Project ACE | Air Cleansing Entity

The Problem

In 2019, 21 out of the 30 most polluted cities worldwide were in India, pushing the country to 5th place globally. Fine particles in smoke (PM 2.5) are capable of causing severe respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Stationary air purifiers are limited by their range. The challenge was to design a machine that gauges and improves air quality by actively filtering harmful components while moving freely around a space.

The Solution: ACE

We developed the Air Cleansing Entity (ACE), a highly cost-effective (under ₹11,000) rover capable of moving autonomously to purify air.

Mobility: Uses ultrasonic sensors to navigate around obstacles.
Live Data: Equipped with an MQ135 sensor and LCD to display real-time Air Quality Index (AQI).
Cost-Effective: Replaced expensive HEPA filters with a custom N-95 and activated carbon solution.

Under the Hood

1. Filtration Unit

Custom 3-Layer Filter: Constructed using N-95 mask fabric (filtering particles down to 0.1 microns) and static meltblown layers.
Activated Carbon: A dedicated layer of activated carbon granules for adsorption of harmful gases.
Airflow: Powered by two 12V DC axial fans (15x15x5 cm, 1.8A) ensuring rapid inflow and outflow.

2. Mobility Unit

Microcontroller: Arduino UNO equipped with a motor shield.
Drive System: 4 DC motors powered by a 12V battery system.
Sensors: Ultrasonic sensor mounted on a servo motor for obstacle detection, plus an MQ135 air quality sensor.