3D Mockup by Haojong
Sensaira
BIOLOGICAL DESIGN, EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
🛠: Arduino, Biology
💁♂️: Haojong Lu, Alina Peng
⌛: 2 weeks
Sensaira is an anti-pollution watch biosensor that detects and responds to low oxygen levels in urban environments through gold yeast, and it notifies users through visual and audio feedback with a color change and emergency alarm.
This biosensor has the parts of a wearable “watch,” genetically-modified yeast, a micro-controller and power source for Internet connectivity, integrated Bluetooth features (to connect to Apple Health or another application), and a method of detaching the dial to replace the yeast. The form is a re-imagining of the now redundant watch thanks to phones.
The interaction is displayed through a gradient change of color in the bacteria. An alarm output is integrated into the device to ring if the concentration of toxins in the air is too high. This alarm will also be linked to an app that tracks data, and uses a greater network to send warning notifications to other people, if certain areas are extremely polluted.
Fighting back
400 ppm is a global air quality concentration benchmark for high CO2 (1000+ is lethal). The threshold has just been broken worldwide. Lung cancers and autoimmune diseases are increasingly common in areas of heavy pollution, like here in Philly or Boston. Natural air is 250-350 ppm, which is what our bodies have evolved to survive with. Higher levels are bad for child brain development and gas toxicity.
Prevention: Sensaira warns people about the predictability of toxic gas attacks or leaks, by providing a visible color gradient through the color-changing fungi.
Remediation: Then, if the CO2 count reaches a certain threshold, an alarm on our device will sound, and the fungi will start respiring through the semipermeable membrane to reduce the concentration of these gases.
Urban Planning: Network connectivity allows for better urban planning. The polluted area will then be sent to a network of devices, to notify people to avoid the area. The data repository could then be used by the government and other corporations to build structures that tend to generate a lot of waste (e.g. factories and wastelands) more strategically.
Sensaira supplements a direct solution as a method for monitoring public health. We propose the data be used for:
1) Inform and support urban planning decisions with detailed information tracked by the public for the public
2) Web mapping service for routes with the least amount of pollution to spread concentration. Drivers can be required to or compensated for following target routes, especially regarding ride-sharing.
3) Updates to the carbon credits system on a local scale
Distribute requirements to a smaller community to keep track and maintain
Create an internal carbon market
Enforce use on all methods of transport
Form legislation holding ride-sharing and other private transport responsible for keeping Sensaira topped up
Fine individuals who slack with yeast health or forge data
The chain of reaction and decision making.
Organism SELECTION
We picked gold yeast as it is an inexpensive option to grow and is well known for monitoring pollutants. Many studies demonstrate the ability for yeast to generally detect molecules, including carcinogens.
The pH change associated with the gold yeast color change will affect the conductivity of the liquid, so the yeast acts as a variable resistor. This allows it to be integrated into electronics with special consideration for the liquid.
The idea behind Sensaira is a simple integration of biological design and electronics. Predetermined thresholds of pollution are set for an area (and can be changed later on based on location), which affects the conductivity of the liquid. The constant resistance reading is compared to this value and the alarm is turned on if too high. Otherwise, the simple color change of the yeast should be enough to indicate small changes visually without the need for an LED monitor.
Quick Code Mockup
Circuit Mockup
PROTOTYPING DESIGN DECISIONS
Wristband wearable: intuitive, standalone product
Dial: allows for easy twist removal and layered stacks
Hydrogels: can absorb large amounts of water and biological fluids. Has porous features and soft consistency, but at the same time, do not allow for water (fungi’s living condition) to evaporate
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE): creates a semipermeable membrane that allows for fungi to sense O2
Glass shell (with holes): abrasion-resistant outer layer that is still breathable
Electrical Circuit: Contains electric-signal generating yeast, conductive ink, an Arduino, an “if statement” to determine if placement is in or out of threshold, and an output to alarm (mini Speaker Module)
User personas
Mike (Government Employee): Age: 30
“Air is becoming more polluted by the day. We need a better way of tracking quality and safety on a more precise scale, or ignorance will only get worse.”
Goals and Values: Champions accurate and useful data collection; values demarginalization of communities
Pain Points: Public release of data will make his job more difficult; information overload; urban planning is time intensive
Usage: Will contribute to the government’s urban planning decisions on a micro scale, which could eventually lead to changes on a macro scale over time
User 2 - Joe (Uber Driver) Age: 60
“Driving with a pollution sensor with the ‘anti-pollution’ setting helps me feel like I am contributing to a greater cause, without losing out on valuable time and money.”
Goals and Values: enjoys monetary compensation (profit value maximizer); wants concise and up-to-date routes for travel
Pain Points: Would like to contribute to anti-pollution efforts, but is often secondary to monetizing efforts; most of the time, cannot afford to buy an electric car
Usage: Will contribute to the redistribution of air and air quality management, will contribute to Uber’s social impact and corporate responsibility mission
User 3 - Sally (Environmental Activist) Age: 23
“I’m glad there is finally a way for me to focus my efforts on certain areas and objectively see there is a fundamental problem.”
Goals and Values: ensuring cleaner air quality for as many people as possible; reducing CO2 and waste; mobilizing other people to join environmental advocacy mission
Pain Points: importance of environmental efforts not permeating to the common public; regulation processes are time intensive
Usage: Will contribute to the redistribution of air and air quality management; will team up with the government to expedite sustainability efforts
FUTURE OF SENSAIRA
Compartmentalization: more bacteria and fungi to detect different gases and heavy metal pollutants (As, SO and SO2, NO2, Dust, Soot, CO, CH4)
Urban Planning: app to monitor urban pollution to pre-warn users entering toxic areas
Personalized health integration to change exposure thresholds and raise awareness of chronic exposure
Bolsters city planning and provides insights to the government to avoid certain areas when building urban structures (e.g. waste repositories, hazardous buildings, factory buildings)
Alternative Process: image processing algorithm, build app to process pictures from camera and compare against programmed legend to give air pollution info without the need for heavy electronics