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Sensors are an important component of smart home systems, similar to the human nervous system, capable of sensing changes in light, temperature, humidity, human movement, and more, and providing this data back to users to adjust the status of other devices in the home, thus creating a healthier and more comfortable living environment.
1. Temperature and Humidity Sensors
Temperature and humidity sensors can inform us about the temperature and humidity levels in our homes. You might wonder, “What’s the big deal? We can sense the indoor temperature and humidity changes ourselves.” However, the functionality of temperature and humidity sensors goes beyond that. They can help us adjust indoor temperature and humidity to achieve the most comfortable state. In winter, the thermometer will tell you whether to turn on the humidifier. In summer, it will prompt you to turn on the air conditioning or use a dehumidifier. This process can be automated. When someone is active in the house, if the sensor detects dryness, it can automatically turn on the humidifier, and once the humidity returns to normal, the humidifier will turn off automatically; if someone moves in the room and the thermometer detects that the temperature is too high, it can automatically turn on the air conditioning. When the temperature returns to normal, it can reduce the air conditioning speed or turn it off.
Additionally, the thermometer can plot daily changes in indoor temperature and humidity into graphs, helping us visually understand the conditions in our homes. By observing the graphs, we can gain additional insights. For example, I experienced insomnia for a period and ruled out various related factors. One time, while checking the thermometer data, I inadvertently discovered that the humidity in my home often dropped below 40% at night, leading me to suspect that the low humidity might be causing my insomnia. Since then, I have turned on the humidifier at night to maintain humidity around 50%, and my insomnia symptoms have significantly improved.
Temperature and humidity sensors are usually compact, often made of plastic, and can be placed anywhere in the home. For instance, the thermometer I have is a small square with a non-slip pad at the bottom. However, due to visual impairments, I sometimes knock such small items to the ground, so I recommend using double-sided tape to secure them to other objects for stability.
It is important to note that it is best not to place the sensor in areas with significant temperature and humidity fluctuations, such as near air conditioners or humidifiers, as this can interfere with the sensor’s data. For example, placing it near a humidifier will cause the sensor to quickly detect increased humidity, but this only reflects the humidity near the humidifier, while changes in humidity in other areas of the room may not be significant. The same reasoning applies to placing it near an air conditioner. A more scientific approach is to place it in areas where people frequently move, such as the sofa in the living room, the desk in the study, or the bedside in the bedroom, to more accurately reflect our sensory data.
2. Air Quality Sensors
Air quality sensors are specifically designed to monitor indoor air quality. They can detect the concentration of various pollutants, such as PM2.5, PM10 particles, volatile organic compounds, and harmful gases. On many e-commerce platforms, air quality sensors are often sold separately, allowing users to choose based on their needs. For example, if your area frequently experiences particulate pollution, you can purchase sensors with PM2.5 or PM10 monitoring capabilities. Some manufacturers also refer to them as haze meters, dust sensors, or PM2.5 sensors. If your home has just been renovated or there are factories nearby that often emit irritating odors, you can purchase sensors with volatile organic compound monitoring capabilities, which are referred to as air quality detectors or TVOC sensors.
You are likely familiar with PM2.5, but you may not know much about volatile organic compounds. The World Health Organization points out that volatile organic compounds are a significant type of air pollutant, also known as indoor organic gaseous substances, which refer to any carbon-containing compounds that participate in photochemical reactions in the atmosphere, excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metal carbonates, carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, including common substances such as hydrocarbons, benzene, and chlorofluorocarbons, which are toxic, irritating, and carcinogenic, and can affect the skin and mucous membranes, causing acute harm to the human body.
TVOC sensors can easily detect various volatile organic compounds in the air, but they can be affected by certain factors. For instance, volatile organic compounds released by pesticides, paints, and metal items such as iron furniture and stainless steel kitchenware can interfere with the results, as can substances like nicotine and tar found in tobacco. Improper handling of fruits and vegetables can also impact the results. Additionally, during testing, the air must remain in motion, which can lead to errors in the TVOC data. To obtain valuable data, the sensor should be placed in a relatively sealed environment.
In addition to detecting volatile organic compounds, air quality detectors can also monitor harmful gases in the indoor environment. A common example is the detection of carbon dioxide. Although carbon dioxide itself is harmless to the human body, excessive indoor concentrations can harm health, so carbon dioxide levels are often used as an indicator of whether ventilation is needed.
For example, the air quality detector I have is rectangular with a metal casing. It has a screen on top that displays real-time indoor air quality. The device has a built-in fan that draws in air for testing. There are long slits on the front and back of the device, and placing a finger near the slit allows you to feel the airflow. According to the manual, this is a precision instrument that should be protected from drops, impacts, and vibrations, as these can cause irreversible damage to the sensor. For visually impaired individuals, it is advisable to place it in a position where it is less likely to fall.
When the concentration of volatile organic compounds or carbon dioxide increases indoors, the sensor will alert us that the air quality is poor and that ventilation measures need to be taken. If the levels of PM2.5, PM10, and other particulate matter rise, the device will prompt us to turn on air purification equipment. If automated operations are set up, when indoor air quality is poor, the sensor can interact with various devices, such as automatically turning on fresh air machines and air purifiers. Once the indoor air quality returns to normal, it will automatically turn off these devices.
Smart homes represent our pursuit of a high-quality and comfortable life, utilizing various smart sensors to monitor and control the quality and safety of the home environment, which is a guarantee for our living standards. Among them, temperature and humidity sensors and air quality sensors are two commonly used sensors that can detect indicators such as temperature, humidity, PM2.5, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide levels, and interact with other smart devices to achieve intelligent control of air conditioning, humidifiers, purifiers, and fresh air machines. This not only improves efficiency but also protects human health, making our home environment smarter, more comfortable, and safer.
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Source: Sina
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