Build Your Own Air Quality Sensor

Air pollution affects many people’s daily lives, not only those living near industrial centres. In Ireland, official air quality monitoring relies on a limited number of sensors, so local and short-term pollution sources can be missed. In this 90-minute, hands-on workshop, you’ll build your own particulate matter (PM2.5) air quality sensor using a kit of off-the-shelf parts, then connect it to the Internet so you can view and share the data.

Sensor.Community

Sensor.Community is an open, global citizen science network where people build low-cost sensors and share environmental data. Once your device is online, it can publish readings so you can track trends over time and compare data across different locations.

What You’ll Learn

During the workshop, you’ll assemble a working PM2.5 air quality sensor and get it online. We’ll cover the basics of IoT devices, local data collection, and how to publish readings to Sensor.Community. You’ll also learn what the numbers mean, what these sensors are good for, and where their limits are.

Materials

You’ll work with:
- ESP8266 board
- SDS011 particulate matter sensor (PM2.5 and PM10)
- BME280 sensor (temperature, humidity, air pressure)
- USB cable
- Jumper wires
- Plastic tube (air inlet)

Requirements

• A device with a web browser and WiFi, such as a phone or laptop
• All setup is browser-based, no software install needed
• No previous experience required, beginner-friendly

Materials Costs

It costs €60 for a kit to take home.

Instructions

Setup steps and links will be shared on the day.

Facilitator

Taught by Jeffrey Roe.

Buy a kit at the Hardware Hacking Area to guarantee a seat, or come by early. Please do arrive early, regardless.