Having almost 1000 SMOGGIE units deployed, makes this one of the best designs we came up with. It’s likely the max we could do in terms of IOT sensors with the existing technology, by optimising all aspects but with no compromise to data accuracy. This was rewarded last year in Paris, where uRADMonitor took two […]
The 5th SMOGGIE
When I designed the “uRADMonitor SMOGGIE”, I was trying to find a solution for the uniformity problem of the uRADMonitor network. The sensors were present mainly in developed areas, leaving in the dark various other places on Earth. The resulting map matched the Facebook Graphs or the Electric Lights viewed from Space. I think we […]
The 4th uRADMonitor SMOGGIE
From day one, uRADMonitor aimed to give people open, comparable and uniform environmental data across large areas. Some time with this project and it became evident that spreading the network uniformly across the world is going to be a challenge. This was mainly due to economic differences of the various countries in the world. Simply […]
uRADMonitor CITY
The “CITY” is our professional range Air Quality Monitor, released in 2020. It is equipped with the best: 1PPB resolution sensors for 4 gases built in (Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide), plenty of connectivity options for data upload including Ethernet, WIFI, GSM/GPRS, LoRaWAN (EU868, US915, IL915, AU915, AS923, IN865, etc), NB-IOT, LTE-M […]
Smoggie Firmware Update
Smoggie is the recent uRADMonitor product based on a versatile compact platform that can handle multiple sensors, making space for several Smoggie based products depending on what they measure. Currently the list includes the Smoggie-PM, the Smoggie-CO2 and the Smoggie-GAS for Particulate Matter (PM1/PM2.5/PM10), Carbon Dioxide and toxic Gases. They all share similar form-factor and […]
uRADMonitor SMOGGIE
The uRADMonitor network reached 1k units worldwide back in September 2018 during the ASIC conference in Oakland US. It was becoming clear that Air Quality monitoring is a major concern with various implementations happening thanks to recent advancements in sensors and IOT technologies. Our portfolio of products already covered multiple scenarios both in terms of […]
The 8th Model A3
8th iteration or HW108 actually means this is the eighth revision of the A3 being produced. It all started with HW100 back in 2016. Each new version brought important updates part of the normal product lifecycle. The latest one answers a tough question on the maintenance effort (both hardware and software). uRADMonitor A3 HW108 motherboard […]
Producing the uRADMonitor A3
The uRADMonitor A3 was first anounced two years ago. During all this time, the product has seen multiple iterations that continuosly improved the hardware. The high number of sensors and the robust design were appreciated among our users. The A3 spread at a fast pace, quickly becoming one of the uRADMonitor most successful designs. To […]
The First Wearable
After developing several hardware products and running two crowdfunding campaigns, some lessons were learned. I’d like to show you how these conclusions are driving the current development, in an effort of bringing the uRADMonitor solution even closer to its purpose. Community feedback getting into production is not new for uRADMonitor, and it was used in […]
KIT1 “Community Edition”
For some time now, the community helped improving the KIT1 design spawning many custom variants. This proves the utility of the KIT1 as an IOT device: a tiny little gadget, that can talk to the internet on itself, using little power, equipped with a multitude of sensors to sense the world around us. All these […]
The Devil is in the details
For some time now I’ve been swamped with work, among other things working to finalise one of the hardware products I designed, the uRADMonitor D. This is the very one that goes back to 2015, and had a very quick start with the prototype being ready in only a month. From BETA to the Final […]
uRADMonitor Model A3
uRADMonitor Model A3 is a fixed monitoring station designed to measure a total of 8 important parameters related to pollution and air quality, continuing the environmental monitoring direction that was introduced by the Model D. It was first announced in June 2016, initially being deployed in public transportation, marking our company’s first steps towards the […]
uRADMonitor Model D
uRADMonitor Model D is the first uRADMonitor unit designed to address air pollution. It features top quality sensors, being able to sense a total of 6 chemical and physical parameters. It is handheld portable detector, in a rugged compact form aluminium enclosure. The initial concept was announced May 2015, and by August 2015 a first […]
uRADMonitor Model A3 to map air pollution
We planned to extend the uRADMonitor network and go from Radiation monitoring to Air pollution and the first steps towards this goal included the uRADMonitor model D detector, capable of tracking multiple environmental parameters. As a continuation of this effort, we’re pleased to announce a new addition to the family of uRADMonitor detectors. Named A3, […]
Shipping the KIT1
Preparing to ship at once a large amount of units takes considerable time, mainly because each one needs to be carefully packed with all the accessories and also labeled correctly. Should the uRADMonitor network go for dynamic IDs, things would become a little easier on the logistics side, but for now, each shipping label must […]
Model KIT1 – Production Ready!
The uRADMonitor network started as a worldwide array of ionising radiation detectors, to deliver comparable radiation readings regardless of location. We’re now using the existing infrastructure to also include air quality measurements (the model D was a first step towards that). The first hardware detector we’ve built was the uRADMonitor model A, a fixed monitoring […]
First indieGogo funded unit went online
There are now three uRADMonitor units running in Poland. The last one went online this month, and even if it’s technically similar to the other two by being a model A unit, it is special because it’s the first indieGogo funded unit to go online, part of the first batch of perks delivered. Thanks to […]
Model D updates
Some of the remaining changes for uRADMonitor model D included finalising the firmware and identifying a few better alternatives for the LCD bezel. Should the indieGogo campaign reach it’s stretch goal, we’ll also see a GPS module added to this unit, and an internal antenna for a more compact design. But getting back to the […]
Pollution monitor meets 3d printing
The portable environmental monitor is finalist in both categories of the Hackaday Project, Best Product and the GrandPrize but the development doesn’t stop here. We’ve managed to put together a complex piece of equipment that also has an appealing design. One thing missing was a proper bezel to protect the LCD and to hide the […]
uRADMonitor KIT1.1
The uRADMonitor KIT1.1 is an Open Source Digital Radiation Dosimeter, that can be used both as a portable detector, but also as a monitoring station to upload readings to the uRADMonitor network. It relies on a Geiger tube to detect radiation. This can be build by anyone interested with minimum effort. Construction details are available […]
Model D – Production Ready!
The portable environmental monitor addresses pollution, the kind that we are unable to see but directly affects our health and can cause life threatening diseases. Airborne toxic chemicals, radioactive dust and radioactive radon are correlated with cases of pulmonary cancer, asthma and heart disease. Since our biological senses can do little to warn us of […]
Server upgrade / Site v4.0
The complexity of the uRADMonitor system stretches from a multitude of compact hardware detectors capable of sensing the invisible ionising radiation and air quality, to the big data software solutions that can handle the huge amounts of data in real time. With the network spreading at a fast pace, periodic upgrades on the server side […]
uRADMonitor Model D Beta
The uRADMonitor-D, also known as the Portable Environmental Monitor is a powerful handheld unit equipped with advanced sensors to detect and warn against hazardous airborne substances. Three Beta stage prototypes are currently in transit for the Hackaday Headquarters to be part of the Hackaday Prize 2015 competition. Fingers crossed, winning this would boost the uRADMonitor […]
Model D Radiation Sensor
The previous blog entry on the uRADMonitor D presented a few details on this new radiation detector, stating that it will be able to detect not only gamma radiation, but also beta and alpha (including radioactive radon sources). One problematic issue was sourcing the proper detector, one that was both sensitive and small to fit […]
uRADMonitor model D Concept
The uRADMonitor project started with a single network connected automated dosimeter, that quickly proved its usefulness and spawned into a global scale, full fledged monitoring network, covering all major continents. At the core of the entire infrastructure are the low power automated dosimeter units, at the moment of this article available as the uRADMonitor model […]
uRADMonitor KIT1
uRADMonitor KIT1 is the first open source DIY dosimeter KIT, that can be used to collect radiation measurements and push them to the uRADMonitor network. Similar to model B that is to be released later this year, the KIT1 is intended for those interested in building their own radiation devices and contribute to the uRADMonitor […]
Hard to solder
It’s been another day, full of…soldering. To cover the high demand, I’ve been hard at work producing more units for those interested in helping the network expand. Here’s more than 20 PCBs. Tubes will be added later, also the software, and the calibration tests. It’s a lot of work, but the neat results make it […]
Producing the uRADMonitor – New units available
In an effort of expanding the network even further, several new units have been prepared and are ready to ship. But, creating a device that will function perfectly in a distributed environment is not an easy task. Yet, from its relatively early start, uRADMonitor has already spread to all major continents and continues to grow. […]
Multiple new units joining the network
Some of you might have noticed the high number of units that recently appeared on the map around Timisoara. They are part of a new batch of units with some of them already in transit to locations all across the Globe. The units were tested and calibrated manually, to make sure they will function perfectly. […]
uRADMonitor Model A Video
With the approaching HackADay prize stage 3 competition, a new uRADMonitor Video has been added according to the competition’s rules. The uRADMonitor is a digital radiation dosimeter, enclosed in a rugged aluminium case. Designed to function as nodes, in a distributed network of radiation monitors,the uRADMonitor units are working together to achieve environmental radiation surveillance […]
Model A – Production Ready!
The uRADMonitor Project is a network of radiation detectors covering locations all over the Globe. The Model A is the first designed, it is an automated GM detector in a rugged aluminium housing which responds predominantly although not exclusively to gamma radiation. Count rate data is recorded and transmitted continuously via built in Ethernet adapter […]
Producing the uRADMonitor – the circuit boards
The first uRADMonitor units were built by hand as prototypes, a time consuming task involving a lot of attention that often led to results of only satisfactory quality. Very frequently it was the PCBs that simply weren’t good enough when made by hand: defects were frequent and repairing them was nearly impossible. Luckily the usual […]
The Geiger Tubes
The Geiger tube is a gaseous ionization detector that uses the Townsend avalanche phenomenon to produce an easily detectable electronic pulse from as little as a single ionising event due to a radiation particle. It is used for the detection of gamma radiation, X-Rays, and alpha and beta particles. It can also be adapted to […]
Producing the uRADMonitor – the rubber gaskets
As the uRADMonitor Model A is intended as a environmental radiation surveillance tool, that should be run outdoors, we’ve designed a rubber gasket for the aluminium enclosures, to make sure rain will not get in to damage the components. Now finally we saw the first components getting out of their factories and wanted to share […]
Producing the uRADMonitor – the aluminium enclosure
Moving from manually built prototypes to an industrial production line, is a huge step especially for a project in an incipient phase, like uRADMonitor. Yet, with strong determination, obstacles melt away, opening the path for the first civilian environmental surveillance network, available to everyone, at anytime, to offer real time data on radiation level trends […]
Building the uRADMonitor
It’s been a long road getting here, a road paved with constant innovation. And it’s a longer road ahead. The first uRADMonitor was a crude prototype, with jumping wires on a test board, it got its own PCB soon. The following models were a new design, more compact using the smaller SBM-20 and SI-29BG tubes, […]