PM10 Real-time and Forecast Display

- Ideas

Recently South Korea is directly facing air polution problem - especially with fine dust. But because it became an issue so recently, people open their windows and go out as usual, not checking or knowing that there's a dangerous level of particulate matter outside. So we made an easy-to-understand display which notifies the user of current and future PM10 information when he/she's trying to open the window, regardless of the attention to check the levels. We anticipate this device will help you with the decisions - whether to open the window now or not.

- Concepts

We made it look like a traffic light. It actually is a sort of traffic light. You must've seen thousands of those signs on crosswalks or crossroads. So the meanings - green, yellow and red - would come naturally, without having to read some manual or undergoing adjustment period. By the same token, we used arrows and blinking features in the forecast, like a car blinks the turn signal to indicate it's about to make a turn. Finally, there's a 3-digits display showing the exact units, to help you feel more informed and make better decisions.

- Functions

1) Current PM10 level is delivered to you throught the 7-segment display, with intuituve interpretation of how harmful it is to you with large bright lights of red, yellow or green. (Criteria are from the Korea Ministry of Envoironment)

2) PM10 Forecast - We have 4 arrows with a small LED behind, and the corresponding one(s) blink when the future levels are going to be different with the present level.

3) User recognition - A vertically installed IR sensor tells the device that you're in front of the window.

- Materials

RED, YELLOW, GREEN Acrylic board

RED, YELLOW, GREEN LED

7-segment (3-digits)

Infrared sensor

Wires

Breadboard

Arduino YUN

3D printer (Ultimaker 2 / Sindoh DP200)

Laser Cutting machine

Step 1: 3D PRINTING the Case / Making It Colorful With Lasercut Boards

The case needed for the device (expecially the top of 'traffic light') was somewhat intricate to make by cutting and assembling. So we first modeled the cases ith SOLIDWORKS 2015.

There are many SOLIDWORKS tutorials out there on the net, and this kind of modeling is possible with only the basic features, so model it differently if it doesn't fit well with your window. Then we printer the display case and a housing for the remaining part of the device.

In addition, we cut the acrylic boards into circlular and triangular shape to cover the LED.

Step 2: ARDUINO YUN Electronic Circuits

Red, Yellow, Green Wires - Wires connected with same colored LED / Black - Ground

7-segment circuit was made up like the circuit indicated above. We've used 3-digits to show PM10 level, so a resistor was added to express the connection. Blue(0-6) indicates each segment, and White(7-9) indicates the connection of each digits.

Step 3: Coding

We've used the API provided by www.openapi.airkorea.or.kr

Step 4: Putting Things Together and Installing

Put the things prepared together like the picture above.

And finally it's time to install it on your window! Here are some tips and warnings for installing.

- The display is best located at the upper part of the fixed frame, where you can see the lights easily and the display doesn't move with the window.

- The housing, with IR sensor, should be directed vertically, to make sure it detects your arms in both cases when you grab high and low to open the window.