Development of an IoT-Integrated Smart Sensor System for Real-Time Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring

Abstract

Outdoor air quality plays a crucial role in ensuring public health and environmental well-being. This study aims to develop an outdoor real-time Air Quality Monitoring System (AQMS) capable of capturing reliable, real-time data without overheating when exposed to varying weather conditions. The system features a protective casing that shields the electronic components from environmental factors while maintaining high operational accuracy. The research begins by identifying the relevancy of particulate matter (PM)2.5, PM10, temperature and humidity towards urban pollution and meteorological impact. The casing design adheres to the IEC 60529 standard, which specifies the degrees of protection provided by enclosure against the intrusion of solid objects and water, thus ensuring the system's durability and reliability in outdoor conditions. Key electronic components integrated into the system include various air quality sensors, a Raspberry Pi 4 microcontroller, and a DC exhaust fan for regulating internal airflow. Computer-aided design (CAD) software is employed to develop the 3D model of the AQMS casing. The design is embedded with structural features optimized for ventilation performance and component protection. The prototype was constructed with a prefabricated Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) protective casing and a custom aluminum roof fabricated through laser welding. The validation process was conducted by comparing the AQMS performance in both open and enclosed configurations under controlled conditions. For post-processing, data were analyzed by using Grafana and Excel, and the results indicated that the developed AQMS successfully preserved sensor accuracy with minimal error within an acceptable range. This finding confirms the effectiveness of the AQMS design, demonstrating its suitability for potential real-world applications.