I-Corps: Smart window that helps to ensure a healthy indoor air quality

Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a technology to combat indoor air pollution as one of the risk factors for premature death. According to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and the World Heath Organization, poor indoor air quality is responsible for 1.6-4.3 million deaths yearly. According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend 90% of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 -5 times higher than outdoors. Opening windows and increasing air exchange rates can significantly improve Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and can also reduce the risk of COVID exposure. In the current market, window that can automatically open/close and/or pump air into or out of a room to improve the IAQ are not available. The proposed technology is an automated solution that can bring fresh air inside in to improve IAQ. The technology may also work with other smart home systems to share and store IAQ data for scientific research, pattern recognition, and forecasting, potentially triggering new discoveries. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a technology that can provide improved indoor air quality. The technology can automatically detect poor indoor air quality and can initiate an air exchange to lower pollution levels. The device is portable, plug and play, easy to install (does not require any modifications of existing windows), low energy (run by solar power/phone charger), and made from flexible responsive polymer actuators that pumps air in/out. The window is available in different sizes and shapes to fit conventional spaces and can also be custom made for specific purposes. The window is programmed to automatically respond to changes in temperature, humidity, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other gases, and can be integrated with popular home automation systems and platforms. The technology may help to ensure healthy indoor air quality using an automatic indoor-outdoor air exchange. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.