Changing the air filter is a commonly forgotten household chore. A new product called FloSmart is designed to notify you when it detects that the filter needs replacing, reports New Atlas writer Ben Coxworth.
Powered by three AA batteries that should reportedly last for up to a year of use, FloSmart is simply clipped onto the frame of an existing air filter, and connected to your home Wi-Fi. As long as the filter remains relatively clean, forced air flows straight through it, bypassing the FloSmart. Once contaminants such as dust and pollen start to accumulate in the filter, though, it gets more difficult for air to pass through it. This means that the air is increasingly forced to go through the FloSmart, bending a small hinged flap within it. Basically, the more the flap bends, the dirtier the filter is becoming.
More specifically, the FloSmart utilizes opposing magnetic force and linear hall effect sensors to measure the bend of the flap. Readings are stored on an onboard processor, and periodically transmitted to an online server for analysis. When that server determines that the filter needs replacing, it notifies you via an iOS/Android app. That app can then be used to order new filters for home delivery, plus it lets you know when the FloSmart's batteries are getting low.
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