After taking on Philips Hue withnew lighting options, Ikea is set to rival the likes of Netatmo and Eve with its own smart air quality monitor.
The Vindstyrka smart sensor is designed to help you keep track of indoor air pollutants, plus humidity and temperature. It can be used alone, with its own electronic display that can be lit through the touch of a button on top, or via the Ikea Home smart app for iOS and Android.
For app control, the Vindstyrka needs to be connected to Ikea’s own Dirigera smart home hub, which also connects other Ikea smart products to your home network. This also allows the smart sensor to activate other devices, such as the Ikea Starkvind smart air purifier, if it hits a particular reading.
The air quality monitor is capable of assessing and showing PM2.5 (particulate matter) levels. These cannot be seen by the human eye and are said to be among the most harmful pollutants. A traffic light system on the digital readout shows whether they are within acceptable levels or if you need to take some form of action.
The monitor can also sense TVOC (total volatile organic compound) levels. These relate to gaseous pollutants you might find in your home.
“Although we spend most of our time indoors, many of us tend to forget about indoor air pollution. We take for granted that the air in our homes is clean, but small everyday activities like cooking or cleaning can contribute to poor air quality just as much as industry or traffic,” said Ikea Sweden’s product owner, Henrik Telander.
“With Vindstyrka, our ambition has been to create an affordable high-performing air quality sensor to help our customers become more aware of the quality of the air they breathe in their homes.”
The Vindstyrka smart air quality sensor will be available in Ikea stores globally from April 2023. Pricing for each region is yet to be announced. You can prepare by downloading the Ikea Home smart app ahead of time, while the Dirigera smart hub for Ikea’s smart home product range is available for £55 in the UK.
