Axis Communications has announced its first environmental sensor that is able to complete cost-effective monitoring and management of the air quality in a given enclosed space, with the hopes of addressing public health concerns.

The new sensor monitor produced by Axis Communication features multiple indoor air quality parameters, enabling efficient and appropriate responses to indoor air quality issues, including vaping and smoking and the proactive management and optimisation of air quality in almost any indoor environment.

The World Health Organisation estimates that each year 3.2 million deaths are caused by indoor air pollution worldwide.

Axis Communications’ two new sensors integrate with existing Axis solutions to monitor air pollutants such as particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide, in addition to measuring relative humidity and temperature.

“Significant public health issue”

Robert Woyar, Global Product Manager, Axis Communications said: “Poor indoor air quality is a significant public health issue.

“Student vaping has reached epidemic levels within schools and needs to be detected and restricted effectively.

“Certain specific facilities, for example, data centres and controlled manufacturing environments, require precise control of air quality parameters, such as relative humidity, temperature and the level of particulate matter.

“Our new indoor air quality sensor supports in all these areas and more,” commented Woyar.

The new indoor air quality sensors

The AXIS D6210 can be integrated with other Axis IP devices, including a number of cameras and strobe sirens; the AXIS D6210 can also be used in combination with Axis speakers.

AXIS D6210 is also compatible with Axis IP devices without the need for additional IP addresses, switch ports or power to give customers a cost effective, “plug-and-play” solution to air quality monitoring and response.

AXIS D6310 has the same air quality sensing capabilities as AXIS D6210 but is a standalone IP network device – and can therefore be added independently to an existing Axis solution – with additional functionality.

This includes a multi-LED strobe function for sensor status and alerts, an integrated speaker and microphone, Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)-out, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor and AXIS Audio Analytics.

Improved health and safety

Depending on the environment and use case, AXIS D6210 and AXIS D6310 is said to be able to help to create a healthy and safe environment for employees and visitors.

The air quality sensors are also set to improve operational efficiency and energy consumption as well as to create data which delivers business intelligence to further support long-term operational planning.

For instance, real-time indoor air quality monitoring enables immediate response to air quality issues that might present a health issue.

Alerts from the sensor, along with live and pre-recorded messages from IP speakers is said to be able to clear specific areas of a building until remedial action to improve air quality has been taken.

The insights provided by the sensors surrounding specific air quality parameters – such as temperature, relative humidity and air pollutants – supports more precise management of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, with the added benefit of improved energy efficiency.

Over time, the metadata created by Axis Communications’ indoor air quality sensor, combined with other sensor data such as occupancy levels, will provide business intelligence for longer-term ‘smart building’ planning and optimisation.

“Ever-increasing value to customers”

Woyar concluded: “AXIS D6210 and AXIS D6310 Air Quality Sensors might be our first environmental sensors but won’t be the last.

“The potential for connecting data from multiple different sensors in health and safety, operational efficiency and business intelligence is obvious and almost unlimited.

“Our growing portfolio of IP devices, combined with the open Axis platform and innovative applications from our global partners will deliver ever-increasing value to customers.”