Introducing the Smart Citizen Kit 2.3: An Open Source Tool for Environmental Monitoring
In recent years, the growing concern over environmental issues such as air pollution, climate change, and urbanization has led to a heightened awareness of the importance of monitoring our surroundings. With the advancement of technology and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), individuals and communities now have the power to gather and analyze environmental data more easily than ever before. One innovative solution that embodies this shift is the Smart Citizen Kit by Fab Lab Barcelona, Seeed Studio, IAAC, and the European Commission. It is an open-source tool that allows anyone to monitor their environment, understand it, and contribute data through the Smart Citizen Platform. Since the launch of the first Smart Citizen Kit in 2012, Fab Lab Barcelona has been committed to empowering communities to better understand their surroundings by developing open tools for environmental monitoring.
Designed to empower citizen scientists, researchers, educators, and environmentally-conscious individuals, this comprehensive tool enables users to monitor various environmental parameters while providing a complete platform and tools to foster open data collection and community engagement. Smart Citizen provides a unique ecosystem of sensor kits, software platforms, and tools that enable communities to make sense of their environment and take action.
Introducing the SCK2.3: More Advanced Than Ever
Seeed Studio and Fab Lab Barcelona proudly introduce the latest version of the Smart Citizen Kit: the SCK2.3. The new SCK collects environmental data more accurately and it’s easier to use. Likewise, it introduces new sensors and a more robust firmware loaded with features, while maintaining everything that made the previous versions great!
Key Features
- Multi-Sensor Capabilities: The new SCK2.3 is compatible with the previous SCK2.1. It brings new sensors, more customization, and exciting features that allow anyone to accurately measure and collect better quality data, including UV readings, an improved PM sensor to better measure air quality, along with the classic sensors from the previous SCK2.1: temperature, humidity, noise and light pollution.
- User-Friendly Interface: The SCK2.3 is designed to allow anyone to start measuring in no time, making it accessible for beginners, educators, and researchers alike. Its straightforward setup process and intuitive interface allow users to easily start collecting data without needing advanced technical skills.
- Open Source Hardware with Customization Options: As with previous versions, the SCK2.3 is fully open source, allowing users to modify and customize its hardware and firmware, tailoring the SCK to meet their specific needs. For example, users can add a diverse selection of new sensors to measure additional metrics for indoor and outdoor air quality, and water and soil measurements. In addition, Fab Lab Barcelona has a wide range of open-source designs that allow users to 3D print and build their enclosures, recycling them when they are done, and saving some industrial plastic manufacturing in the process.
- Data Sharing and Visualization: Collected data can be uploaded to the Smart Citizen Platform, where users can visualize their findings through easy-to-read graphs. The Smart Citizen Platform is completely open for people to access, making it easy for anyone to play, experiment, and work with environmental data!
- Various data-logging options: The SCK2.3 is designed to publish data using your home or office Wi-Fi and can store data in CSV format on a MicroSD. It also includes an internal memory to store more than a month’s worth of data in case the device loses its Wi-Fi connection. Data is published automatically when the connection is recovered.
- Flexible Power Options: Similar to previous versions, the SCK2.3 can be powered via micro USB, and it also comes with a 2000mAh LiPo battery. The battery is meant to be a complete power option for short-term measurements (from days to a week) and a backup solution when the SCK is used for longer periods. It is also compatible with various other charging options, including battery packs, or solar panels for off-the-grid deployments.
Brought to Market by Fusion Co-Create Services
Seeed Fusion is dedicated to elevating your innovative ideas into products and solutions for various verticals. With the full range of open-source modules and industry-grade devices, expertise in product design, experience in production, and resources in glocal community and marketing. We’re your go-to partner from 0 to ∞. Co-Create with Seeed Fusion, you can leverage Seeed’s capabilities in Prototype, Produce, and Promote, ranging from custom design, manufacturing to selling, covering the full product lifecycle from idea to delivery and iteration!
Through our collaboration with Fab Lab Barcelona, we provided essential support in the following areas:
- Help develop the prototype: Help develop the prototype and facilitate development by providing test units and custom parts to better improve the SCK2.3.
- Components supply: Supply the necessary components for producing the Smart Citizen Kit.
- Supply chain optimization: Optimize the supply chain locally to find the best suppliers and reduce costs.
- Batch manufacturing: Commit to manufacturing to ensure that the kit is available in sufficient quantities for users.
- Product launch: Understand the market and launch the product on our official website, making it easily accessible to the public.
- Marketing support: Leverage our extensive marketing channels to promote the product, ensuring it reaches a wider audience.
- Unlocking potential: Help Fab Lab Barcelona understand where to go next, and explore potential synergies with Seeed products.
Pre-order Now
The Smart Citizen Kit 2.3 is now available for pre-order at our website for $149. If you want to support Smart Citizen, we’re also offering an early bird discount of 10% off.
Use the code Smartcitizen to enjoy this exclusive discount NOW as it’s a limited offer that expires on December 20, 2024.
If you’re interested in bringing this amazing invention to your community or country, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. Moreover, our Fusion Co-Create Program is dedicated to enabling more developers and teams like Fab Lab Barcelona to scale up their impactful designs, while providing them with a licensing fee for each piece sold. If you also have a cool Seeed-based project that you want to bring to the market, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].
Useful Links
- Setting up your kit: https://start.smartcitizen.me/
- Viewing the data: https://smartcitizen.me/kits/
- Forum: https://forum.smartcitizen.me/
- Documentation: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/
- Print your own enclosure: https://enclosures.smartcitizen.me/
Last But Not Least: Meet Fab Lab Barcelona Team at Our Livestream
Tune in on December 20th when we will be hosting a livestream in collaboration with the Fab Lab Barcelona team to provide a more intuitive demonstration of how Smart Citizen works. Be the first to know the story behind the Smart Citizen Kit 2.3. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask them any questions you may have about the product!
Get a sneak peek into the development process and learn how Fusion Co-Create brought this product to life.
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