How many sensors per square meter?

FAQ
1

Hello!

Is there a rough estimated value of how many sensor I need per square meter?

Thanks in advance

2

Hi,
Need for what ? Where? Can you be a little more specific ? I wish we would habe 1 sesor per squre meter on the whole world surface. What a grid it would be :slight_smile:
The amount of sensor per surface can be calculated with QGIS.

3

Sorry for being unspecific. We have a big ground in an industrial area with a company building on it. Does it make sense to have for example 4 sensors on each corner of the building.
It feels for me, that it is not so necessary to have several devices. But on the other hand, more sensors, more data. But who knows?

When reading your wish it feels like I need a lot more :joy:

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4

Start with 1 and then add some

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5

Well 4 or more would make a lot of sense if you have multiple pollution intensities. For example, chimney, air-conditioning…

6

I think it’s a good idea to have three in a given location. If you have 1 then there is no way to know if it is working correctly. If you have two, then they could differ but you wouldn’t know why. If you have three, you will see that they all agree (more or less because it’s a $20 part) or you might see that one is showing a different value from the other and you can replace it.

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7

I have a question on this. How many sensors does it take to make “low cost” a misnomer?
By low cost I am also considering the environmental costs of the PCBs including disposal etc.

8

How do you mean? Only from the amount of sensors?

9

If you are replying to my question, then I was just raising it as a word of caution for not getting too carried away with ever increasing numbers of the low cost systems.

However, if you were considering a large grid of sensors, then I would say that a full analysis of the cost benefit should be made including the power requirements, disposal etc.

For instance, if it is a case where you might want to use the information for evidence to invoke positive change by authorities etc. Then assuming it has to be “accredited” how many sensors would it take to have a system that is deemed as good as a fully accredited instrument? Are the costs significantly different?

I don’t know the answer to all this but I think it is something to consider when adding more sensors to a community.

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