Renesas’ Gas Sensor Powers Safera’s Smart Cooking Sensor
Renesas claims its ZMOD4410 allows the Safera Sense cooking monitor to detect carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds.
In a past smart home roundup, we touched on Renesas' ZMOD4410 gas sensor and its use for hazard detection. Now, this sensor is being used in another technology, Safera Sense, a new smart cooking monitor. Safera, a manufacturer of smart stove guard technology, has nodded to Renesas' ZMOD4410 gas sensor as the key ingredient in Safera Sense.
Employing the ZMOD4410, Safera Sense is said to measure concentrations of airborne particles. These include dangerous PM2.5 contaminates, which can be inhaled and absorbed into the human lungs. The Safera Sense, ensconced in its place above the cooktop, will warn users of bad indoor air quality (IAQ) by flashing its warning light and by transmitting alerts to users' smartphones.
The Safera Sense cooking monitor paired with its accompanying app. Image used courtesy of Safera
“Cooking generates substantial amounts of VOCs, CO2, humidity, and airborne particles, and is the primary cause of bad indoor air quality in the kitchen and throughout the home,” said Debra Deininger, Director of Industrial Sensing at Renesas.
ZMOD4410 application circuit. Image used courtesy of Renesas
“Thanks to our ZMOD4410 gas sensor, the Safera Sense smart cooking sensor alerts users to bad air quality so they can simply open a window or turn on a vent to improve the air quality.”
The ZMOD4410
The ZMOD4410 gas sensor module monitors indoor air quality (IAQ) and measures total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). The device is composed of two sections: a gas sense element and a CMOS signal conditioning IC.
The module’s sense element also consists of two parts. One is a metal oxide chemiresistor, which is a material whose resistance changes as a function of its chemical environment. There is also a Si-based MEMS structure, which provides the necessary heating.
The CMOS signal conditioning IC interfaces directly with the sensing element and, in turn, communicates with an MCU via an I2C bus.
Block diagram for the ZMOD4410. Image used courtesy of Renesas
By variations in the commands from the MPU that are interpreted by the signal conditioning IC, conditions are created that allow the ZMOD4410 to measure not only TVOC and IAC, but to also measure carbon diode levels.
The MOD4410 Gas Sensor Module is housed in a 12-pin 3.0 x 3.0 x 0.7 mm LGA assembly.
The Safera Sense
Cooking is perhaps the number one cause of decreased home air quality, and Safera Sense will let home chefs know when it’s time for ventilation. Cooking is also the main cause of home fires, and this device is designed to warn if the stove is left unattended for too long or if the stove is accidentally left on after the meal is done.
In addition to monitoring gas levels in the kitchen, the Safera Sense can monitor the cooking pan’s temperature, set cooking timers, and alert users step-by-step in established cooking routines. The unit is compliant to European stove guard standard EN 50615 for cooking fire prevention.
Safera Sense claims that they couldn't find any adequate off-the-shelf sensor systems, so they created their own. Screenshot used courtesy of Safera
Additionally, Safera Sense can be connected to popular smart home systems for remote monitoring. This lets users know if elderly adults or unsupervised children are using the stove safely.
Around the Industry
Ion Science’s Tiger LT is a handheld VOC gas detector. The device detects gas concentration from 0 to 5,000 ppm with a two-second response time.
The Atmotube Pro from Atmotube is can detect mold, soot, pollen, dust, and smoke. It also measures temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. It communicates directly with the user’s smartphone.
Feature image (modified) used courtesy of Safera
