How to setup a Smart Citizen Kit for air quality monitoring?

This guide will help COs assemble Smart Citizen Kits, register them, and deploy them to start collecting data. The Smart Citizen Kit (SCK) is an open source environmental monitoring device, customizable and modular for multiple use cases.

Depending on what type of device you have (we also call them kits), you will need to start at a different step:

• If you have a DIY kit, you will need to follow the device assembly section and then move on to the device registration section.

• For cases that requested pre-assembled kits, you can skip ahead to the device registration section.

Device assembly

DIY kits will need to be assembled before deployment. All the components needed are shipped along with the sensors, including 3D printed enclosure components, screws, etc.

Components

Indoor Devices

For indoor DIY kits, you will need the following components:

• 1 x "multipurpose" cover (3D printed)

• 1 x base (3D printed)

• 1 x Smart Citizen Starter Pack box:

  • Smart Citizen Kit 2.3 with PM sensor

  • SD card and reader

  • 2Ah Battery

  • USB charger and cable

• 1 x plastic bag with the following components:

  • 2 x latches

  • 1 x clip for PM and electronics board

  • 6 x M3x30mm INOX screws

  • 2x M3x10mm screws

Outdoor Devices

For outdoor DIY kits, you will need the following components:

• 1 x outdoor cover (3D printed) ⚠️

• 1 x base (3D printed)

• 1 x Smart Citizen Starter Pack box:

  • Smart Citizen Kit 2.3 with PM sensor

  • SD card and reader

  • 2Ah Battery

  • USB charger and cable

• 1 x plastic bag with the following components:

  • 2 x latches

  • 1 x clip for PM and electronics board

  • 6 x M3x30mm INOX screws

  • 2 x M3x10mm screws

  • 2 x nylon spacers

• 1 x aluminum umbrella

• 1 x power supply with cables with cover

• 1 x plastic bag with the following components:

  • 4 x M3x15mm screws

  • 1 x M4x10mm screw

  • 1 x M4x25mm screw

  • 4 x M3x15mm screws

• Filtering foam (large sheet of thin black foam, roughly A4 size)

Tools (included)

• 1 x 2.5 HEX key

• 1 x 3 HEX key (for outdoor umbrella only)

Tools (not included, but needed)

• 1 x Phillips screw driver

Assembly Steps

1. Assemble the enclosure

Insert the 6 x M3x30mm INOX screws as indicated in the photographs below.

2. Assemble the device

• Insert the micro SD card into the slot

• Separate the two boards, insert the nylon spacers, then reconnect the boards assuring that the pins are correctly aligned. (See video below.)

• Insert the PCB boards into the 3D printed clip. There is a small groove where the board sits, slide the board all the way in and then snap the two other corners into place. (See video below.)

• Insert the PM sensor into it's slot in the clip, and push it snugly into place

• Connect the PM cable from the PCB board to the PM sensor feeding it through the holders on the back of the clip to keep it flat.

  • The cable orientation does not matter, both ends are the same.

• Insert the components into the base of the enclosure, ensuring that it is fully pushed into the enclosure.

• Tuck the battery into place behind the PCB board, using the PM cable to keep it in place.

• Use the 2x M3x10mm and the 2.5 HEX key to screws to screw the clip and components into place

3. Assemble the umbrella (for outdoor devices only)

• Using the 2.5 HEX key, install the 4 x M3x15mm screws into the four holes on the underside of the umbrella.

• Align the enclosure as indicated in the left image below. Using the M4x10mm screw and the 3 HEX key connect the power supply box to the umbrella (bottom left hole, as indicated in the right image), then secure the enclosure using the M4x25mm screw (top left hole) with the 3 HEX key. This should lock the device in place. Check that the device does not move and that you can see the screw pushing the top of the device down securely.

• Using the 4 x M3x15mm screws and a Phillips screw driver, attach the power supply cover.

• Feed the USB cable through the enclosure box and plug it into the device.

• Connect the battery and plug in the device into a wall outlet.

• Cut and insert filtering foam to protect the sensors from water and dust buildup (this foam was included with other materials as a large sheet, roughly A4).

Device registration

Once the device is assembled, you can proceed to register your device in the online platform. CitiObs devices are registered through the Smart Citizen Platform. There are two steps to this:

1. Create an account in the platform, and register all your devices on it

2. Share the account name with Smart Citizen Team ([email protected]) to enable research options

3. Enable data forwarding to CitiObs tools

Onboarding your device

The onboarding app will guide you through the process of the setup using simple language and a friendly graphic language.

Visit the onboarding app at start.smartcitizen.me. Before you start make sure you have:

• A computer to visit the onboarding app

• A smartphone (or tablet, or another computer) to connect to the kit and configure it

The app will guide you through the steps. Let us know if there is any issue.

Enable data forwarding to CitiObs Platform

The easiest way to enable forwarding is to visit your device on the website and click on the EDIT button on the bottom part of the graphs.

Then, scroll down to the forwarding section and enable the checkbox. Make sure all the other settings are shown as in the image below, and to hit update when you are done!

In addition, please add the CitiObs tag on your device:

Enable notifications

The easiest way to enable forwarding is to visit your device on the website and click on theEDIT button on the bottom part of the graphs.

Then, scroll down to the notifications section and enable both. This will trigger an email in case the device stops publishing. This step is crucial to ensure that, in the event of sensor malfunction, we can avoid data loss. There are no additional notifications on that email.

Create an experiment

An experiment is a way to group devices and share data with others through the Smart Citizen Platform. You can create an experiment by visiting your user profile:

Fill out the relevant information such as name, description, start and end dates and add the devices on the KITS section. You can search there for your COs devices and create a collection of devices which is very handy to share later on.

Advanced devices

Advanced devices (such as NO2 devices), requires handling of calibration data. For this reason, it's necessary to store the physical ID (Station ID or Hardware ID) of the unit alongside to the virtual device in the Smart Citizen Platform. The hardware ID should normally be in a sticker to the enclosure both inside and outside and looks like this:

Station ID

• This number is important to relate to the actual calibration values of the sensors, stored in the data repository. In order to postprocess the data and calculate pollutants, make sure that the Station ID is safely stored in the platform's device

• The easiest way to enable forwarding is to visit your device on the website and click on theEDIT button on the bottom part of the graphs.

• Then, in the hardware URL field, introduce the number in the sticker (it should be something like SCAS2200XX)

• Once this process is done, you should be able to check that the postprocessing is safely stored in the Platform by visiting the following link (Make sure your<DEVICE-ID> is correct): https://api.smartcitizen.me/v0/devices/<DEVICE-ID>/

Device Deployment

Indoor devices

There are only two possibilities for the device to be placed indoors: laterally or vertically.

Outdoor devices

The outdoor devices are deployed as below:

Some basic deployment tips:

• Try to keep the device continuously powered if it is installed in a fixed location.

• Avoid using the device in places with high humidity or large amounts of dust; otherwise, clean/check the device periodically to prevent potential issues.

• Avoid covering the sensors, especially the PM sensor.

• Deploy the device facing downwards if outdoors, so that dust doesn't accumulate on the sensors.

• Avoid direct airflow towards the sensors; if exposed under flow conditions, keep the flow parallel to the sensor surfaces.

• Avoid exhaust from air conditioning units, kitchens, etc.

• Protect the sensors from moisture using filtering foam, nail polish, or both to cover the sensor pads (see here).

Additional information

The Smart Citizen Documentation provides all information related to the hardware, the data and what can be done with it. Some quick links:

Battery Information

All devices comes with USB cable and an adapter with an additional 2000mAh LiPo battery. The SCK has a micro USB port and can be charged like any smartphone or tablet using a dedicated adapter or a computer USB port.

Data logging

Wi-Fi Mode (online) This is the standard mode and requires a Wi-Fi connection. In this way, the device will publish data every minute (time resolution can be configured) on the smartcitizen.me platform. If a micro SD card is inserted, the data will be stored in duplicate as a backup.

SD Mode (offline)

If we do not have an internet connection, we can use the SD mode. In this case, the device will record the data on the micro SD card. Later we can read the card using a card reader. The recorded data can be visually explored in a spreadsheet but also published on the platform utilising the UPLOAD CSV option.

Limitations

• The Kit location needs to be set during the installation process, and it can be updated at any time using the EDIT option on the platform if you made a mistake. However, the Kit does not record its location automatically neither we can't have multiple locations for the same Kit in the platform.

• Unstable Wi-Fi environments need careful consideration. Check these guidelines for support: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/_FAQ/#what-can-i-do-in-unstable-wi-fi-environments