Industrial and electronic products distributor RS Components has launched an activist engineering programme urging the DesignSpark community to engineer for a better world.
The first project calls on engineers to tackle indoor air pollution using the new DesignSpark environmental sensor development platform.
“The pilot project aims to address the challenges of rising air pollution, particularly pollution indoors caused by airborne particles, household odours and gases and carbon dioxide, among others,” RS Components says.
“The air quality project urges the more than one-million registered members of the DesignSpark engineering community to help design, build and deploy a global network of portable indoor air quality monitors for the home, workplace or other public indoor spaces and share the data collected back to the community,” the company notes.
To support the project, RS has unveiled a new cloud-enabled open-source prototyping platform that consists of open-source hardware and code developed in collaboration with DesignSpark partners. The DesignSpark environmental sensor development platform is based on a Raspberry Pi single-board computer with wireless connectivity to connect to the cloud.
“The kit comprises a set of air quality sensor modules that plug into a Raspberry Pi-compatible board with touchscreen. The platform and three-dimensional (3D) printed enclosures are optimised for the Raspberry Pi model 3B+, [but] any model can be used. It is also compatible with peripheral modules (PMOD), allowing connection to an extensive range of PMOD add-on boards.”
The air quality project will roll out over three phases for six months from November, with a small group of first phase participants selected to Alpha test the sensor development platform.
These users will create and share inspirational projects to the DesignSpark community, paving the way for Phase 2 of the project, which will be extended to all DesignSpark members with an opportunity to win one of 50 sensor kits. Commercial availability will follow in the final phase, the company says.
“Sustainability is critical to the future of our planet, which is why we are calling on engineers across the globe to use their skills and take action,” says Electrocomponents Innovation and DesignSpark Group lead Mike Bray. RS Components is a trading brand of Electrocomponents.
“Through programmes like this, we hope engineers will join together in force to create sustainable designs that will make a positive difference to people and communities,” he said.
Engineers who want to get involved can visit the DesignSpark website.
The DesignSpark #ActivistEngineering programme is to further strengthen the company’s commitment to engage and inspire design engineers across the globe to "make amazing happen for a better world".
The launch of the DesignSpark #ActivistEngineering programme supports the broader goals of the Electrocomponents Group, which published its global 2030 environmental, social and governance action plan, named "for a better world" on November 4.