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, this is our forth product continues the radiation monitoring functionality, while adding powerful sensors to map the air quality.
Model A3 sensors
The A3 features a SI29BG (or other small size tube) radiation detector, a laser scattering Particulate matter sensor, an electrochemical formaldehyde sensor, a NDIR CO2 sensor and the BME680 from Bosch.
It is a fixed monitoring unit, and uses a little fan to force an active airflow. It can measure an impressive total of 8 environmental parameters:
– background Gamma Radiation
– PM1.0/2.5/10.0 particulate matter (0 .. 1000ug/m^3)
– formaldehyde (0..5ppm)
– CO2 (0..5000ppm)
– air temperature -40 .. +85C
– air humidity 0 .. 100% RH
– air quality / VOC 0..100mg/m^3 reducing gases and 0..10mg/m^3 oxidising gases
– barometric pressure 300 .. 1100hPa
The enclosure
Following the direction crystallised by the previous products, we’ve opted for a high quality rugged metallic enclosure made of anodised aluminium.
Optional end plates include wall mounting sockets.
The software
For this new model, we’re currently making changes to the way the information is being presented to the end user. The new measurements need more intuitive representation in regards to the air quality: a simple but informative dashboard, presenting an air quality index and the factors that can impact our health
The final product
The A3 has sensors for Gamma radiation, formaldehyde, CO2 (a NDIR sensor), the BME680 from Bosch for tVOC Air quality (+temperature, barometric pressure, air humidity), and a laser scattering sensor for PM2.5 particulate matter (a total of 8 important parameters being monitored). The A3 also comes in 4 variants, with the same sensor but offering different connectivity options: Ethernet, Wifi, GSM/GPRS (data sim must be provided by the user) and LoraWAN.
The data collected by these units will have a signifiant relevance to human health and will help us understand pollution factors in cities, busy streets, offices, production centres and homes, contributing to an improved quality of life.
Do you have archives of the data you’ve collected with our network? Do you provide access to raw data that can be used for research purposes? I am at a national lab and am looking for networks of radiation sensors that could help with nuclear non-proliferation.
Thanks,
Paul Keller, Ph.D.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
That should say your network not our network – Paul
Hello Paul,
Yes, full project data is available. I will follow up with you on email.
Can you please send me the Pinout and PCB layout for the BME680, we need it for a future Project but i cant get it from elsewhere 🙁
I can’t, I have these sensors under NDA, together will all related information.
I think the sensor is not on the free market at the moment.
We have a lot of BME680 sensors from Bosch, for our initial model D and model A3 production.
Following… I might be interested in getting one of these for another property in central Los Angeles. Any idea of pricing / expected availability?
Hi Jayson, great to hear from you again. 10 of these beauties have been produced and deployed already in public transportation, and we’re getting very interesting data. 10 more are about to be assembled next week, so a few might be available for sale. The first production batch is 100 units and that will also follow shortly. I’ll send you an email for more details.
Also forgot to ask, any chance A3 will have PoE built in?
The Ethernet module we’re using has a RJ-45 female connector that doesn’t expose the pins separately. Instead it connects them directly to the magnetics, ready for data, so we can’t make a POE adapter out of it. However what you can do is to use a passive POE adapter like this:
http://www.uradmonitor.com/powering-urad-monitors-via-poe/
or this:
On the DASHBOARD in the section , text should read
Last. besides meaning Immediately past … Also means Final / ‘meaning there shall be no more’ , therefore ‘
writing (Last) is an ambiguous and non-specific word in a Technical environment..
PAST on the other-hand has clear specific meaning and indicates A {NOUN}
ADJECTIVE : Earlier than the present time; no longer current
It is unfortunate that people write the incorrect labels of words in common low-level English that has no place in scientific and Technical application. Written by people who have poor to below average understanding of the English language.
text should read
text should read ” Past 5 Minutes ” and NOT ” Last 5 minutes “
I wasn’t expecting this, but thanks! 🙂
Feel free to pin-point any other similar issues if you see them. Those will get corrected.
And it’s not an issue of correct use of English, it is more an issue of time – that is used on the critical parts (eg. to make the system operational), leaving little resources for poetry and the beauty of language.
Just a question: Is the A3 available?
Yes, in limited quantity. 10 units have already been shipped and deployed in public transportation in Cluj-Napoca, as our first step towards the #smartcity sector.
I noticed, alas, just the other day that my unit went off line about two weeks ago. There as a power failure at the location and I forgot to reset it. I have noticed this before – that the router comes up slower than the unit does and when that happens the unit doesn’t seem to retry to connect to the network after a bit. At least that is my guess. When I realize the power went down I cycle the power on the unit and then it connects. This time I forgot to cycle it. I will do so when I return to the site in a few days.
The next time you change the website software maybe you could check anyone who has just gone over the 12/24 hour time span since the last time data was received and kick out an email mentioning they are no longer online.
Kurt, I just checked your unit http://www.uradmonitor.com/?open=110000CE and saw it uses firmware v113 . There was an issue in the DHCP loop that was fixed in newer releases. Your unit doesn’t reboot automatically because of the DHCP loop issue. I strongly recommend updating your firmware, see: http://www.uradmonitor.com/firmware-upgrade-guide/ . Also as said, there will be automated notifications in place soon.
Is this unit portable? Can it be used in the field, or does it need to be fixed to a specific location?
Hello Brendan, this was designed a fixed monitoring station, but:
– first 10 units where deployed in public transportation in Cluj Napoca, in buses, as those buses have Internet connectivity.
– A3 comes in 4 flavours, where the sensors are the same, but the connectivity is different: Ethernet, Wifi, GSM/GPRS and LoRaWAN.
As you can see it’s easy to use it as a mobile unit, the power consumption is below 200mA at 5V.
Can these post to aprs.fi as weather data ? Tnx, Ric
Yes, that can be done easily. Data can be accessed both via the server and its RESTful API, or directly via LAN, parsing the JSON. For local use see:
http://www.uradmonitor.com/weather-vs-radiation-readings/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/howto-upgrade-uradmonitor-graph-local-statistics/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/new-firmware-enables-rrdtool-graphing/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/include-uradmonitor-in-monitoring-software/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/setup-local-graphs-for-your-uradmonitor/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/uradmonitorx/
Having the data, you can then post it to aprs.fi easily.
Hey there, this looks awesome…im in germany Kassel. Are they available for us? What does it cost?
Yes, first 10 units have been produced, and we’re rolling out higher volume production by the end of this month.
Id like to order an A3 for Adelaide South Australia.
Perfect, I’ll send you the purchase details by email.
Radhoo, you should add also a carbon monoxide sensor. But it will make it expensiver. Solution is to create a modular design and range of sensors with the standat footprint in the future, so that everyone can choose desired sensors and replace them if it is necessary.
Goodluck!
I agree! Thanks
Sir!
Looks like a really, really nice unit. 🙂
I am a ex supporter of the smart citizen kit & I am really interested in this kit.
Could you pls send me cost & availability? Or is there a homepage where I can find out that by myself?
Also, the smart citizen kit’s big problem was the lack of standardization of measurement data.
How to you make sure that “3 degrees measured is 3 degrees”?
Thank you for your kind words! For the forth product the intention was to come up with a good product, hope to get the same feedback from its first users.
An initial lot of 100 units are being produced as we speak, with the first 10 being deployed in public transportation. Preordering the Ethernet units is possible, with delivery estimated for August. There will be a homepage with all these details soon, as I have been caught with the model D & A3 development.
For your last question we made sure to use sensors that use standard measurement units: degrees for temperature, pascals for pressure, RH for humidity, ppm for CO2 and formaldehyde, micrograms per cubic meter for PM2.5, and so on. If you meant calibration, in A3, expect for the radiation counter, we are using digital sensors with digital output, that have their own calibration certificate for each batch we ordered. To go even further, the nice Bosch BME680 that we are using, has a special memory zone with calibration parameters that were set in the factory, that we read and use with each measurement.
Hi
I live in a fairly busy street in Coventry UK and would be very interested in the A3 model. How much are they and when could one be purchased.
Thanks
Thanks Dek,
I just saw your other message and replied there, by mail.
Ok may thanks radhoo 😉
Hello, and greetings from Portugal… i live near a factory and some people are organizing an enviromental pressure group around. I would like to measure the quality of the air since the govermental sensor network does not always works or post the information it gathers. Anyway, is Model A3 sensors calibrated against a reference/benchmark upon assembly. Can we buy one ?
thanks in advance
Artur
Hello Artur, yes, a limited quantity is available for purchase, just sent you an email with the relevant details.
Hi,
great project and excellent work.
I am living in Germany and would like to buy one of the A3 models – so please send me prico g and purchasing information by email.
thanks and kind regards, Mike
Thanks Mike. I tried to , but apparently my message was returned. What is your correct address?
Any idea when these A3 sensors (specifically, Wi-Fi version) will be more widely available and the expected price?
Another individual here (in Brooklyn) interested in an A3 unit. I’d love details on purchase price and availability. Thanks for the great project!
Hello Radu,
I am interested in the A3 models ( considering the GSM/GPRS variant as most relevant for mobility) for deployment in UlaanBaatar, Mongolia. Can You please send me the purchasing info to my email please Thank You very much, Peter
Hi
Can we buy some to Denmark?