CO2 Meter: A do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom

PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments Conference (PETRA), pp. 292–299

Abstract

In this paper we report on CO2 Meter, a do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom. Part of the current measures for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is proper ventilation in indoor settings. This is especially important in schools with students coming back to the classroom even with high incidents rates. Static ventilation patterns do not consider the individual situation for a particular class. Influencing factors like the type of activity, the physical structure or the room occupancy are not incorporated. Also, existing devices are rather expensive and often provide only limited information and only locally without any networking. This leaves the potential of analysing the situation across different settings untapped. Carbon dioxide level can be used as an indicator of air quality, in general, and of aerosol load in particular. Since, according to the latest findings, SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted primarily in the form of aerosols, carbon dioxide may be used as a proxy for the risk of a virus infection. Hence, schools could improve the indoor air quality and potentially reduce the infection risk if they actually had measuring devices available in the classroom. Our device supports schools in ventilation and it allows for collecting data over the Internet to enable a detailed data analysis and model generation. First deployments in schools at different levels were received very positively. A pilot installation with a larger data collection and analysis is underway.

Authors 6

1. Thomas Dey Aachen

   FH Aachen

   Affiliation as printed

   FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany

2. Ingo Elsen Aachen

   FH Aachen

   Affiliation as printed

   FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany

3. Alexander Ferrein
   Affiliation as printed

   MASCOR Institute, Germany

4. Tobias Frauenrath Aachen

   FH Aachen

   Affiliation as printed

   FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany

5. Michael Reke
   Affiliation as printed

   MASCOR Institute, Germany

6. Stefan Schiffer
   Affiliation as printed

   MASCOR Institute, Germany