Best Air Quality Sensor? I pull apart the Apollo AIR-1… and find four great company traits....
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the presenter explores the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor, highlighting its features and the company's transparent, passionate approach. The AIR-1 integrates seamlessly with Home Assistant, is open-source, and offers a compact design with high-quality sensors. The script delves into the importance of transparency and passion in smart home device companies, while also discussing the practical applications of the multisensor in monitoring air quality, temperature, and humidity, making it a versatile tool for home automation enthusiasts.
Takeaways
- 🤖 The presenter introduces the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor, a product by Apollo Automation, which they will evaluate in-depth.
- 🔍 The video aims to assess not just the product, but also the company's ethos, providing insight into what makes a good device firm for smart home investments.
- 📐 The presenter values transparency in companies, highlighting Apollo Automation's openness with their code, hardware, CAD files, and components.
- 🏠 The Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor integrates easily with Home Assistant, showcasing its user-friendly setup and lack of cloud dependency.
- 🆓 The product is 'free' in the sense of freedom, allowing users full control over their device without proprietary restrictions or data collection.
- 🔥 The presenter admires Apollo Automation's passion for their products, which is evident in their engagement with customers and the quality of their work.
- 🛠️ The script suggests that building a similar device from individual components can be more challenging and costly than expected, emphasizing the value of Apollo's product.
- 🧩 The AIR-1 Multisensor consolidates multiple sensors into a compact form factor, simplifying the process of monitoring various environmental factors.
- 💡 The device includes addressable RGB lights, offering flexibility in indicating different states or levels through color changes.
- 🛑 The script humorously contrasts the high-quality components of the Apollo AIR-1 with the cost-cutting measures a profit-driven corporation might take.
- 🌡️ The Multisensor provides a range of environmental data, including temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, dust, and pollen, which can be used for various home automation purposes.
- 🏗️ The presenter plans to use the sensor in their workshop and PC case for automated dust cleaning and in their bedroom to monitor CO2 levels, inviting viewers to share their own ideas.
Q & A
What is the name of the multisensor being discussed in the video?
-The multisensor being discussed is the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor.
What did Apollo Automation offer to the video creator?
-Apollo Automation offered the video creator the opportunity to give their products a road test.
What are the key traits the video creator looks for in a device firm?
-The key traits are transparency, ease of integration, freedom from cloud dependencies, and the company's passion for their products.
How long did it take to integrate the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor with Home Assistant?
-It took 43 seconds from plugging it in to having it running in Home Assistant.
What does the video creator suggest about the transparency of Apollo Automation?
-The video creator suggests that Apollo Automation is very transparent, sharing their code, hardware, CAD files, and components for review.
Why does the video creator recommend visiting Apollo Automation's site?
-The creator recommends visiting their site to get a feel for what a transparent, passionate, and open company is like, which can help in evaluating other companies.
What is the purpose of the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor in the video creator's bedroom?
-In the bedroom, the purpose is to measure temperature for heating, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and dust levels.
What does the video suggest about the value of the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor compared to building a similar device?
-The video suggests that while it's possible to build a similar device with ESP chips and sensors, the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor offers good value by dealing with complexity and providing a compact solution.
What is the significance of the addressable RGBs in the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor?
-The addressable RGBs provide color control, allowing for different colors to represent various meanings about air quality or temperature.
How does the video creator plan to use the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor in their workshop?
-The creator plans to use it to trigger automatic dust cleaning in the room.
What is the potential life-saving capability mentioned in the video regarding VOCs?
-The potential life-saving capability is the sensor's ability to flash red when VOC levels are high, prompting the user to take action such as putting on a mask or opening a window.
Outlines
🤖 Introducing Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor
The script introduces the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor, a product from Apollo Automation, a company that reached out to the speaker for a review. The speaker emphasizes the importance of transparency, integration, freedom from cloud dependencies, and the passion of the company behind the product. Apollo Automation's openness is highlighted by their willingness to share code, hardware designs, and component details, allowing customers full control and understanding of their devices. The product's ease of integration with Home Assistant and its lack of reliance on proprietary ecosystems or data collection are praised. The speaker also hints at a detailed examination of the AIR-1 Multisensor's components and its application in a smart home setting.
🛠️ The Value of Apollo Automation's Multisensor
This paragraph discusses the practicality and value of the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor in comparison to building a similar device from individual components. The speaker acknowledges the educational benefits of building one's own sensor array but points out the complexity and potential higher cost. The compact design of the AIR-1, which integrates multiple sensors into a small form factor, is commended. The speaker also humorously personifies the internal debate about dissecting the device to reveal its components, highlighting the quality and thoughtfulness in the choice of sensors, such as ARGB lights for versatile signaling and a SEN55 environmental sensor node for long-term reliability.
🏠 Utilizing the AIR-1 Multisensor in Smart Home Applications
The final paragraph of the script explores various use cases for the AIR-1 Multisensor in a home environment. The speaker details how the sensor can be used to monitor and manage temperature and humidity for heating control, carbon dioxide levels to address issues like morning grogginess, and dust and pollen levels for timely cleaning. The inclusion of particulate matter sensors (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, and PM10) and VOC sensors is highlighted as potentially life-saving for those working with hazardous materials. The speaker positions the AIR-1 as a versatile 'Swiss Army Knife' of air sensors, capable of providing valuable data for current and future applications, and invites viewers to share their own ideas and experiences with similar devices.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor
💡Apollo Automation
💡Transparency
💡Home Assistant
💡Open Source
💡Smart Home
💡Sensors
💡ARGB
💡SEN55
💡Carbon Dioxide
💡Particulate Matter
💡VOCs
Highlights
Introduction to the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor and the company Apollo Automation.
The video aims to test the company's reason for existence, not just their products.
Apollo Automation's transparency in sharing their code, hardware, CAD files, and components.
The ease of integrating the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor with Home Assistant.
The freedom from cloud dependencies and data privacy concerns with Apollo Automation's products.
The company's passion and engagement with their products, setting them apart from larger corporations.
The recommendation to visit Apollo Automation's site to understand a transparent and passionate company.
The value proposition of Apollo Automation's products in terms of cost and complexity.
The compact design and impressive sensor integration in the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor.
The inclusion of ARGB lights for color control and representation of different meanings.
The unexpected usefulness of the CO2 sensor for monitoring indoor air quality.
The high-quality components used in the Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor, including the SEN55 environmental sensor node.
A humorous critique of how a corporation might reduce quality for profit maximization.
The practical applications of temperature and humidity sensors in understanding heat cycles and controlling heating.
The importance of carbon dioxide sensors in preventing drowsiness and improving sleep quality.
The utility of dust and pollen sensors in managing indoor cleanliness and allergen levels.
The critical role of particulate matter and VOC sensors in health and safety, especially in workshops and garages.
The Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor as a versatile toolkit for various air quality monitoring needs.
The personal use cases of the sensor in the presenter's workshop, PC case, and bedroom.
Transcripts
It's okay little guy, I'm not going to hurt you...
....yet. Hello, now there are a couple of sensors that I've been using in recent videos that
a few of you have asked about so I thought I'd give you a little tour of one of them - the
Apollo AIR-1 Multisensor. Now Apollo Automation reached out to me a few weeks ago and asked if
I wanted to give their stuff a bit of a road test. But I'm not going to test their products! I'm
going to test their whole reason for existence as a company. So let's examine what you're up to.
This video should not only tell you a bit about this product and about Apollo Automation but more
importantly it'll reveal the kind of traits that you should look out for in a device firm and the
ones to avoid when investing in your smart home. I'll also show you the AIR-1 Multisensor in detail
and tear the guts out of this poor little fellow. And finally I'll talk about how I'm using this
in my house and why you might want to have one of these things yourself. So let's dive in!
Right, you're wanting a smart device for your home and there's a myriad different companies out
there, most of which you haven't heard of before. How do you know what kind of company traits to
look for, and implicit in this the ones to avoid? With this in mind, Apollo Automation are as close
to my benchmark of a great company as I could hope. So let me talk you through precisely why that is.
The first thing is that they're transparent. They expose everything for review - their code, their
hardware, their CAD files, their components - and this lets you know exactly what you're getting, and it
gives you complete control over your device. Just as an example, I wanted to 3D-print an enclosure
for the sensor, and because all the STL files are available on their site I was able to model one
easily. This super transparent nature is a breath of fresh air and is something I specifically look
for. The next thing is that they integrate, so this integrates like a dream to Home Assistant.
I actually timed it and it took 43 seconds from plugging it in to having it running in
Home Assistant, with all the sensors visible. It's just easy and a breeze to use. They're
free as well. Now I don't mean they're a charity! I mean it's free as in speech, not beer. This is
an important distinction when you set it up - it's yours. No cloud dependencies, no hoovering
up of your data, no flaky app or no popups or ads. You're free to use it as you see fit. And then the
last thing is that they're just passionate. As a company they're engaged and passionate about their
products. It's theirs, so you can see this in every interaction, forum post and email. And this again is
something that dies in larger corporates - people are just doing a job - but this is their baby and
it shows. So I'm not even saying to buy anything from Apollo Automation - that's for you to decide -
what I'm saying is just visit their site for a completely different reason (there's a link
in the description). Just have a nose around, get a feel for what a transparent, passionate and open
company is like, and what I want to do is create this helpful jar in your mind, so when you're
next about to purchase from a company that isn't like this you'll get a spidey sense, a suspicion...
Why aren't they telling you the components they're using? Why wouldn't they share their
API? Why is their documentation hidden behind a portal? Developing this sense will save you
hundreds of pounds of wasted purchases, and as for you Apollo Automation, just keep doing what you're
doing. Let's look now at the product itself. How does it stack up, and can't I just do it
all myself? Isn't it just a bunch of ESP chips and sensors bunged together? Well yes, it is. Indeed
their open-source documentation reveals in explicit detail what they've used, and if you're
of that mindset, I'd strongly advise you do it. Go for it! It'll be a great opportunity to learn and
dive into the world of electronics and smart home automation. But I suspect you'll also learn it's
also a lot harder and more expensive than you think, once you start stacking sensors. And this
is where the Apollo Automation stuff is actually really good value, I think. If all you want is a
temperature sensor, well grab an ESP32 a DHT22 and some wires and you're away. That's probably
£10 all in. However you often have these situations where you just want a total battery of sensors: 5,
10, 15 and more. So in my bedroom, I want to measure temperature for the heating and I obviously want
to measure humidity and carbon dioxide levels and dust levels, and so on. This is where specialist
products like this come into their own, as they've dealt with the complexity for you and packed it
into a tiny form factor. It's really quite clever how much they've squeezed in. Really clever in
fact....[Dark side Katie: Wouldn't you like to see how clever?] [Innocent Katie: Don't break their poor product apart, Katie! [Dark side Katie: but think
of all the lovely little sensors in there]. [Innocent Katie: Justin will be mad at you if you gut his lovely sensor]
[Dark side Katie: you know you want it. You want to feel those sensors, short circuit those chips.] It's time
to open you up! So let's have a look at what they're hiding in here. Ah they've just kept
it extremely compact. You know, this box is something like 61 mm by 61 and then 30 mm
tall, I think. And so it's really impressive given the amount of sensors that are in
here. So I've got these ARGBs here, and that's just great because you can have some colour control.
Instead of just a boring red light, you've got a lot more flexibility here for the colours to
represent different meanings. So you could have green, amber, red, purple, blue meaning all sorts
of different things about the air quality or the temperature. Like it! In fact this CO2 sensor here
- I just thought what's the point in that?! I don't need that! But when I looked into it
I realised that I could use that for something that's been bothering me for years, so I'll tell
you about it later. But there's also another example here: the SEN55 - this is a great little
guy. He's an environmental sensor node. All of these sensors have a lifespan, with their
mechanical parts and little fans and more, but these are really high quality components. Indeed
they don't needed to have included that! In fact, I know exactly what a corporation would have
done... welcome to this week's profit maximisation planning meeting. Firstly,
Apollo Automation, you're on mute. What the heck is this? And who designed it?
What is it? Well we're going to be taking out the addressable RGBs straight away. And what
are you doing putting three in there?! We are going to be putting in LEDs. Single color ones. Cheap. Red,
that's the cheapest of all. Yeah whatever, there will be a bunch of customers who this limits, but
who cares! It's worth it for the extra money. And I see a SEN55 in there. What?! I want to see the plank
who came up with that in my office straight after this meeting. They last about 10 years! What were
you thinking? How are we going to make money in the meantime? What we need to do is chuck in a cheaper
particulate sensor. There's load of way cheaper versions. Then temperature and humidity - well we
can just use the sensor from the SCD40. Yeah it's half as accurate, but the stupid consumer won't
have a clue...until the particulate sensor breaks in a couple of years, just in time for our brand-
new product to be released...which will look a lot like the last one. And how much are we paying for
this ominous music to constantly play? Oh sorry, I don't know what came over me there. Anyway I'll
stop poking this poor little device, but it's a lovely piece of engineering and if you want to get
an air quality sensor, this is the sort of thing you should look for. I'll attach a link to the
description. Now finally, let's go through some examples of why you might want one of these in
your home. Well temperature and humidity sensor, now that's simple: use it to understand more about heat
cycles in your home, control the heating, graph the annual trends. Does it feel colder than last year
in this room? Carbon dioxide sensors. Now this is the one I'm actually personally most excited about.
I didn't expect it to be useful at all, but when I looked into it I discovered that, well, I often wake
up groggy and tired, and on looking into this I found that modern homes may be insulated well but
they're often prone to buildups of carbon dioxide as a result, and too-high carbon dioxide levels
leads to drowsiness and tiredness. Now if you wake up tired or if you feel zonked after working at
your PC all day, you'll be amazed at how handy it is to know the CO2 levels and just open the
windows. Then we've got the dust levels. Is it time to vacuum? Pollen levels - all of these can become
sensors that you can understand precisely or trigger actions off. We've got particulate matter
levels - this alone should be mandated in workshops and garages. What is the level of PM1, PM2.5, PM4 and
PM10 particles in the air that you're breathing? What about the VOCs? Set this little dude to
flash red when the levels are high and this will be a valuable kick up the cynffon to put on a
mask or open a window or just step out of the room for a bit. As anyone knows who works
with wood or high VOC paints, glues and so on, this is actually life-saving capability. It goes
on and on. It's just a really universal toolkit of data that you can use for all sorts of things, now
and in the future. It really is a Swiss Army Knife of air sensors. That's it! But now that I've
shared what I think, what do you look for in a company when you're buying smart products? And
how do you think you could use this? As you know from my other videos, I'm going to be using this
in my workshop, without a doubt. I'm using it in my PC case to trigger automatic dust cleaning
in the room, and I'm also using it in my bedroom to monitor the carbon dioxide levels. So now I'm
excited to know if you have any other ideas or thoughts on this, so please do share those
so that we can all continue to inspire each other. Thank you and see you next time! [Music]
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