##What is it? DustDuino can help individuals with limited resources monitor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, indoors or outdoors. It uses [Shinyei PPD42NS](http://www.sca-shinyei.com/pdf/PPD42NS.pdf), a $15USD optical sensor that uses an LED and a lens to determine the concentration of dust in a partially closed chamber that draws in air from its surroundings. The sensor data is received by an [Arduino](http://www.arduino.cc/) development board and transmitted to Xively. Prototypes of DustDuino have been successfully built and used in various indoor and outdoor locations. [question:dustduino] ##What can the DustDuino Do? From the [Data Quality Research Note](http://publiclab.org/notes/Willie/03-06-2015/dustduino-data-quality) Test results indicate that DustDuino provides accurate and useful information, albeit of a somewhat limited scope and under certain conditions. An academic [study](http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/7/605/2014/amtd-7-605-2014.pdf) which compared the Shenyei particulate matter sensor to costlier models used by governments, researchers, and companies found that this low-cost sensor produced results equivalent to much more expensive ones when analyzing data at hourly intervals. Testing with reference monitors conducted in [Berkeley, California in late 2013](http://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/7/605/2014/amtd-7-605-2014.pdf) concluded that the results of the low-cost sensor were about equivalent to much more expensive ones when analyzing data at hourly intervals. ”Performance at 1 [hour] integration times was comparable to commercially available optical instruments costing considerably more.” Testing in high PM2.5 environments such as the city of Xi'an, China also has shown [high correlations between the Shenyei and reference monitors](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115000160). By setting up a variety of monitors throughout the city, researchers were able to identify the High-technology Zone site as a potential PM2.5 hotspot with sustained high concentrations compared to the city average throughout the day. There are still some unknowns with regard to the sensor - for example, whether it needs to be co-located with higher-quality instruments for calibration, and whether it could be used in extreme environments. There are also some limitations - the sensor may not produce high-quality information at time intervals shorter than an hour, ##Photos [![DustDuino.jpg](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/003/998/medium/DustDuino.jpg)](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/003/998/original/DustDuino.jpg) ##Why make one? The health effects attributed to outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) rank it among the risk factors with the highest health impacts in the world, [accounting for over 3.2 million premature deaths annually](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es2025752). In October 2013, the World Health Organization [announced](http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/pr221_E.pdf) they consider particulate matter, a major component of indoor and outdoor air pollution, as a Group 1 carcinogen along with tobacco smoke and asbestos. ##How to Make One From the [DustDuino Research Note](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino) You will need: 1. A WiFi network in your home 2. Arduino Uno development board 3. Arduino Wireless Proto Shield 4. Shinyei PPD-42 Dust Sensor 5. Sparkfun Roving Networks RN-XV WiFi module 6. USB type B cable (for programming the Arduino) 7. 9V DC power supply (or a 5V USB cell phone charger along with your USB-B cable) 8. 22AWG solid core hookup wire (M/M jumper wires can be used in a pinch) 9. Soldering equipment (soldering iron, solder, and soldering paste) 10. Arduino sketch from the DustDuino GitHub repository (zipped repo also contains background literature on the PPD-42, mass concentration algorithms, and the DustDuino logo). [Step 1: Program the WiFi module](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino#Step+1:+Program+the+WiFi+module) [Step 2: Hook up the Shinyei PPD-42 particulate sensor ](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino#Step+2:+Hook+up+the+Shinyei+PPD-42+particulate+sensor) [Step 3: Set up a Xively account](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino#Step+3:+Set+up+a+Xively+account+) [Step 4: Code the Arduino](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-[a-dustduino#Step+4:+Code+the+Arduino) [Step 5: Keep everything together](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino#Step+5:+Keep+everything+together) ##Research Notes | Title | Overview | :-------------------------:|:---------------------:| | [How to Make a DustDuino](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino) | Intro, parts list, assembly, configuration | | [Data Quality](http://publiclab.org/notes/Schroyer/11-23-2013/measure-coarse-and-fine-air-particulates-with-a-dustduino) | A review of relevant scientific literature, limitations, and use cases | | [Solar Powered Air Quality Sensor ](http://publiclab.org/notes/nicholas/12-22-2014/solar-powered-air-quality-sensor) | Combining the air quality sensor with a GSM network. | | [Testing a Mobile DustDuino](http://publiclab.org/notes/Willie/09-02-2014/testing-the-mobile-dustduino)| An experimental dustduino ride along | ##Scientific Journal Articles A [distributed network of low-cost continuous reading sensors](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749115000160) to measure spatiotemporal variations of PM2.5 in Xi'an, China; Meiling Gao, Junji Cao, Edmund Seto. January 13, 2015 [PDF LINK](http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0269749115000160/1-s2.0-S0269749115000160-main.pdf?_tid=9ca954e2-ae5c-11e4-9076-00000aacb35f&acdnat=1423267531_78064379fb071e29e3cf180d34d15365) [Field calibrations of a low-cost aerosol sensor at a regulatory monitoring site in California](http://atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/7/605/2014/amtd-7-605-2014.pdf); DM Holstius et al. January 27, 2014. ##External Tutorials [Mental Munitions](http://www.mentalmunition.com/2013/10/measure-air-pollution-in-your-home-or.html) [Earth Journalism Network- Civic Science & Sensors Program](earthjournalism.net/projects/citizen-science-sensors) ##News Articles [Nature; Environmental science: Pollution patrol](http://www.nature.com/news/environmental-science-pollution-patrol-1.16654) [Newsweek; How Civic Science Is Changing Environmentalism](http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/07/how-civic-science-changing-environmentalism-279777.html)