Exist

Weekly links 103: Air

The stale air in your office could be slowing your brain

arstechnica.com

Compared with inhaling fresh air, gulping down the stale air found in conventional office buildings can stifle cognitive function by half, researchers report in Environmental Health Perspectives. The finding suggests that improving the performance, productivity, and health of many office workers could be done with just a fresh breeze.

Rocket scientists building a breath analyser for diseases

med.standford.edu

When the team first began looking into the breath analyzer idea, a search of scientific literature revealed that breath testing with the human nose has been used in medicine since ancient times. The rotten-apple smell of acetone is a sign of diabetes. The smell of putrid socks is associated with kidney problems. A fishy smell is indicative of liver disease. Though these nose-based diagnostic skills are still used by some clinicians today, many researchers have recognized the opportunity to develop a medical device that could transform this art into a science.

Airboxlab

Hardware, open-source kit from US $99

An indoor air quality monitor that you assemble yourself, this kit can measure Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, CO2 levels, temperature, and humidity. There are simple LEDs indicating air quality, but it can also export all its readings as CSV data over USB.

Tzoa

Hardware, pre-order from US $139

The Tzoa is a round clip-on tracker that monitors air quality, temperature, humidity, and UV levels, providing you with graphs and alerts based on your environment.

Fresh Air

Software, iOS and Apple Watch

An app that monitors the EPA-standard Air Quality Index (AQI) where you are and can provide notifications if the quality dips below your specified quality limit.

Plume

Software, Android and iOS

This app provides air quality reports for many major cities around the world, and can tell you whether it'd be safer to stay inside today.