AirNode

Air Quality Measurement

Monitor pollution, act on intelligence

We know what causes air pollution, but where does it go and where does it concentrate?
Effects from the weather and ‘the canyon effect’ from buildings in urban environments, leave some places with high levels and others, just a street or block away, with lower levels. Air pollution is hyper-local and ‘spikey’.

We need to be able to see and understand this, so that we can do something about it; at policy, operational and behavioural levels. It is also important to understand where air pollution levels are lower to promote and enjoy outdoor activities such as walking and cycling.

The AirNode is a low-cost, low-power, compact ambient air monitoring device. It is designed to work as part of a dense sensor network that provides high-precision air quality readings, in different environmental conditions, with little onsite support.

Winner of the Best Accuracy Award for outdoor PM2.5 at the 2021 Air Parif Microsensors Challenge

About AirNode

Developed in our Research Lab in Copenhagen, the AirNode is designed to meet the stringent requirements of the CEN /TC 264 “Air Quality Measurement” standard.

Highly accurate measurement of urban pollution

High-quality measurements of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, and O3 as well as temperature and humidity. Expansion options for carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and other pollutants are available.

Low-cost, dense network configuration

Low total cost of ownership plus high performance enables a dense network of sensors reporting in real time at neighbourhood and street level.

Real-time air quality intelligence

Use data with AirScape visualisation, or proprietary platforms via open APIs.

Wireless
connectivity

Compatible with a variety of wireless communication protocols including WiFi, GSM, NB‑IoT and LoRa.

Flexible mounting options

Designed to be conveniently mounted to street lighting columns, building facades and other street furniture at the optimal position of 2.5–3 meters above street level.

Long life, high performance

Combines best in class components and self-calibration mechanisms. State-of-health monitoring for long-term, low-maintenance operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The AirNode employs a best-in-class electrochemical (EC) sensor developed, manufactured and calibrated in the UK to measure ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The EC cell is integrated with our digital sensor electronics board that delivers improved signal-to-noise and stability compared to off-the-shelf digital individual sensor boards (dISBs). The detection limit for the EC + ALEC system at 1/min sampling frequency is 1 ppb for both NO2 and O3.

The AirNode measures total particulate mass in a specified size range (PM2.5 and PM10) with a precision of 10% using an actively sampled optical sensor.

For CO2 it is equipped with a non-dispersive infrared sensor with an accuracy of 3% of the measured value or +/- 30 ppm. In addition, the AirNode employs micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) for temperature and humidity, with an accuracy of 3%, providing local observational data and improved compensation for environmental variability.

Depending on local requirement, the standard AirNode can be fitted with additional electrochemical sensors, such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO).

The AirNode has a variable sampling frequency (from 1/minute to 1/hour) that can be adapted to environmental conditions and client needs.

The AirNode measures 220 mm x 105 mm x 67 mm including the shield that protects the sensor from the outdoor elements. The AirNode weighs less than 1kg.

Our comprehensive installation guide can be downloaded here.

The AirNode can be applied in many different settings. Some examples include:
Smart cities: air quality monitoring in cities and urban environments
Smart buildings: well-being in the workplace, at school, in hospitals, retail, restaurants and hotels
Public transport infrastructure: demonstrate healthy air for the travelling public
Geofencing: of ports, mines, construction and industrial sites

The AirNode network and sophisticated analysis algorithms of AirScape’s data platform capture, identify and report pollution hot spots, at a localised level. They provide comprehensive analysis and visualisation to enable deployment, management and optimisation of pollution lowering initiatives.

As a premium feature, the data will be available for export in different formats (CSV, XLS) within any specified time window.

An access token can be set up for API level data access, enabling the live measurements to be incorporated into other platforms.

The AirNode benefits from a comprehensive 2-year manufacturer warranty, applicable from the date of installation. To get support, please contact our Operations team here.

Our Solutions in Action