Makes indoor air quality monitoring system prototyping easier
CCS811 and CCS801 evaluation kits, PC-based user software

ams (Korea Branch Representative Jong-Deok Lee) announced that it is introducing two new evaluation kits for designers who want to integrate compact, low-power IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) monitoring circuits into portable devices such as smartphones and wearables, or home/building automation devices such as thermostats and IP cameras.

The CCS811-LG_EK_ST kit includes two types of ams environmental sensors. The CCS811 gas sensor system-on-chip (SSoC) detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments using low-power sensor technology. The CCS801-DF_EK_ST kit uses the CCS801 VOC gas sensor and an external MCU instead of the CCS811. The ENS210 is a relative humidity and temperature sensor IC characterized by very high accuracy.

The CCS811 includes an embedded microcontroller equipped with the ams algorithm, which converts sensor-detected results into total equivalent VOC (ppb) and equivalent CO2 (ppm) measurements. These can be used to provide IAQ measurements. The system regulates the digital output of the CCS811 by compensating for ambient environmental changes using relative humidity and temperature measurements detected by the ENS210.

Using the CCS8x1 and ENS210 sensors with ams algorithms enables the implementation of a complete IAQ monitoring solution with low power consumption and minimal board space, making it suitable for various portable applications.

The new evaluation kit allows for the simple configuration and operation of sensor systems, as well as the recording and viewing of measurement results. Each kit consists of a sensor board equipped with an I2C digital interface, a USB-I2C board, and a USB cable. For Windows OS-based PCs, this board supports a free graphical user interface (GUI).

Designers can easily operate the CCS8x1/ENS210 sensor board within minutes by connecting the kit to a PC's USB port and downloading the GUI software. In the GUI, users can select one of three predefined operating modes (sampling rate intervals: 1 second, 10 seconds, and 60 seconds). Graphs of the raw sensor data measured immediately, relative humidity and temperature measurements, and total equivalent VOC and equivalent CO2 levels are recorded and displayed through the GUI.

Paul Wilson, Senior Marketing Manager at ams, explained, “Demand from consumers who want to know about the quality of the air they breathe indoors is rapidly increasing. In this context, the CCS8x1 and ENS210 provide compact solutions for IAQ monitoring that are compatible with battery-operated systems. ams’ newly introduced evaluation kits make it easier for designers to verify whether consistent and reliable IAQ information is being generated in the application’s intended operating environment, as well as to make system operation easier.”