Almost six months back IKEA launched its first-ever smart air purifier. Available in a floor-standalone model and a side table variant, the air purifier featured a three-filter system designed to capture bigger particles ranging from hair and dust to pollutants like formaldehyde. However, the $129 purifier didn’t have the ability to gauge air pollutant levels.
Working on this aspect, the Sweden-based company has now announced a smart sensor dubbed ‘Vindstyrka’ that could actually monitor the pollutant level in the air (and even instruct the already existing air purifier to get in the action).
This is possible, courtesy of IKEA’s Matter-supported DIRIGERA smart hub which seamlessly connects with IKEA’s latest sensor. Working in sync with DIRIGERA smart hub, ‘Vindstyrka’ can keep a tab on your home’s air quality.
The smart sensor looks like an alarm clock but functions like a tracker. Boasting a large display on the front, Vindstyrka smart sensor measures particle matter (PM2.5), humidity level, temperature, and total volatile organic compound levels (TVOC). After monitoring the air quality thoroughly, it then exhibits the readings on its display screen.
Henrik Telander, product owner at IKEA of Sweden stated,
“Although we spend most of our time indoors, many of us tend to forget about indoor air pollution. We take for granted that the air in our homes is clean, but small everyday activities like cooking or cleaning can contribute to poor air quality just as much as industry or traffic. With VINDSTYRKA, our ambition has been to create an affordable high-performing air quality sensor to help our customers become more aware of the quality of the air they breathe in their homes.
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The sensor displays air quality through green, yellow, and red colors, on the onboard screen letting homeowners easily see when the air quality is running below par. In such a scenario, users can allow the company’s air purifier to kick in. As aforementioned, working in sync with IKEA’S Matter-supported DIRIGERA, the sensor can command (to say the least) the air purifier to ramp up the fan speed.
IKEA has not revealed information about the price but makes it clear that the Vindstyrka smart sensor will be available in all IKEA stores starting April 2023.
