A startup from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has developed a real-time, ultra-compact ultrafine dust sensor. It overcomes the limitations of existing air quality measurement technology by providing per-second readings instead of 1-hour averages and shrinking the conventional 1-meter-wide dehumidifier to just 1 inch (about 2.5 cm).
ETRI announced on the 15th that its startup, Gonggam Sensor, has developed a light-scattering ultrafine and extremely ultrafine dust sensor equipped with an ultra-compact heating dehumidifier. The sensor's performance verification results have been published on the official website of the U.S. South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and the technology is currently being commercialized in the United States.
The 'beta-ray attenuation method,' used for 40 years in global air quality management, collects and analyzes air, providing only 1-hour average values. It fails to capture second-by-second changes, and its data reliability is low at low concentrations. Furthermore, the large, approximately 1-meter-sized dehumidifier required for its operation has many limitations, including high power consumption and difficult installation and maintenance.
The research team developed the ultrafine dust sensor using the light-scattering method, which allows for per-second measurements. This method measures the size, shape, and concentration of particles by utilizing the phenomenon of light scattering when it hits them. The environment for fine dust measurement must be kept dry. The team also succeeded in miniaturizing the necessary dehumidifier to about 1 inch by using artificial intelligence (AI) for precise control to prevent overheating.
The developed device was installed on the Korea Polar Research Institute's icebreaker, the Araon, in 2023, and it operated stably without data loss in the extreme environments of the Antarctic and Arctic routes. It also participated in the Asia-AQ (Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality) campaign led by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), securing global credibility.
Gonggam Sensor has developed the 'Air-AlarmG' app, a real-time, personalized air quality alarm service. Users can set ultrafine dust concentration thresholds based on their health conditions and receive alarms to minimize exposure. The company is also securing high-quality roadside air data for smart city development through demonstrations measuring ultrafine dust from traffic.
In 2020, a nine-year-old girl named Ella, who lived near a busy road in the U.K., died from asthma. Her case is considered the first in which air pollution was officially recognized as a cause of death. "Based on my 20-plus years of experience as a researcher at ETRI, I want to contribute to preventing more victims of air pollution like a 'second Ella'," said Son Myung-hee, CEO of Gonggam Sensor.
