Finnish smart sensor company Ruuvi launched Ruuvi Air to monitor air quality in homes, workplaces and other indoor environments. Noting that most of us spend 90% of our time indooors, the company said air quality is often a wellness blind spot
The announcement from a relatively smaller player will pit the $101 device against air quality sensing products from large companies like Siemens and Honeywell.
Ruuvi Air measures CO2, PM1 (Particulate Matter with a diameter of 1 micrometer or less) , PM2.5, PM4, PM 10, Voc (Volatie Organic Compouds), NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) , temperature, air humidity and air pressure. Measurements are continuously broacasted via Bluetooth Low Energy and can be received on Android and iOS tables and phones among other receivers. It is USB-C powered. Each devices weighs 70 grams.
Indoor spaces can contain pollutants five times greater than outdoors. The EU has adopted an Ambient Air Quality Director to safeguard public health. Bad indoor air is linked to chronic problems with asthma, heart disease and even lung cancer.
“Everyone deserves simple, actionable insights into the air in their homes and workplaces,” said Henri Hakunti, co-founder and COO at Ruuvi. “Many of us just haven’t realized how strongly indoor air shapes daily health and energy and that’s what we want to change.”
Ruuvi Air is equipped with an all-in-one sensor and works with a mobile app to create a Ruuvi Indoor Air Quality Score, which takes inputs from the sensor data to create a 0 to 100 ranking. The company notes that such a ranking is different from a smoke detector that only alerts users when a serious problem develops.
Ruuvi’s website lists the price of a single Ruuvi Air at 86,85 Euros ($101 US). They are available on backorder with deliveries in late October.
The air quality score is based on two factors to judge how good or bad the indoor air is: fine particles (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2). If either rises faster than the other one, the overal value quickly declines. In one example, if fine particles increase during cooking, the score drops even carbon dioxide levels are still good. The higher the score, the healthier air is to breath. Good indoor air supports alertness, concentration and sleep, the company noted.
Ruuvi has been continuously profitable since 2017 and has delivered 390,000 different sensor-based products globally with 75,000 customers. Sales in 2024 were 2.4 million Euros.
The company pitches itself to home, and small and enterprise businesses , emphasizing its open source design. The products can be tested and scaled to corporate product launches.
The global air quality sensor market exceeded $5 billion in 2023 and was projected to reach more than $10 billion in 2032 by SkyQuest Technology Consulting. There are many players in the space, including giants Honeywell, Siemens, Sensirion, 3M and more.