Project · draft
Classroom CO2 Ventilation Monitor (Traffic-Light Display)
- beginner
- 3-5 hours
SDG 3 · Good Health and Well-being
Shows when a crowded room needs fresh air, a simple prompt for better ventilation and healthier indoor spaces.
Safety notes
- CO2 is a ventilation indicator, not a measure of infection risk or of other pollutants. It is not a CO alarm: never use it to detect carbon monoxide.
Draft and unofficial, not affiliated with Fab Academy or the United Nations. Check prices, GST and parts before you buy.
Summary
A laser-cut wall unit with a CO2 readout and an LED bar: green when ventilation looks fine, amber and red as CO2 builds up. Outdoor air is roughly 420 ppm; many guidelines use around 800-1000 ppm as a prompt to ventilate.
What it teaches
Read a true photoacoustic CO2 sensor (SCD40) over I2C, understand why CO2 is a proxy for how much exhaled air is in a room, map readings to a traffic-light LED bar, and log a school day to see the effect of opening windows.
Topics it touches, in Fab Academy-style terms:
- Input devices
- Output devices
- Embedded programming
- Computer-controlled cutting
Parts list
Parts cost
Some parts are not priced yet, so there's no total.
1 required part is marked not priced yet below, and 1 optional. Where a price is known it is shown per part, GST-inclusive as the seller listed it on 24 Oct 2026, with the GST rate unverified. Shipping is not included.
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 Wi-Fi & BLE Development Boardxiao-esp32c3 | 1 | pcs | ₹734 | ₹734 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Sensirion SCD40 CO2 sensor module (photoacoustic, I2C)scd40-co2-module | 1 | pcs | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| 0.96 Inch OLED Display Module SPI/I2C 4pin Blue Coloroled-096-i2cI2C 0x3C | 1 | pcs | ₹167 | ₹167 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| WS2812 8 Bit RGB LED (straight)led-ws2812-8bar | 1 | pcs | ₹30 | ₹30 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| 40x1 Pin 2.54mm Pitch Male Berg Stripheader-male-40x1 | 1 | pcs | ₹8 | ₹8 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Male to Female Jumper Wires (20cm) (20pcs)jumpers-f2m-20cm-20Pack: pack of 20 male-female 20cm | 1 | set | ₹28 | ₹28 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type C USB Cable (1 metre)cable-usb-c-1mSkip if you already have a data-capable USB-C cable | 1 | pcs | ₹65 | ₹65 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Cast/extruded acrylic sheet, 3 mm (laser-cut parts)acrylic-3mm-sheetCase with vents for airflow to the sensor | 1 | sheet | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
The Part column links to the shared catalogue. Units are pcs, m, g, sheet or set, and a "set" is the seller's pack, as noted per part.
Tools you will need
- Laser cutter
- Laptop with Arduino IDE or MicroPython
Build notes
Step-by-step build notes have not been written yet for this draft. The summary, the topics above and the parts list are what exists so far.
How to buy
There is no online checkout. To buy or import these parts, email info@curiosta.com and say what you need. The button opens your own email app with a draft; nothing is sent until you send it.
Prices on this site are third-party seller listings, not a Curiosta quote. Ask by email for availability, price and GST.