App-Based Sprimo Portable Air Monitor Lets You 'See What You Smell'

App-based Sprimo portable air monitor lets you ‘see what you smell’

By Trevor Mogg April 5, 2017

Kickstarter for Sprimo Personal Air Monitor

Although the idea of an app that lets you “see what you smell” at first sounds borderline unsavory, dig a little deeper and we discover that it could actually turn out to be something really very useful.

Air pollution is a serious problem around the world though it’s often hard to know the true quality of the air we’re breathing at any given time.

That could be about to change thanks to an interesting new device launched this week on Kickstarter that plugs into your phone and provides data to the aforementioned accompanying app.

Developed by a two-person team based out of Silicon Valley, the Sprimo lets you check the quality of the air at any time and in any place, whether you’re indoors or outdoors. All you need to do is whip out your phone, plug in the Sprimo, and fire up the app.

The Sprimo boasts “cutting-edge gas detector technology able to detect thousands of volatile organic compounds.” Within seconds of activating the app, you’ll be offered an assessment of the surrounding air quality according to the level of airborne toxins and chemicals, while temperature and humidity readings are also offered.

A neat touch is that if enough people use Sprimo, the app will also offer interactive mapping of local and regional air quality readings so you can check readings far beyond your immediate vicinity.

Made from durable, high-impact ABS plastic and stainless steel, the diminutive device requires no power source and is cable-free.

The first version is for iPhone only, though an Android model is also in development. Early bird Kickstarter backers can secure a Sprimo with a pledge of just $20, which represents a generous 50 percent saving on the expected retail price. It’ll ship to anywhere in the world starting in July.

Sprimo isn’t the first portable air monitor to hit the market, but if it can offer reliable functionality at such an attractive price point, it could become a popular choice for the increasing number of people taking an interest in the air they breathe.

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