Breathe easy: 3M Filtrete IoT app and Alexa skill helps home air quality
There aren’t many things that are more important in your home than the air you breathe. If you’re like me, you don’t think about indoor air quality very often. And you probably don’t change your HVAC air filter as frequently as you should. Yep, I’m guilty of that too.
Virtually all of us here at ArcTouch can relate to this common problem — which is probably why we’re proud to be working with 3M to solve it. For more than 25 years, 3M has been helping deliver cleaner air to millions of homes with its Filtrete brand of air filters.
We’re excited to share that the 3M Filtrete™ Smart Air Filter, announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is now available online and in stores. And the 3M Filtrete app, designed and developed by ArcTouch, is now featured on the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android. Also, our Alexa developers created a Filtrete Smart skill for Amazon Echo devices.
With an industry-first built-in Bluetooth®-powered sensor, this IoT smart filter monitors air flow and communicates with the companion app to let people know when it’s time to change their filter.
The problem
Air filters for home HVAC systems typically need to be replaced once every three months. But that’s only an estimate based on average use. The reality is that each home and every heating/air-conditioning unit is different — and the exact lifespan depends on how often a system is used.
With these variables, it’s impossible for anyone to know exactly when they should change their filters. And eyeballing it doesn’t work either — filters that are worn out and ineffective still may look clean. So, people (like me) often forget to change their filters — resulting in poor air quality.
The solution – a Bluetooth connected filter and a smart app
Working in lock-step with the 3M Filtrete team, ArcTouch designed and developed the IoT app that keeps people up to date on the lifespan and effectiveness of their air filters.
The filter’s built-in sensor measures actual air flow and usage — and then passes that information along to the app. The app also makes it easy to order replacement filters — it remembers the size of filter you need and will show you where you can purchase a replacement. You can choose to opt-in to specific notifications about filter performance and when your outdoor air quality (based on your location) is poor. The app offers tips on how to improve air quality in your house. Last, the app also works with an indoor air quality monitor (sold separately) so you can gain a deeper understanding of the air quality inside your home.
As 3M Filtrete’s Global Business Unit Manager, Amanda Dauphinais, said in the CES announcement, “The Filtrete Smart Air Filter takes the guesswork out” of replacing HVAC air filters.
Technology focus: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
The most complex piece of the project was architecting a communication protocol that would allow the filter’s sensor to pass data to the phone and Filtrete Smart App. The product required a system in which data is transmitted regularly by the filter sensor, captured by the phone, then processed by a 3M algorithm to determine when a filter needs to be replaced.
ArcTouch worked closely with 3M to establish this communication protocol between the phone app and the sensor. The considerations included:
- Battery life: The built-in sensor needed to be able to have enough battery life to last for the lifetime of the filter.
- Security: Only authorized users can access the data being stored in the sensor.
- Data retrieval: We needed to set rules for how and when a phone and app would connect with the sensor and capture data — to ensure the Filtrete filter life algorithm from 3M was running as expected.
- Hardware/app communication guidelines: The app had to follow Apple and Google operating system guidelines for BLE connection and communication.
- Safeguards: The app needed safeguards to help recover from any unforeseen BLE/firmware/hardware issues and ensure that the history of airflow and usage data remained intact.
After a lot of research and testing, 3M teams and ArcTouch together architected and implemented a proprietary BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) solution that met the project’s technical requirements — and solved the consumer problem.
“The ArcTouch engineering team was instrumental in helping us overcome some challenging technical barriers with BLE,” said 3M Filtrete marketing manager Patrick Hiner. “The end result was an industry first for BLE technology — and a great technical foundation that we can leverage as our lineup of Filtrete Smart Air Filters matures over time.”
No going back — try it out!
Working on this IoT app and Alexa skill was rewarding. I’m biased, but our team’s dedication to making the app successful and overcoming each and every technical hurdle was inspiring. And after using this “smart” IoT app and air filter from 3M, I won’t go back to the old, dumb way. Try one out, and let us know what you think!
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Working on an IoT project?
For over a decade, ArcTouch has been working with companies like 3M to develop IoT apps for connected devices and smart products. If you’re considering your next project and need some guidance, we offer a free consultation.