Bitfinder, a San Francisco-based company, launched its innovative product Awair at the Code Conference on May 27.
Awair is an Internet-linked device that has the capability to examine house elements such as indoor humidity and temperature, carbon dioxide level, volatile organic compounds and fine dust. With the data on air quality, the product offers individual suggestions, taking into consideration the health, routine and lifestyle of the owner through the Awair smartphone app.
Ronald Ro, CEO of Bitfinder, stated the smart product can assist people in improving sleep habits, increasing one's productivity and managing one's allergies.
Ro installed the Awair product in the conference hall, and during the demonstration at the Code Conference, he provided a real-time score of the air quality, and the room rated a good 91 out of 100.
"This is the first smart product that lets you communicate with the air, and gives you the capability to fix it," Ro claimed.
Awair began as an Arduino circuit board with a homemade air quality sensor attached to a backpack for Ro to monitor the air quality and manage the eczema of his daughter. After recognizing that this information could also be helpful to others, Awair was built using a state-of-the-art calibration assembly room with sensors way better than his prototype had.
The Awair app (available for iOS and Android) provides options for tracking and analyzing air quality data in real time, while the device learns one's behavior patterns and then smartly recommends products to achieve that optimal air quality for one's location.
In addition, the owner can configure this smart home air quality-monitoring device to connect to other Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as humidifiers, purifiers and smart thermostats.
Bitfinder created Awair with an open backend connection, which can be used by other manufacturers to link the air sensor to other IoT devices to maximize its functions. For instance, if the air becomes too dry, a Nest smart thermostat would be activated to switch on the fan in a house. Awair also only consumes less than 0.05 kWh every month.
The Awair unit, which appears like a tabletop radio or portable speaker, costs $149 during the preorder period and will ship in the U.S. in early fall. The regular price of one unit is $199 and a package of two units costs $249.
