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Electronic Nose Device is a wearable device for workers that operate in unhealthy work environments such as Coating Plants

The main purpose of Electronic Nose Device is to provide continuous monitoring of indoor air quality – in particular volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide -, to give real-time feedback to operators on the level of contaminants monitored, to provide an adequate protection in case of necessity.

Electronic Nose Device consists of an electronic device equipped with sensors capable of providing air quality data over time;

Electronic Nose Device is based on existing sensor technology. The novelty of this device is in purpose and application: to train and inform operators about the danger they are exposed and, at the same time, to provide an adequate protection in a sector, such as that of Coating Plants, where the problem of VOC and carbon dioxide concertation has never been addressed in such specific manner.

The VOC sensor is set to detect substances from the point where the value of volatile organic compounds begins to exceed the acceptable level for human health. The detected values are then transformed in real time into a feedback signal that activates a LED sensor and vibration, according to a three-level scale:

• (level 1) green LED and no vibration indicate that the device is running;
• (level 2) yellow LED and low vibration indicate that the level of VOC increases and signals to the operator to wear the protective mask;
• (level 3) red LED and strong vibrations inform the operator that the concentration of pollutants in the air has reached dangerous values for human health. The signal stays in this phase until the concentration of the volatile organic compound drops below the threshold limit.

The electronic components include: VOC sensors, LEDs, RGB, vibration motor, equipped with a polymeric lithium ion battery that can be charged with a micro USB connector. The sensors, LEDs and the vibration motor are supported with an integrated Bluetooth card (BLE Technology) so that the data can be transmitted to the mobile application. In this way, the worker can see in graphical representation how the environmental data change during the day and also check back, if, when the levels of pollution were higher, he wore the appropriate protective devices.

The electronics used for the implementation of Electronic Nose Device are energy-efficient in order to remain turned on during the entire working day. Electronic Nose Device is relatively small and lightweight portable device whose components are very small and printable in polypropylene.