Unfortunately, where I live, the air quality in winter is really bad and the air is very polluted.

There are many reasons why it is like that but the main contributors are the aging cars we have on the roads, the nearby coal powerplant, and the high use of firewood for heating the homes among other geographical issues that prevent good airflow.

Many initiatives have been formed and people are generally aware of the issue but very little action is taken by the authorities to prevent the pollution from happening.

To provide better information to the general public about the current situation and status of the air, one local company created a platform called pulse.eco where people can connect their DIY sensors, based on the SDS011 particle sensor. The platform aggregates the data from all of the sensors and provides a nice interface for displaying the data as well as mobile apps for having the info on the go.

The current situation as shown on the pulse.eco platform for Bitola, Macedonia

To help with the effort of providing better information about the current state, I also made my own sensor and attached it to the outside of my house so I could have info about my neighborhood and then use that data in my home automation setup to create actions and notifications in Home Assistant.

You can check out the video for the making and mounting of the sensor below.

To create a sensor of your own, you will need the following components and tools:

• NodeMCU - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_m0s6Uu6
• Nova PM Sensor SDS011 - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFO7AAL
• BME680 Temperature, Humidity, and Pressure Sensor - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dk9ePkx
• LM386 Sound Sensor - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DdoWDXt
• Jumper Wires - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DkWW1nZ
• Soldering Station - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DkA1M2L
• Electrical Box - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dd1I0h1
• Wire Snips - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFP86vv
• Assorted Resistors - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DEGPslp
• Hot Glue Applicator - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBqcu4B
• Prototyping PCBs - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DcvrbuF

All of the instructions and the required firmware can be found on the pulse.eco website at:

https://pulse.eco/constructWiFi

If you are interested in seeing more about my home automation setup, the devices I have, and the future devices that I'll make, then be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don't miss out on future videos.

This video is a part of a 26 video series on Home Automation DIY Devices as part of the Alphabet Superset challenge! https://www.alphabetsuperset.com/

Thanks @struthless for organizing this! #alphabetsuperset