The air quality of a room is important for users - especially in pandemic times. Computer science students Oskar Flath and Martin Jänel have developed a cube in their complex practical course that measures humidity, air pressure, temperature and the proportion of volatile organic compounds in the air. All sensor data is transmitted via MQTT (IoT protocol) over WLAN to a server, from which it is retrieved and evaluated and feedback on the air quality is given to the cube. The cube uses LED lights to indicate when the air in the room is deteriorating and when it needs to be ventilated. An acoustic warning signal is also planned.

It is also possible for the Cube to use NFC tags to record the number of people entering and leaving a room. In this way, the number of participants can be checked and regulated at (teaching) events. Five cubes are planned for the test phase, which will monitor air quality in rooms in the Andreas Pfitzmann Building starting in the winter semester. The cost of a cube is 30 euros.

"One of our goals is to equip more rooms at the TU Dresden with the Cube in the future and thus ensure a healthy climate at the university," says Oskar Flath.