Ikea's Tiny Smart Air Quality Sensor Tracks Indoor Pollution

pcmag.com:

Ikea is following up its Starkvind smart air purifier with a tabletop sensor that measures and monitors indoor pollutants.

Set to hit shelves in April, the Vindstyrka (Swedish for "wind strength") calculates particulate matter levels, humidity, temperature, and gaseous pollutant loads in your house or office.

"Although we spend most of our time indoors, many of us tend to forget about indoor air pollution," says(Opens in a new window) Henrik Telander, Product owner at Ikea of Sweden. "We take for granted that the air in our homes is clean, but small everyday activities like cooking or cleaning can contribute to poor air quality just as much as industry or traffic.

"Our ambition has been to create an affordable high-performing air quality sensor to help our customers become more aware of the quality of the air they breathe in their homes," he adds.

The most harmful pollutants, known as particulate matter (PM2.5), are inhalable particles so miniscule they can't be seen with the naked eye. Enter Vindstyrka—which can be used on its own, or paired with the Starkvind to remove dust, pollen, allergens, mold, and smoke. Connect the two for automatic fan speed adjustments based on the amount of PM2.5 detected in the air.

Pricing was not announced. A similiar, though less full-featured Vindriktning(Opens in a new window) air quality sensor released in 2021 is $15.99. (The larger Starkvind goes for between $129 and $189.)

Those with a Dirigera smart hub, meanwhile, can link the Vindstyrka to make indoor air quality levels readable and actionable from the Ikea Home mobile app.

"We want to work for positive change, and know there is no single solution to solve indoor air pollution," Telander says. (Of course, Ikea's lineup—including