The system continually tracks five metrics:

PM2.5, PM5, PM10, TVOC, ECo2

These five metrics are compressed into a single dimensional index that forms that basis for this data visualization.

Build atop a Raspberry Pi, the system uses several connected hardware sensors that continuously cycle air from the ITP/IMA fabrication shop. The system is designed to measure the ambient air of the roomrather the quality of the air coming out of any one machine.

Particle is an on-demand, ambient interface for public and personal health. More specifically, it’s an air-quality monitoring system that relies on social contributions mapped to hard data to generate awareness and an understanding of the health of the environments we spend time within.

As a pilot, the monitoring system has been installed in the NYU fabrication shop space to provide real-world insights to the ITP/IMA community. The project consists of sensor hardware, a projection-based ambient interface and a web experience that allows for a data deep dive and user contributions.

The project compels us to question our built environments and the materials and practices we employ in our everyday lives as they relate to our long-term health and well-being. Particle’s interface – spanning between projection and our devices – provides stakeholders with an experience that is on-demand and informative as needed.