Alpine develops air environment sensor module to help prevent and control COVID-19

Monitor the CO2, temperature and humidity parameters of the surrounding environment through high-precision sensors

Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 6770, President and CEO: Toshihiro Kuriyama, Headquarters: Tokyo, hereinafter “Alps Alpine”) has developed a high-precision air environment sensor module for monitoring the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and temperature and humidity parameters of the surrounding environment. By monitoring indoor ventilation and temperature and humidity in places such as restaurants and entertainment venues, it will contribute to the prevention and control of the new crown epidemic. In addition to CO2 and temperature and humidity sensors, the module will also integrate sensors for detecting PM2.5, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and alcohol. We will continue to conduct market research and promote it to a wide range of uses, such as energy-saving functions for white appliances that help curb global warming and functions to prevent driver drowsiness that contribute to safe travel. The product is scheduled to start mass production in 2022.

R&D Background

Although there has been progress in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, the global epidemic has not shown signs of abating. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan pointed out that there are three common characteristics in places where group infections are found: "closed spaces with poor ventilation", "large gatherings", and "close conversations or voices (within arm's reach)". In order to effectively prevent and control the epidemic, in business places where people gather, such as restaurants and entertainment venues, the number of people will be limited, business hours will be shortened, alcohol disinfection will be carried out, body temperature will be measured, and ventilation will be ensured.

Especially in terms of ventilation, if the doors and windows are always open for ventilation, the indoor temperature and humidity will be disturbed, which may affect the comfort of the living environment. But on the other hand, if regular ventilation is performed mainly to adjust the temperature and humidity, the problem is that it is difficult to judge whether the ventilation level can really effectively prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for high-precision CO2 sensors required to grasp the best ventilation time and high-precision temperature and humidity sensors required to restore the temperature and humidity disturbed by ventilation to a comfortable state.

Alps Alpine has an advantage in sensor technology, and has developed sensors that detect changes in parameters such as CO2, temperature and humidity, air pressure, load, and current. These sensors are used in a wide variety of products such as automobiles, consumer electronics, smartphones, and industrial equipment. Using this expertise and experience, Alps Alpine developed this air environment sensor module to help with the prevention and control of the new coronavirus pandemic.

R&D Overview

The air environment sensor module we released this time is a product developed in collaboration with Sensirion※1. This module can detect the CO2 concentration and temperature and humidity levels in the surrounding environment with high accuracy. While maintaining a comfortable indoor space, it also contributes to preventing the spread of the new coronavirus.

Currently, the most widely used CO2 sensor on the market is the non-dispersive infrared absorption spectroscopy (NDIR), which determines the CO2 concentration based on the change in the amount of infrared light absorbed by the CO2 molecules between the infrared transmitter and the receiver. The large size of the sensor is a problem because the detection accuracy depends on the path length of the infrared light. In addition, in NDIR, there is a risk of detection errors due to the misalignment of the infrared output axis during assembly design or product transportation.

The CO2 sensor on this module uses photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) (see Figure 1 below). The working principle is to detect the CO2 concentration by collecting the vibration sound emitted by CO2 molecules when they come into contact with the emitted infrared light through a microphone. Since the detection accuracy does not depend on the path length of the infrared light, high-precision measurement is achieved while the sensor size is greatly reduced to only 10.1 × 10.1 × 6.5mm. In addition, since there is no need to configure a detector opposite the infrared transmitter like the NDIR sensor, it will not be affected by external shocks and has higher stability.

Alps Alpine uses the expertise and experience accumulated over many years of sensor development to provide customers with integrated VOC and alcohol sensors in addition to CO2 and temperature and humidity sensors. While reducing the labor of customer assembly design, functions can be added according to the application to meet diverse needs.

Figure 1

About the prospects

In addition to being used for ventilation monitoring in restaurants and entertainment venues, the module will also be used for various purposes such as energy saving functions in white appliances and driver drowsiness prevention functions. We will conduct market research in Japan and around the world and strive to achieve sales of more than 1 billion yen in fiscal 2023. Through the market deployment of this module, we will create new value that is welcomed by humans and the earth, such as fighting the spread of the new coronavirus, curbing global warming, and contributing to people's safe travel.