Beijing Dad's Air Quality Device Kicks off Crowdfunding Campaign

We Beijing air obsessives will soon have a new gadget to play with: The AirVisual Node, a cool new home AQI monitor with advanced features that kicked off its crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo yesterday.

Built by a long-term Beijing expat dad, the monitor features indoor and outdoor AQI readings paired with air quality forecasting and a handy built-in CO2 monitor to tell if you're home or office is sealed just a little too tight, causing a loss of alertness and even diminished mental capacity.
 

Yann Boquillod, the creator of the device, has built several working prototypes and is continuously updating AirVisual's app and website. He launched to Indiegogo campaign to fund the manufacture of the first batch of his devices.

Less than 24 hours since its launch, the campaign already has more than 40 backers, and the first 100 early birds can get a device for USD 139 (RMB 915), which is RMB 73 off the expected RMB 988 retail price in Beijing (the price outside of China will be USD 199, which is a little over RMB 1,300 at current exchange rates). If you want to go nuts and stock every room of your mansion with a device (or group-buy with friends), you can buy 10 for USD 1299 (RMB 8,547), which boosts the per-device discount to RMB 133.

Though the campaign promises delivery of the device in April, Boquillod says Beijingers will most likely get access to the first batch of devices in March.

Interesting to note that significant interest in the device is coming from New Delhi, which is locked in a mortal battle with Beijing for the title of Filthiest Capital City on Earth.

Images: AirVisual