kind of task. Allow me to elaborate on that. Atmospheric scientists are good at their job which is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere and its various inner-working physical processes. They are able to investigate cases and write papers base on actual facts and among experts, we are able to understand what they want to share but we miss the science of physiology, something that the automotive industry relies on for a century now.
Every day people are not going to read those papers and studies, and if they do, they aren’t going to understand a lot. By giving them the information in a form that they can understand, and without alarming them, we have more chances of making them understand the issue.
Conclusion
When carmakers launch new cars on the market, they are going to involve many more experts on how to make their product more appealing to the costumers, aka everyday people, as a result, we have to fight with the same tools and team up with marketing experts.
Examples of campaigns, we can deploy if we want more people to join the #CarFree movement. Feel free to share them!
(Scroll down for the Spanish version/Desplácese hacia abajo para la versión en español)
I am writing this article because I would like to help you understand the importance of the issue as the whole province and consequently my city Almeria doesn’t have an official air quality station with a sensor capable of measuring particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) in real-time.
What is Particulate Matter (PM)?
Particulate Matter (PM) are solids material (sometimes liquid too) that float in the air. Some PM is released directly from a specific source − combustion in Diesel engines − while others form in complicated chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Particles in the PM2.5 size range can travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Studies also suggest that long term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer, and heart disease. People with breathing and heart problems, children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5.
The Problem
In the province and city of Almeria, there are three Air Quality Stations that measure many pollutants one of which is PM2.5. Unfortunately, these sensors are outdated and the results we get are ONE daily average value which is basically useless in my opinion. Apart from that, we need to wait for a month to get the results back after filing a form. I guess the same thing applies to the 68 stations all around Andalucia in total.
Citizens need real-time data in order to take action and reduce their exposure to air pollution. They also need better tools and maps where they can visualise where pollution is in order to avoid harmful exposure. There are already many studies supporting the correlation between air pollution and COVID-19 cases.Read More »
Have you ever wondered how to use the RGB LED bulb you have purchased in a more productive way? Sure, you can control the lights via your phone but this is not “smart” plus if you manage your lights with your phone it may take longer to turn off and on a light fixture than just by hitting the switch.
The obvious is to set up a visual (light) indicator each time the air quality is poor in your house, for example, when PM2.5 is high, then the lights flash twice with orange colour. However, the ultimate way to give real value to a smart light bulb is when the combination of an AQ monitor and a light bulb can save your life in a real-life threatening situation. How?
Airthings is a pioneer company as they have developed an in-house sensor for Radon detection but their expertise doesn’t stop there. They have expanded their product-line with domestic and business solutions with one thing in mind, how to enhance indoor life.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have received countless messages from people all over the world who have found themselves stuck inside for a long time and asking me to help them improve their indoor environment. Domestic users but also businesses that want to go a step further and offer a more productive environment for their employees after the lockdown.
I have already reviewed the Airthings Wave Plus and today I would like to review how each product offers a solution inside the house.
The Wave Plus is equipped with a Temperature/Humidity, VOC, Radon, and more importantly a CO2 sensor which is the first sensors to have in mind when you think teenagers. Teens tend to spend a lot of time inside their room, listening to music, studying, doing homework, watching countless videos on TikTok and Youtube, and messaging with other teens at the same time via Instagram. Teens don’t worry about air quality but I bet you all have experienced the musty smell every time you open their room door. Part of the smell is a crazy high CO2 concentration combined with VOCs.Read More »
I love clean air and even when we are indoors the air we breathe comes from the outdoor environment, like streets, small neighborhoods, city superblocks, etc. There are high probabilities that you, the reader, live in a city and the air you breathe isn’t clean enough to support your healthy lifestyle.
Most cities in Europe, as far as I know, have two state reference stations (a background and an urban) for air quality monitoring. They are great, with highly accurate and expensive equipments inside. Unfortunately, most of the time they are old and outdated which limit their ability to engage people to look into the air quality problems we are facing.
My city hosts around 200,000 people and the one urban reference stations we have isn’t capable of measuring PM2.5, at least not as most people will expect. It registers ONE daily average PM2.5 measurement (and not always). Data are free but in order to get these daily measurements you need to file a form and wait a month as manually a lab examines the filters were PM2.5 particles are captured.
Of course this is a tedious way to report data in 2020 at least in my opinion, I understand the “accuracy” obsession that surrounds some scientists, they can keep doing that but also they need to report real-time data to citizens if they want them to change the way they think and behave. I mean, what can I do if I learn that the air was dirty a month ago?
Here comes a outdoor monitor like Clarity Node-S. In my opinion, cities have no excuse not to install such monitors around the city and allow citizens to see the air they breathe. Literally, it is so easy to pick a place in a city and install a monitor. Clarity takes advantage of the low-cost sensors and has developed a solution hard to resist.
A lot of people are still reaching me and asking me to advise them on which masks should they purchase as they want to protect from the COVID-19 disease without breaking the bank, as some of the masks out there are quite expensive.
1st Outer Layer: Water repellent fabric with Polygiene “ViralOff” treatment. This is certified to kill 99% of viruses (like hepatitus, Influenza, Corona) and other bacteria. It has been tested against Influenza A, BirdFlu, Norovirus and Corona (SARS) over the years, and in all cases, have achieved 99% levels of reduction. It is certified to the ISO18184:2019 standard, which makes it legit and it is not just a claim.
2nd Middle Layer: Non-woven fabric with dust and particles filtration. Non-woven fabric is used generally in masks and is proving to be effective at capturing respiratory droplets and filtering PM2.5 particles.
3rd Inner Layer: Soft, moisture-absorbing and breathable fabric treated with Silver Ion Polygiene. Again, the Polygiene treatment captures and breaks down unpleasant odours, and is certified antibacterial, meaning it can protect the user from bacteria and transmission of droplets.
Have you ever used an app that will help you relax? Well I have, one of them is Apple’s Breathe app that can be found in the Apple Watch since WatchOS 3. The idea behind the app is that a steady breathing technique will help you relax and hopefully reduce heart rate pulses. Great app but I think Apple or any other developer should combine Air Quality (AQ) data with their breathing/meditation app.
In a mockup that I designed based on Apple’s Breathe app (I chose Apple’s Breathe app for its simplicity and effectiveness), I placed the Air Quality Index (AQI) information inside the app and depending on the AQ at that period the user will be prompted to avoid breathing deeply when the AQ is unhealthy or to adjust the duration when the AQ is good and start. In case the AQ is unhealthy a reminder will notify the user to come back for a breathing session later when the air is healthy enough for deep breaths.Read More »
See The Air 