Workplace air quality.

A mobile fine dust measuring device designed to safeguard workers from dust exposure in industrial and craft workplaces

Due to the need to address the health risks associated with dust exposure, the idea for the Dustlight emerged. Its tri-color traffic light display and high-resolution screen provide real-time dust concentration levels, alerting workers to take appropriate protective measures. Robust and impact- resistant,  Dustlight is perfectly suited for harsh working conditions. Its single-button operation and language-neutral display make it incredibly user-friendly, ensuring that air quality is always within safe limits.

Dustlight is not just a device, it’s a commitment to ensure worker health and safety. With its specialized calibrations and intuitive app configurations, Dustlight can measure and clearly visualize dust concentrations, adhering to EU standards for PM10 and PM2.5, as well as workplace limits for inhalable and respirable dust in Germany. Whether for preventive measures or technical analysis, Dustlight provides a comprehensive solution for dust monitoring.

The Sensirion' SEN5x sensor series is the heart of Dustlight, ensuring accuracy and reliability with the patented Sheath-Flow Technology for superior lifetime of 10 years. Its internal protection mechanisms, such as the sheath flow and self-cleaning function, complement Dustlight’s patented pre-filtration systems. During extensive testing, the SEN5x demonstrated superior durability and consistent measurements, essential for maintaining high-quality standards in air quality monitoring.

Thanks to its modular approach, the SEN5x platform offers flexibility and customisation options. With just one integration, customers can serve different product levels, simplify the manufacturing process and development and implement customised solutions for specific needs. Whether fine dust measurements or various air quality parameters such as temperature, humidity, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides are required - the SEN5x covers it all.

Moreover, the following best in class specifications 0-100ug/m^3: +-(5ug+5%) instead of +- 10ug/m^3 are met and therefore the SEN5x is compliant with RESET® and WELL Building Standard™

Additionally, the SEN5x platform eliminates the difficulties commonly encountered in sensor integration and development as it includes all the necessary algorithms. This allows customers to focus on core competencies and develop user-friendly applications without having to worry about costly and time-consuming optimisations, reducing total cost of ownership and time to market.

For Dustlight the integration of Sensirion’s cutting-edge sensors through Glyn’s broad distribution network marks an important step. It embodies Dustlight’s dedication to delivering products that are not only of superior quality but also embody reliability and precision. Furthermore, the close collaboration between Dustlight, Glyn, and Sensirion provides optimal support through know-how, efficient processes and resource allocation.

"The partnership with Glyn and the use of Sensirion sensors enable us to offer our customers high- quality and reliable products. Together we are setting standards in air quality monitoring and guarantee the highest standards and efficiency." says Till Neumeier, Co-Founder & CEO Dustlight.

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@sensirion @SensirionCS #PAuto #Manufacturing #Safety

Switches for wet or dusty applications.

Omron Electronics Components Europe has announced two new fully sealed, miniature micro switches offering an exceptionally compact and flexible solution for applications exposed to water spray or high levels of dust. The D2GW and D2AW are ideal for vending machines, smart meters, EV charging stations, security systems, HVAC equipment, white goods and similar applications where space is at a premium.

The new Omron D2GW is fully sealed to IP67 and can operate in temperatures of up to 85°C. It is set apart by its exceptionally small size (8.3mm × 6.5mm × 5.3mm) and is potentially the smallest switch of its type in the industry. Omron is offering the D2GW in a wide variety of styles, with a choice of mounting structures, actuators and terminal specifications to maximise application flexibility. The options include press-fit terminals to enable solder-less PCB installation, as well as solder terminals, PCB terminals and moulded wire leads. The D2GW features a symmetrical shape with the push button located in the centre, allowing levers to be added in either direction.

Omron has also announced a new version of its standard basic switch, the D2AW, also sealed to IP67. This switch features compact dimensions (13.3mm × 7.0mm × 5.3mm) and high insulation resistance of 100MΩ. A version of the switch, known as the D2AW-R, features an integrated internal resistor allowing the detection of four states: on, off, open circuit and short circuit. The switches are available with solder terminals, spade terminals and moulded wire leads.

Both the D2AW and the D2GW feature a unique contact design to maximise performance. A sliding contact construction achieves quiet operation and high contact reliability, wiping away any dust or other impurities. Both also have double contacts, to improve reliability.

@OmronEurope @OmronAutomation @NeeshamPR #PAuto 

Flurry for noise and dust measurement!

Responding to a flurry of recent customer requests, Ashtead Technology has developed a remote monitoring solution for the continuous measurement of both noise and dust.

“These are two of the most important pollutants – especially at construction and demolition sites,” explains Senior Sales Manager Josh Thomas. “So it made sense to develop a single system that could accurately monitor both parameters simultaneously and deliver continuous data remotely. Our engineering team therefore developed a solution that combines the key advantages of two separate TSI technologies, and I am delighted to confirm that it is now available to all of our customers for rental or purchase.”

Dust and noise monitoring are required at sites where they present a potential hazard to site workers and the local community. Consequently, these monitors will be employed for health & safety purposes, in environmental investigations and in compliance with planning requirements stipulated in a site’s permit.

The TSI DustTrak & SoundPro remote dust and noise monitoring system is supplied in a weather-proof, lockable enclosure, complete with the EnviroNet software platform which enables users to access the data with any web-enabled device. This wireless, cloud-based management system provides secure access to data at any time from anywhere, and enables the configuration of text and email alerts when noise or dust levels meet user-set conditions.

The TSI DustTrak complies with the MCERTS performance standards for measuring PM2.5, PM10 and total PM across a broad range of 0 - 150mg/m3. The TSI Quest SoundPro offers class/type 2 noise monitoring with 1/3 Octave Band analysis.

The unit can be powered via mains, solar panels or leisure battery, making it suitable for indoor and outdoor monitoring requirements.

Summarising, Josh says: “This is a great example of Ashtead Technology responding to customer needs; utilising its experience and expertise to deliver a solution that will be ideal for a wide variety of applications.

“With this technology, our customers will be able to quickly and easily deploy the latest monitoring technology in almost any location, with immediate access to continuous data, which will reduce the requirement for site visits and save costs. However, the greatest benefit will be the confidence and assurance that the site is in compliance with noise and dust regulations.

@ashteadtech @_Enviro_News #Environment #Construction

Noise, vibration and dust monitoring from the cloud!

The well proven SvanNET cloud-based solution from Svantek,  now offers noise, vibration and dust monitoring with new 24/7 support functionality ideal for large infrastructure projects. The enhanced, all-in-one portal offers multi point internet connection with the company’s high performance instrumentation to provide alarming, reporting and management in a convenient central location.

It has been specially developed for use with the company’s advanced SV 258 PRO vibration and SV 307 noise monitoring stations, as well as its exciting new Met One ES-642 Remote Dust Monitor. It provides measurement status, alarms indication, power source including battery charge and external power information as well as GSM strength.

The new ES-642 remote dust monitor is an industrial air quality sensor designed to provide accurate measurements of particle concentration in both indoor and outdoor environments. Supplied in a rugged waterproof enclosure, it includes an LCD display to provide information about particulate concentration, flow rate, instrument status and power.

Svantek’s SvanNET enables web interface, access to data files in the instruments and status alarms for battery or memory. It sends out advanced alarms for noise, dust and vibration parameters which can be set for different times of the day rather than just during normal work hours. It means emails and SMS messages can be delivered to the correct person regardless of shift pattern.

Aidan Hubbard, Svantek’s Sales Director comments: “SvanNET is the central portal for all noise, vibration and dust monitoring data to be displayed and managed. Users are now looking for an easy to use all in one solution instead of running multiple portals for multiple instruments. They would much rather have a single portal and see everything in one place.

“In addition, a new support functionality enables users to easily get back up and help from a Svantek engineer on a 24/7 basis which is particularly ideal for large infrastructure projects.”

Sharing access with key people is made easy with Tokens. This feature does not require a password or username to enter but provides a website with live data streaming. Whilst the user is unable to make changes to the project, it is useful for making data more accessible.

Svantek’s IEC61672 class 1 SV 307 noise monitoring station now has the ability to alarm from vibration or tilt detection. This alerts users when it has been adjusted by strong winds or from attempted theft. It can also be alarmed from GPS movement although this is more appropriate for time synchronisation of multiple systems.

As an online solution, SvanNET does not require software installation and is accessible through a web browser or dedicated App for Android and IOS platforms. The responsive design enables use of SvanNET on various devices such as smartphones or tablets.

SvanNET allows usage of all types of SIM cards with the Svantek monitoring station modem regardless if they have public or private IP. Once a card is inserted into the instrument it automatically connects to SvanNET.

The web user interface is easy to use and intuitive to operate. The connectivity service offers management and gives full control of the monitoring system using any web browsing device like a mobile phone, tablet or PC.

The online preview template provides current results, time-history graphs as well as information on status of monitoring points. The preview website can be customised with logos and individual project names. The preview content can be configured in SvanNET interface that works as the Content Management System (CMS).

To ensure reliability and data security, SvanNET has been located on the Microsoft Azure™ cloud platform that works through the global network of Microsoft-managed data centres.

The SvanNET project is an optional feature designed to offer fully automated management of multi-point noise and vibration monitoring tasks. Tools such as Automatic Files Download, Data Storage, Advanced Alarms and Data Sharing for generating restricted access log ins to SvanNET enable unattended monitoring.

The functionality of SvanNET Projects allows grouping of monitoring stations so that alarms and reports are separately defined for each project. The data files are also grouped automatically in accordance with Project assignments.

@Svantek_UK   @elhcomms  #Pauto

Dust monitoring and alarm.

Following advice from the British Health & Safety Executive (HSE), a large manufacturer was required to monitor airborne particulates in and around its paint shop, and to automatically raise visual and audible alarms when potentially dangerous conditions arise. Ashtead Technology was contacted, and Jay Neermul, Environmental Sales Manager, visited the site to assess the requirements.

With remote communication and the ability to measure all of the key dust fractions simultaneously, Jay concluded that the most appropriate instruments would be the TSI DustTrak Environmental 8543 MCERTS Outdoor Dust & Aerosol Monitors (TSI DTE). “By continuously monitoring total PM, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1, these instruments provide a complete picture of the particulate levels that represent a threat to staff health,” he comments. “With MCERTS certification these monitors also have the proven levels of performance that are required to operate continuously and reliably.”

The TSI DTE instruments continuously monitor particulate levels and transmit data to a cloud-based system which can be accessed via PC or mobile APP. This provides an opportunity to view secure monitoring data 24/7 from any location, which means that staff will be able to correlate process conditions with aerosol levels so that opportunities for operational improvements can be identified. The system is also able to issue alarms via text or email, however, this application demanded visual and audible alarms so that staff can be evacuated immediately. The TSI DTE does not provide this function, so Ashtead’s engineers developed and trialled a solution that incorporates the advantages of the monitoring system with a bespoke audible and visual alarm capability.

The resulting monitoring system demonstrated full compliance with the site’s monitoring requirements, so three systems were ordered in July 2019 and delivered in the first week of August.

“This project exemplifies Ashtead’s ability to develop a monitoring solution that meets the precise needs of a client,” comments Jay Neermul. “Our website details the wide range of standard products that we stock, but a quick call to our technical staff allows customers to ensure that they buy or rent the best equipment for their specific application, even if that requires systems engineering on our part.”

#Environment #Safety #Britain @ashteadtech

IS dust monitor!

TSI’s latest personal aerosol monitor, the SidePak™ AM520i has been added to Ashtead Technology's fleet of instruments available for both rental and sale.

“This is a major addition to our equipment portfolio,” according to Senior Sales Manager Josh Thomas. “Many workplaces include areas that contain or produce explosive or potentially explosive atmospheres, and a high proportion of these zones contain risks associated with particulates. So, an intrinsically safe monitor is required to test these areas, and the launch of the TSI AM520i makes that possible with a lightweight instrument that is ideal for personal monitoring.”

Potentially explosive atmospheres exist in locations where work activities create or release flammable gases or vapours, such as petrochemicals, VOCs from paint spraying, or in workplaces handling fine organic dusts such as grain flour or wood. Applications for this new intrinsically safe personal dust monitor therefore include a wide variety of workplaces within the oil and gas, petrochemical, manufacturing, processing, aerospace, and bulk material handling sectors, as well as those with confined spaces such as mining and wastewater.

Employers are responsible for the classification into zones of areas where hazardous explosive atmospheres may occur. Each zone’s classification and its size and location, depend on the likelihood of an explosive atmosphere occurring and its persistence. Schedule 2 of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) contains descriptions of the various classifications of zones for gases and vapours and for dusts.

DSEAR requires employers to eliminate or control the risks from dangerous substances, so monitoring is essential in ATEX zones, and the AM520i is certified for dust measurements in Zone 0. ATEX is the name commonly applied to the two EU Directives for controlling explosive atmospheres; the 'ATEX Workplace Directive' and the ATEX Equipment Directive' which necessitates the use of intrinsically safe monitoring equipment for example.

The SidePak™ Personal Aerosol Monitor AM520i is a small, single-channel, battery-operated instrument that provides real-time aerosol mass concentration readings of dusts, fumes, mists, smoke and fog within a worker’s breathing zone. Typically, the monitor is fitted to the wearer’s belt, or left in a location of concern. Alternatively, it can be used as a portable monitor providing real-time readings in survey mode.

With a built-in pump and internal datalogger, the instrument can provide continuous measurements, which provide extremely useful temporal information in comparison with gravimetric methods.

Operators are able to select from a choice of inlet conditioners providing size fraction cut points for PM10, PM4 (Respirable), PM5 (China Respirable), PM2.5, PM1 and 0.8 μm Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM).

Summarising, Josh says: “The non-intrinsically safe version of this instrument has been hugely popular for many years, so the technology is well proven, and the launch of this new EX version will mean that anybody with a potential requirement for monitoring in explosive atmospheres, can rent or purchase an instrument that can operate in all areas.

“We are also a TSI Gold Partner, so customers can be assured that we have the resources to ensure that TSI equipment is supplied and maintained in perfect condition.”

@ashteadtech  #Safety, _Enviro_News

Hybrid combustion analysis.

Servomex has co-operated with Danish gas analysis company FLO₂R, which has created a unique measurement for combustion safety in high dust environments.

The innovative Hybrid 600 combines the benefits of in-situ and extractive gas analysis techniques into a unique gas analysis solution ideal for controlling potential dangerous conditions in applications such as cement production, power plants, waste incinerators and lime kilns.

Substituting a conventional extractive system with a laser-based hybrid bypass solution, Hybrid 600 uses Servomex’s SERVOTOUGH Laser 3 Plus Combustion analyzer as a key system component. Unlike extractive systems, which have response times of up to sixty seconds, require regular maintenance, and take up significant space, the Tunable Diode Laser (TDL) technology utilised by the Laser 3 Plus delivers a fast-response measurement, typically in less than five seconds, without the requirements of sampling system.

Operating in dust loads up to 200 g/m³, regardless of duct size, Hybrid 600 provides a system which eliminates many of the problems that face TDL analyzers in high dust environments. This includes an air knife to protect the optics from process gases, a protective optical barrier, and replacement of the dust-free process gas for analysis every three seconds.

Hybrid 600 is therefore able to all deliver the benefits of TDL analysis – speed, low maintenance, small footprint, lower project price, simple installation and operation – without losing the benefits of an extractive system.

Successful trials for the new system were conducted at Aalborg Portland Cement Plant in Denmark. A Hybrid 600 system was installed at the electro precipitator inlet, utilizing a SERVOTOUGH Laser 3 Plus Combustion analyzer as the control measurement for carbon monoxide (CO) levels. The unit operated at130°C, with a process-dependent dust load between 50 and 200 g/m³, with H2O at 30 Vol%.

The trials were highly successful, demonstrating the Hybrid 600’s capabilities in high dust load processes and verified the rapid response time. The efficiency of the air knife purging system in keeping the optics clean was also confirmed.

Karsten Brink Floor, MD FLO₂R with 

Servomex's Stephen Firth

FLO₂R Managing Director, Karsten Brink Floor said: “The fast response of the Laser 3 Plus makes it the ideal choice for our hybrid bypass solution.

“In addition to fast performance, the Laser 3 Plus is extremely compact, making it easy to fit into the overall system without significantly increasing the footprint. It also offers unique optics that minimize light loss in dusty conditions – essential to the successful performance of the Hybrid 600 system.”

Servomex Global Business Development Manager Stephen Firth said: “The trials at Aalborg proved the value of the Hybrid 600 system in high dust load environments. It also clearly demonstrated the performance benefits of using the Laser 3 Plus within that system.

“The Laser 3 Plus is designed for high particulate environments, and is easy to install and align. In addition, the analyzer is fitted with a line lock system to ensure it continues to measure the required gas accurately. This is crucial for safety system applications, such as detecting rapid CO build-up.

“Importantly, the Laser 3 Plus can also be optimized to measure both CO and methane, increasingly recognized as a key measurement for safety in combustion.”

Case study on avoiding dust explosions.

A new case study which describes a solution created by Michell Instruments to mitigate the risks caused by dust explosions in a sewage plant is now available to download.

Storing, transporting or mixing large quantities of dust creates a risk of explosion. Because the dust particles are small, they can easily ignite in the presence of oxygen and cause a potentially devastating explosion due to the sudden release of energy.

The case study examines how the specific needs of a European customer led to Michell designing an integrated monitoring system for a water treatment plant. The customer operated a plant where sewage sludge is dried with a combination of mechanical pressing and heated air. Both CO and O₂ have to be monitored in the silos where this process takes place to ensure the atmosphere is non-explosive.

Michell’s solution combined the XTP601 thermo-paramagnetic oxygen analyzer with a carbon monoxide analyzer in a single system for ease of use. Read the full case study here.

• Michell Instruments are marketed in Ireland by Instrument Technology.

@Michell_Inst #PAuto #Waste

Dust sensor!

Omron Electronic Components Europe is launching a new dust sensor module, offering four times greater sensitivity compared with other LED dust sensors on the market. The higher performance and greater sensitivity of the sensor will allow tighter pollution control as well as the creation of more effective air purifiers and similar systems.

Omron’s Dust Sensor is able to detect particles as small as 1 micron, less than half the size of the PM2.5 standard for fine particulate matter in the atmosphere. It also features a high air throughput, of around 6 times that of established alternatives, giving improved sensitivity of response to changes in the environment.

Commenting, Gabriele Fulco, European Product Marketing Manager Sensors, Omron said “Controlling air pollution including emissions from vehicles as well as cigarette and other smoke is a major concern for city authorities and building managers alike. It is only possible to control what can be detected, so Omron believes it is making a major contribution to the environment and public health by launching this new, highly sensitive dust sensor.”

The new Omron dust sensor is highly compact, sized just 50mm x 45mm x 20mm – giving it an overall size of 20% less than popular alternative solutions. The sensor is part of a growing range of Omron solutions for HVAC and other environmental systems. They include the D6F-PH MEMS pressure sensor and the velocity sensors D6F-V which incorporate a Dust segregation System (DSS). The design of all Omron sensors guarantees very sensitive and temperature compensated measurement of air for a precise HVAC control.

@OmronEurope #PAuto 

Web-enabled dust/particulate monitor.

Ashtead Technology has added the new TSI Environmental DUSTTRAK Aerosol Monitor to its fleet of environmental monitoring equipment. Available to rent or purchase, the Environmental DustTrak is an advanced, mains or battery powered instrument for the continuous monitoring of ambient particulates, with ‘cloud’ based connectivity.

“This new instrument will be ideal for a wide variety of applications in which ambient particulates are a concern; even in remote locations.” says Ashtead’s Josh Thomas. “It will provide environmental health officers, planning authorities, environmental consultants and construction companies with the ability to accurately monitor particulate levels before, during and after construction projects, and during traffic surveys for example. In these circumstances it would be appropriate to rent the EDTDRX model, which is able to measure PMTotal, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 mass fractions simultaneously.

“Organisations with a long-term requirement, for applications such as fenceline monitoring, mining operations, waste facilities and remediation sites, will be able to purchase a specific version of the instrument to monitor the mass fraction or fractions of interest.”

Air pollution from vehicle emissions is prominent in the media following the Volkswagen scandal and the British Government’s failure to meet EU air quality levels for particulates. So, as a small portable monitor, that is quick and easy to set up and run, the Environmental DustTrak will provide an opportunity to monitor particulate pollution in almost any location.

The Environmental DustTrak Photometer is housed in a weather-proof, lockable enclosure and utilises ‘cloud’ based connectivity, providing users with remote access via a website for viewing data and configuration. Custom text message and email alerts can also be configured for user-specified alarm levels.

“The Environmental DustTrak Monitor employs proven DustTrak technology that thousands of people use every day,” adds Josh. “However, now that affordable, ambient fine-particulate monitoring is available in a transportable, web-enabled instrument, the number applications for this instrument will be enormous.”

 @ashteadtech #Environment #PAuto

Dust & Air Quality workshop!

Ashtead Technology and TSI are to co-host a technical workshop on Dust and Air Quality Monitoring. The free-to-attend event will take place on Wednesday 27th January 2016 at TSI’s British headquarters in High Wycombe (GB).

Ashtead’s Josh Thomas says: “This is a training event, designed to provide anyone with a professional interest in air quality with an opportunity to learn about the latest monitoring technologies and to discuss their applications with industry experts.”

Starting at 9.45am and finishing at around 3pm, the day will be split into 4 sessions: Workplace Dust Monitoring; Environmental Dust Monitoring; a case study on the monitoring of particulate exposure by schoolchildren, and a Practical Workshop in which attendees will have the opportunity to operate some of the latest instruments.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided, but places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

REGISTER HERE

Dust & aerosol monitors!

Ashtead Technology’s comprehensive range of portable dust and aerosol monitors is now available in a variety of flexible rent or purchase schemes. 

“Our objective is to offer the best solution for every monitoring need,” says Regional Sales Manager, Josh Thomas. “Instrument choice is affected by a number of factors such as the application and the target measurement parameters. As an authorised TSI distributor, we can offer short and long-term rental options in addition to outright purchase, providing customers with a flexible solution to meet their requirements.”

The instruments can be used for a range of applications, including air sampling and dust monitoring where accuracy and reliability are key. For example, they are commonly employed for occupational hygiene surveys and for both indoor and outdoor air quality assessments. Certain instruments from the range are also used to monitor emissions from industrial processes, in research, and to conduct fit-testing for respirators.

Dust monitor! #PAuto

Key Features

1. High Performance and High Reliability

-Measurement range can be set through a one-touch operation in response to process conditions

-Automatic drift compensation

2. Excellent Maintainability

-Air purging prevents condensate from accumulating at connection points

-Maintenance-free over long periods without any effects from dust accumulation

3. Wide Range of Applications and Simple Operation

-Can be used in applications with process temperatures up to 250°C (482°F) and pressures up to 200 kPa (29 psi)

-Simple parameter setting via keys on the front panel

4. Flexible Installation

-Integrated construction of the sensor and converter for easy installation

-Flange or socket welded mounting options are available

Yokogawa has released their model DT450G dust monitor. The DT450G detects the qualitative level of dust or particulate matter by working off of the principle of inductive electrification. This probe provides a highly sensitive measurement and is capable of detecting particles as small as 0.3 µm.

Utilisation of inductive electrification allows for detection of not only particles which make contact with the probe, but particles which pass by the probe as well. The signal generated by these particles is processed by advanced noise filtering algorithms resulting in a highly accurate dust measurement.

It is the ideal instrument for trend monitoring on the outlet of filters or cyclones to gauge performance and for indicating the level of change for particulate emissions. Trend level changes can be used to adjust process settings such as electrostatic precipitator charge level or to help identify filtration problems such as bag filter breakage.

Particle trouble in Downing Street!

Not all particles are equal

Recently, the British Prime Minister’s car was covered by a thin layer of Saharan dust and air quality was suddenly a lead item in the national news. The dust itself does not pose a serious hazard to health in comparison with the finer particles (from diesel engines for example) that travel deep into the lungs, but Jim Mills, MD of Air Monitors, believes that the media attention that this event inspired should have a positive effect on the UK’s strategy for improving air quality: “This recent pollution episode demonstrates that people need to be able to see pollution before they become interested in it,” he says.

Dust on car at No 10 (Pic Guardian, Steve Back politicalpictures.co.uk)

Just a few days prior to the Saharan invasion, the World Health Organisation reported that ‘in 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk.’ This extraordinary and alarming statistic barely made the headlines, so why is that?

In the 1950s thick smogs meant that air pollution was highly visible to the public and politicians, whereas today, ‘out of sight and out of mind’ is an apt description of political attitude to air quality.

The problem with solving urban air quality problems is that death certificates never say ‘Died from air pollution’ so the statistics that show 29,000 premature British deaths (as a result of air pollution) pass largely unnoticed because the ‘cause of death’ is usually a heart attack, a stroke or some other cardiovascular ailment. The fact that this figure exceeds those for obesity, alcohol and road traffic accidents is largely ignored.

Jim believes that the problem needs to be made visible: “People need to know what the air quality is, but that information needs to useful – in other words, knowing that air pollution is bad in London today doesn’t really help. Londoners won’t decide to work in Sussex today as a result!

“Air quality data needs to be more spatially specific; people need to know which streets are particularly bad so that they can make decisions accordingly; such as choosing a route to work or selecting a school in an area with cleaner air.

“Greater detail and higher visibility of air quality data will also help to motivate politicians to implement measures to improve air quality.”

So, the answer is to find a way to improve the detail and visibility of data and Jim says this has been the focus of his company Air Monitors in recent years: “We have developed a bolt-on capability (AQWeb) for monitoring stations that utilises the latest communications technology and the ‘Cloud’ to make live data available via the Internet. In addition, working with the company Geotech, we have launched AQMesh, a revolutionary technology that dramatically reduces the cost and footprint of monitoring equipment so that air quality can be measured anywhere, and live data viewed at anytime from anywhere.”

In summary, it is unfortunate that media noise following the appearance of dust on the Prime Minister’s car raised concern about particles that were not the main culprit in the deaths that result from air pollution. However, it is encouraging that this event served to raise the profile of a critically important issue and that technology has been developed to provide air quality data that will be useful.

Dust monitoring

New particulate monitors will improve understanding of health effects

Globally, fine dust particles have been the focus of much greater attention in recent months as their role in deaths related to poor air quality becomes better understood. However, knowledge of the relationship between airborne particles and health effects is limited by the information that can be obtained by monitoring technologies.

Jim Mills, a particulate monitoring specialist from Air Monitors Ltd, believes that ambient dust monitoring technology has taken a major step forward with the development of a new Fine Dust Analysis System (FIDAS) which offers additional information on both particle size distribution from 0.18 – 30 microns and on particle number in each size range. It also provides continuous real-time simultaneous mass concentration measurements of TSP, PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. As such, Jim says “FIDAS will complement existing PM monitoring technology such as the TEOM FDMS, which is a standard method in many countries.”

The FIDAS instrument employs a white light LED light scatter method which will be particularly attractive to the managers of monitoring networks because it does not require consumables or mains power, and does not need to be housed in an air-conditioned housing.

Wireless lowest power consumption

WirelessHART & internet protocol wireless sensor networks achieve industry’s lowest power consumption at less than 50µA per Node

Linear Technology’s Dust Networks^® product group introduces the SmartMesh™ LTC5800 (system-on-chip) and LTP5900 (module) families, the industry’s lowest power IEEE 802.15.4E compliant wireless sensor networking products. SmartMesh ICs and modules enable tiny sensor “motes” to be designed with a battery life of over 10 years, while companion network manager components enable the development of highly robust and secure wireless sensor networks (WSN).

SmartMesh networks use a “triple-play” of wireless mesh technologies—time diversity, frequency diversity, and physical diversity—to assure reliability, resiliency, scalability, power source flexibility and ease-of-use. At the core of this technology is an intelligent mesh network with advanced algorithms and power saving technologies that enable powerful features unavailable from other WSN providers. These include deterministic power management and optimization, auto-forming and self-healing mesh technology, zero collision low power packet exchange and scalability to large, dense, deep networks.

Two communication standards are supported: the SmartMesh IP™ version is compliant with the 6LoWPAN standard, providing native IPv6 addressability to every node. The new SmartMesh WirelessHART IEC62591 compliant products double the battery life over the prior release.

The SmartMesh family consists of several products to simplify system development. The LTC5800 system-on-chip (SoC) includes robust sensor networking software in an easy-to-integrate 72-pin 10mm x 10mm QFN package. The LTC5800 integrates all radio circuitry components, including an onboard power amplifier and an ARM Cortex M3 32-bit microprocessor, requiring only power, ground and an antenna for robust wireless connectivity. The LTP5901/LTP5902 mote modules provide an easy-to-integrate surface-mount printed circuit board (PCB) that has undergone FCC, CE and IC modular radio certifications. The LTP5901 module includes an onboard chip antenna, while the LTP5902 module includes an MMCX antenna connector.

Joy Weiss, President of Linear Technology’s Dust Networks product group, stated, “Our primary goal is to enable our customers to confidently place sensors anywhere data needs to be gleaned. The advent of SmartMesh WirelessHART systems and the addition of IP-enabled wireless sensor networks reflect Linear Technology’s continued commitment to that goal.”

Bob Karschnia, Vice President, Wireless for Emerson Process Management, and business leader of its SmartWireless product line, stated, “Dust Networks is unique in its intense focus on simultaneously delivering ultralow power and extremely reliable wireless networks. We have over 1 billion hours of successful operation of Emerson’s SmartWireless instruments in the field, utilizing Dust Networks’ SmartMesh WirelessHART components. We are very excited about the promise of the LTC5800, providing twice the battery life and enabling new applications within the industrial process market.”

Mark Housley, CEO of Vigilent, stated, “The data center environment is extremely harsh to RF, and our customers demand that our energy management and data center analytics systems are deployed with minimum disruption to the data center. Dust Networks-based wireless sensors help ensure that Vigilent technology will continue to deliver solutions for mission-critical facilities with no impact on data center operations.”

SmartMesh WirelessHART was purpose-built to serve the extraordinary low power and reliability requirements of the industrial process market. These attributes serve the needs of many diverse applications, and SmartMesh IP maintains comparable performance while adhering to the 6LoWPAN standard.

Professor Steven Glaser, with University of California, Berkeley, is responsible for the ambitious SierraNet program, enabling measurement of temperature, humidity, snow depth, soil moisture, and solar radiation levels in remote environments using SmartMesh-enabled sensors. He stated, “Our goal is to provide accurate, remote environmental monitoring to track the status of California’s water supply. With a SmartMesh IP IPv6 routing node able to run at under 50µA average power consumption, SmartMesh IP represents a new paradigm for sensor networking, combining the ease of web programming with the long life and reliability of Dust Networks’ industrial products.”

All SmartMesh networks are centrally managed, which provides comprehensive security and network management capabilities. The SmartMesh WirelessHART manager (LTP5903) can support up to 500 nodes per network, SmartMesh IP managers can support up to 100 nodes per network, and multiple instances of SmartMesh subnetworks can be deployed side-by-side to create very large networks.

Aquisition to extend portfolio into wireless!

Linear Technology Corporation has acquired Dust Networks.

The acquisition of Dust Networks will enable Linear to offer a complete high performance wireless sensor networking solution. Dust Networks’ low power radio and software technology complements Linear’s strengths in industrial instrumentation, power management and energy harvesting technology.

Kris Pister concieved "Smart Dust"

Dust Networks’ proven, low power wireless sensor network technology extends Linear’s product portfolio into key growth areas in industrial process control, data acquisition and energy harvesting. Dust Networks’ ultralow power wireless systems complements Linear’s analog and digital sensor interface ICs, and energy harvesting power management products in applications where measurement of physical parameters has traditionally been impractical or impossible.

Erik Soule, Vice President of Signal Conditioning and High Frequency products for Linear Technology, stated, “Dust Networks offers the lowest power radio technology and most complete networking software for building industrial-grade wireless sensor networks. Combined with Linear’s precision low-power sensor interface products and battery-free energy harvesting technology, we can now offer the industry’s highest performance remote monitoring solutions.”

With the growing importance of machine-to-machine communications to enable remote data acquisition, low power wireless sensing is an emerging solution for many end-markets, including industrial process control, building automation and data center energy management.

Joy Weiss, President of Dust Networks, stated, “Dust Networks and Linear are an excellent fit. We already have very complementary products and customers, and with Linear’s global sales reach we can be at the forefront, enabling sensor networks to go wireless on an even broader scale.”

“Smart Dust” was first conceived by Dr. Kris Pister, founder and chief technologist of Dust Networks, as a simple way to deploy intelligent wireless sensors. Dust Networks pioneered SmartMesh® networks that comprise a self-forming mesh of nodes, or “motes,” which collect and relay data, and a network manager that monitors and manages network performance and sends data to the host application. This technology is now the basis for a number of seminal networking standards. The hallmark of Dust Networks’ technology is that it combines low power, standards-based radio technology, time diversity, frequency diversity, and physical diversity—to assure reliability, scalability, wire-free power source flexibility, and ease-of-use. All motes in a SmartMesh network—even the routing nodes—are designed to run on batteries for years, allowing the ultimate flexibility in placing sensors exactly where they need to go with low cost “peel and stick” installations.

Dust Networks’ customers range from the world’s largest industrial process automation and control providers such as GE and Emerson, to innovative, green companies such as Vigilent and Streetline Networks. Dust Networks’ technology can be found in a variety of monitoring and control solutions, including data center energy management, renewable energy, remote monitoring, and transportation.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Although there will be some transaction related costs, Dust’s ongoing results are not expected to be material in the short term to Linear’s financial statements.

Smart wireless street infrastructure.

Dust Networks®, the leader in intelligent wireless sensor network solutions, has announced that Streetline the leading global provider of smart parking solutions for cities, airports, universities, private garages and consumers, has selected the company as its wireless sensor networking technology provider. The Dust Networks SmartMesh® network supports a variety of Streetline’s sensor-enabled mobile and web-based smart parking solutions due to its long battery life, reliability and robust scalability.

“Dust Networks’ ultra-low-power SmartMesh products allow us to cost effectively deploy sensors anywhere in the urban environment, especially in places where power is not readily available,” said Zia Yusuf, president and CEO of Streetline. “Combining Streetline's patented sensor-based applications with Dust mesh technology allows us to deliver low-cost and high reliability solutions to our customers.”
“We are very excited about partnering with Streetline,” said Joy Weiss, president and CEO of Dust Networks. “The pioneering work Streetline has done in smart parking is already making cities greener and reducing traffic congestion in major urban areas. Major efficiencies will be realized as more and more wireless sensor data is collected and fed into Streetline’s systems to make that information actionable.”

Wireless network wins!

Dust Networks was awarded the "Best Technology Development of RTLS/WSN" award at the IDTechEx Wireless Sensor Network & RTLS Summit. in Munich (D) last week.

They demonstrated a SmartMesh IP network running entirely on energy harvesting power supplies as was reported on our story "Self powered wireless network debut!" (22/6/2011).

In this video Kris Pister, the founder and Chief Technologist at Dust Networks introduces the new SmartMesh IP product line.

Self powered wireless network debut!

Dust Networks will demonstrate a SmartMesh® IP 6LoWPAN wireless network running on harvested energy at the IDTechEx Wireless Sensor Network & RTLS Summit in Munich(D) this week. For the first time anywhere, all of the nodes in the network, including the IPv6 routing nodes, will run on energy harvested from a variety of devices including the Micropelt TE-Power thermogenerator and the Cymbet™ EnerChip™ CC rechargeable solid state battery trickle-charged by a small off-the-shelf daylight powered solar collector.

“The SmartMesh product family provides a unique convergence with energy harvesting because all of their mesh network nodes can run on harvested energy,” said Burkhard Habbe, Vice President of Business Development for Micropelt GmbH. “With the further decreased power requirements of Dust’s new SmartMesh IP technology we can now run even more applications on thermoharvesters at rather low gradients, eliminating both wires and battery maintenance.”

“By combining EnerChip solid state energy storage solutions with Dust Network’s Eterna™ technology, Cymbet’s customers are able to deploy completely self-powered wireless sensor networks,” said Steve Grady, Vice President of Marketing for Cymbet Corporation. “The overall power requirement is so much lower than with competing wireless products that this is a  maintenance-free, extremely compact, eco-friendly networking option.”

“It appears that much of the WSN growth likely in 2011 will be due to market demand for solutions to overall network connectivity and battery-free operational constraints,” said Kirsten West, Principal Analyst with West Technology Research Solutions, an independent market research and consulting firm that follows emerging wireless technologies and the products and industries which will adopt those technologies.

“The practical impact of Dust’s focus on low power 802.15.4 SoCs and networking is evident in this multi-vendor demonstration of self-powered wireless sensing” said Brenda Glaze, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Dust Networks. “With no wires to install and no batteries to change, the initial and on-going costs of installation and maintenance are slashed.”

The standard SmartMesh IP Evaluation Kit provides everything needed to demonstrate wireless mesh network performance, data monitoring, digital actuation, and event notification.