Remote Air Quality Reporting (RAQR) Device

Intellisense Systems, Inc. (ISI) proposes to advance the development of a new Remote Air Quality Reporting (RAQR) device to measure and track wildland fire pollutants including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates, in a small, portable, easy-to-use unit capable of storing and reporting data from remote locations. As wildfires are expected to occur more frequently near populated areas, persistent air-quality monitoring has become more urgent and important. The RAQR system is based on ISI’s existing commercial remote meshed sensor technology that can harvest solar power and communicate through radio, cellular, or Iridium satellite communication systems, coupled with a new innovative, compact air-quality sensor suite. RAQR is a small, simple to set up, and does not require hardline power, and will enable the end-user to deploy a robust network of air-quality sensors rapidly and at low cost, to track air quality around densely populated areas at significantly higher geographical resolution than currently possible, and can also serve as an early warning system for fire detection. The RAQR device has already demonstrated its feasibility as a remote, low-power, low-cost device that can measure carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulates, humidity, and temperature from a compact, easily installed, self-contained sensing module. This integrated sensor coupled with ISI’s reporting module results in a fully autonomous, simple-setup wireless meshed network with an indefinite lifetime due to low-power electronics and solar energy harvesting. The RAQR technology has the potential to revolutionize wildland fire monitoring, reporting, and user alerts from a low-cost, compact, easily installed system. At approximately 1/10th the cost of legacy, bulky air quality monitoring systems, RAQR meets accuracy standards defined in the EPA’s Wildland Fire Challenge. A RAQR sensing network deployed by either local or state governments and/or national agencies will greatly increase geographical sensing resolution of areas at risk of wildfire as well as general air pollution with significantly lower installation and sustainment cost compared to the current state of the art. This dense sensing network will allow for earlier detection and alerts of potential fires, as well as provide valuable data to enhance existing weather and smoke modelling, ultimately enabling human wellbeing while protecting national and local forest land. The result of RAQR commercialization and development will culminate in a product with the same demonstrated success as ISI’s other sensing technologies that have been deployed in 60+ countries throughout the world.