What it does
aq is a compact, elegant wearable air quality indicator that raises awareness of (hyper-) local air quality through a soft, pulsing glow based on the AQI (Air Quality Index) scale. aq helps users make informed decisions about the routes they take in the city.
Your inspiration
My interest in creating a user-centric air-quality wearable device stems from my personal experiences with air pollution growing up in Sofia, Bulgaria. My product addresses the broader issue of the role designers play in developing air quality devices, emphasising their significance in streamlining the communication of air quality data to users, as clean air is vital for respiratory health, promoting activity and overall life quality. While AQ doesn’t directly solve the urban air quality problem, it empowers citizens to make their own decisions based on hyper-local data, visible feedback, and route suggestions for cleaner air.
How it works
Designed for versatility, the aq wearable indicator clips onto your wrist, jacket, or shirt, or straps to a bag, belt, or bike using the adjustable silicone strap. It features an on/off button, USB-C port, and back slot for the strap. When air quality is poor (signaled by a red glow), it beeps an alert. Each aq kit includes the strap, a charging cable, and a setup guide, summarising how to interpret air quality levels. It works indoors, tracking VOCs, CO₂, temperature, humidity, and pressure in real time. When connected to WiFi, it sends data to Home Assistant for trend mapping. The aq indicator has a durable, transparent UV resin top casing that protects a light ring in silicone. An acrylic airflow grid allows air flow to the device sensor ventilation. The outer shell encloses a PCB with WiFi and Bluetooth, and ESPHome integration. It monitors bVOCeq, CO₂eq, PM10, temperature, pressure, and humidity. A rechargeable LiPo battery powers aq 7–8 hours daily.
Design process
I designed aq as my final year project at the School of Design, Edinburgh University in 2024. It was iteratively refined through workshops with users across age groups, including people with asthma, as well as commuters, delivery drivers, cyclists, and runners. Their feedback shaped everything, from the physical form to the data it measures and how it’s displayed in real time on the move. This co-design process revealed that the globally recognised AQI colour-coded scale is the clearest way to communicate live air quality. It provides a simple visual cue that fits into daily routines. Two prototyping paths were explored: one using onboard sensors to measure personal exposure to pollutants , and another retrieving data via API from nearby government stations. Users strongly preferred trusting live sensing over local data government readings, which felt less personal. aq developed through many design iterations, influenced by a minimalist aesthetic that uses negative space and oval forms to suggest airflow. Continuous testing informed design choices, from attachment styles to materials. Wearability trials showed a white silicone gradient ring with pulsing light best communicates air quality. A dual attachment style, a clip for clothing and a strap, ensures wearable versatility.
How it is different
aq is the world’s smallest wearable air quality indicator, outperforming predecessors like AtmoTube in size, wearability, usability, and accessibility. It pairs low-cost, calibrated sensors with rapid production, making it more affordable for everyday users. Unlike most environmental wearables, aq was developed as a daily-use product through a user-led process. Every feature is grounded in lived experience. The result is a precise, real-time alert device that’s proudly wearable. aq is both a desired accessory and a tool for awareness. Other wearables display AQ data in an app, requiring users to pull out their phone. With aq, air quality is always visible in an unobtrusive yet informative way, instead of seeing numbers, a pulsing light signals AQ instantly. From the inside out, sustainability is central to aq, proving that clean air tech can be ethical, accessible, and beautifully designed.
Future plans
aq has partnered with LLcloud (https://www.llcloud.eu/), a multi-scale and sensor Earth Observation, smart city application cloud platform provider, to advance the next generation of wearables powered jointly by satellite, IoT/smart city, and local sensor air quality data. The team is co-developing an optimized hardware version with improved battery performance and working toward launching a fully custom aq mobile app. The aq app will feature a real-time air quality map, layering data from LLcloud’s satellite partners with AQ city station network readings, where available, and the on-the-ground hyper-local readings from AQ wearables.
Connect