How the IoT Can Help Monitor Air Quality in Cities and Industry

IoT device performs air quality data analytics to meet US EPA Air Quality and industry safety standards.

AQI kit dashboard shows real-time data and how it compares to environmental standards. (All images courtesy of SensorInsight.)

AQI kit dashboard shows real-time data and how it compares to environmental standards. (All images courtesy of SensorInsight.)

Internet of Things (IoT) software provider SensorInsight has just announced the release of its Air Quality Index (AQI) kit. This IoT device was made in conjunction with sensor company Libelium to help cities and industry report their air quality data.

The real-time data collected by the IoT AQI kit undergoes data analytics. These calculations ensure that air quality is in line with US EPA Air Quality and industry safety standards.

The crunched data can then be displayed on a dashboard where it can be compared to the Clean Air Act, EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and sustainable building standards. This dashboard and data can then be shared publicly or kept for private internal use.

The AQI kit is pre-configured with sensors that assess the presence of various pollutants, particles, greenhouse gasses and other air quality factors. Some of these factors include:

  • Carbon dioxide
  • Methane
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Nitrogen dioxide
  • Ground-level ozone
  • Sulfur dioxide
  • Particle matter
  • Temperature
  • Humidity
  • Air pressure
  • Luminosity
The RightSensor air quality hardware.

The RightSensor air quality hardware.

“We are pleased to introduce this new expansion of our SensorInsight IIoT [Industrial IoT} platform addressing the pressing need for efficient, real-time environmental air quality and control reporting,” said Joey Bernal, president of SensorInsight.

The SensorInsight AQI kit is example of how IoT-connected devices can improve data collection for engineering purposes.

Traditionally, air quality research equipment can be bulky and complicated. If each system collects data desperately, then engineers might have a significant challenge matching the data’s time stamps.

By implementing all of these tools into one system and collecting the data over the IoT, engineers should be able to ensure the data is collated properly. This can then be used to improve the air quality in a factor, city, school, hospital and labs.

What engineering IoT applications are you working on? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by

Shawn Wasserman

For over 10 years, Shawn Wasserman has informed, inspired and engaged the engineering community through online content. As a senior writer at WTWH media, he produces branded content to help engineers streamline their operations via new tools, technologies and software. While a senior editor at Engineering.com, Shawn wrote stories about CAE, simulation, PLM, CAD, IoT, AI and more. During his time as the blog manager at Ansys, Shawn produced content featuring stories, tips, tricks and interesting use cases for CAE technologies. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Guelph and an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.