JAMESXDIGITAL

Arduino Air Quality Sensor

In an effort to contribute to the global awareness of air quality, I built an Air Quality Sensor equipped with a dashboard and mobile notification functionality. This project was powered by an Arduino ESP32 and utilized services like IFTTT, io.adafruit, along with multiple sensors, wires, and resistors.

The Why?

Air pollution is a critical issue, causing 7 million premature deaths annually worldwide. When inhaled, pollutants can enter the bloodstream and damage vital organs. Thus, the goal was to promote better air quality awareness through this project.

Design

The design incorporated the following components:

  1. Arduino ESP32: A low-power system with Wi-Fi & Bluetooth, perfect for IoT devices.
  2. MQ-135 Gas Sensor: Detects various gases based on resistance settings.
  3. GP2Y1010AU0F Dust Sensor: An optical sensor effective in detecting fine particles.
  4. DC-DC Boost Module: Converts a single Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery output to a stable 5V.
  5. Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery: A light yet powerful source with a 1200mAh capacity.
  6. Breadboard: A terminal array board for assembling the circuit without soldering.

Arduino Air Quality Sensor Raw Image

Technical Details

  • The gas sensor data is read from the A4 analog pin.
  • The dust sensor data is read from the A3 analog pin.
  • The DC-DC Boost Module ensures the sensors receive a stable 5V from the battery.

Schematics

Design schematics were vital for accurate assembly:

Arduino Air Quality Breadboard Arduino Air Quality Schematic

Capabilities

Internal Logic:

The device operates through a simple pseudocode:

  • Initialize and connect to Wi-Fi and io.adafruit via MQTT.
  • Read sensor data and publish to io.adafruit feeds.
  • Enter sleep mode for power efficiency.

External Integration:

Data from sensors are visualized on the io.adafruit dashboard and integrated with IFTTT for real-time notifications based on air quality readings.

IFTTT Integration
IFTTT Dust Sensor Notification IFTTT Gas Sensor Notification

Operation

Dashboard:

The io.adafruit dashboard showcases gas and dust data feeds, displayed as data flow, line graphs, and live gauges.

Dashboard Visualization

Notifications:

IFTTT applets send notifications to my phone when dust or gas readings exceed preset thresholds.

Dust Sensor Notification Gas Sensor Notification

Through this project, I aimed to provide a tool that raises awareness about air quality, empowering individuals to make informed decisions for healthier living environments.