WearAir: expressive t-shirts for air quality sensing

We designed and prototyped WearAir, an expressive T-shirt to sense the wearer’s surrounding air quality as indicated by the measured volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and publicly express those levels through visually expressive patterns. Although poor air quality has been shown to affect human health, our daily exposure to such pollutants has been inadequately captured and publicly shared. Our work is designed to accurately measure and publicly express the immediately local air quality. Obtaining information regarding air quality indirectly from others might help people to increase their awareness to air quality.