Simple Air Sensor
NOTE: The colored light displayed by this sensor is not related to the Air Quality Index (AQI) colors in any way.
This is an onboarding kit for study design around air sensing. It is also part of an effort to develop an open source project and community that functions similarly to #PurpleAir, so that, over time, people can transfer the expertise they've developed as #PurpleAir users regarding installation, organizing, communication, etc to an open source ecosystem. In this way, this kit offers an "offramp" from a corporately controlled, closed source project that lacks public forums for asking and answering questions, or for organizing around the data collected by people using the #PurpleAir.
Uses
- to see immediate qualitative differences in air quality at low cost; by displaying a realtime colored light readout, this kit supports explorations into how the particulate sensor used in the closed source #PurpleAir responds to varying air conditions
- to build familiarity with the electronic components used in air sensors without having to program
- to use in groups (with 3+ sensors) to plan out placement of a #purple-air or other more expensive sensor, for example with consideration for wind direction and spacing
Context
This project emerged from observations that while many people share an understanding of the importance of "right to know" laws and of the purpose that transparency serves in a society, here is much less awareness of the fragility of technology, and the (inadvertent) gate-keeping role of expertise that leaves people without a pathway to "knowing how they know." This project is part of a longterm effort to encourage a culture of empiricism.
More about what's in the Simple Air Sensor
This sensor circuit uses the same type of particle detector as the #PurpleAir sensor, but only one as compared to #PurpleAir's two; does not include a temperature, humidity and pressure sensor as the Purple Air does; and instead of logging either to the cloud or to the device itself, it displays a red/yellow/green light that illustrates the PM2.5 levels it detects without converting into an Air Quality Index (AQI).
This project is part of an ecosystem
Quite a few people have built simple open source, Arduino-based devices around the cheap #plantower particulate air sensor datasheet, see:
- @julieta's work on https://github.com/rlyehlab/eter (and blog post)
- @guolivar's work: https://github.com/guolivar and blog https://cona-nz.blogspot.com
- https://www.rigacci.org/wiki/doku.php/doc/appunti/hardware/raspberrypi_air
This is a version that is easy to assemble (no soldering, just push wires into a breadboard), and comes pre-programmed. We also offer it assembled and ready to plug in in the Public Lab Store.
Parts List
- 1 Arduino
- 1 RBG LED Light
- 1 Sensor with cable
- 1 Breadboard
Activities
Visualize data from a Simple Air Sensor using onboard serial hardware
Post by @bhamster 2 | almost 3 years ago
Add an activity or request an activity guide you don't see listed