BME688 Air Quality Sensor Add-on for СrowPanel Advance

Description

This compact add-on module is designed to extend your Elecrow Panel with advanced air quality sensing capabilities. It integrates Bosch’s high-precision BME688 sensor, known for its exceptional accuracy in environmental measurements, enabling real-time monitoring of:

• Temperature
• Relative Humidity
• Barometric Pressure
• VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
• CO₂ Equivalent (eCO₂)
• IAQ (Indoor Air Quality Index)

Perfect for Environmental Awareness

The BME688 sensor combines gas, humidity, temperature, and pressure sensing into a single package. 

IAQ and eCO₂ are calculated using Bosch’s integrated algorithms, helping users understand how their environment impacts comfort, productivity, and health.

Open-Source and Extensible

The module includes open-source firmware for the add-on itself, as well as ready-to-use and customizable software examples for Elecrow Panel displays (7", 5", 3.5", and 2.8"). An open-source Android application is also available, allowing for mobile monitoring and further development.

• Add-on firmware
• CrowPanel firmware examples
• Android Application

Designed for Elecrow Panel

This add-on is fully compatible with the Elecrow Panel through the standard I²C interface. A ready-to-use open-source weather station software package is available for CrowPanel, making it easy to get started.

Whether you're building a classroom CO₂ tracker, a smart home ventilation controller, or a custom indoor/outdoor monitoring system — this module gives you the core sensing power to build your own solution.

Applications Ideas:

• Indoor air quality dashboards
• Classroom or workspace CO₂ monitoring
• Smart ventilation and climate control
• Environment-aware automation scenarios
• Custom air quality systems based on CrowPanel

Example Application for CrowPanel Advance 3.5", and 2.8"

A simple yet effective application designed for CrowPanel that receives real-time environmental data from the EnSense Add-on module and visualizes it clearly on screen.

The application displays:

• Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Atmospheric Pressure — with trend arrows indicating the rate of change.
• Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), CO₂ concentration, and VOC levels — with intuitive color-coded indicators highlighting the current level of health risk or safety.

Easy Setup

The app is ready to use out of the box. Installation and first data display take under 2 minutes: Github

Android App

After installation, the app automatically connects to the module via Bluetooth and displays data on the screen. It can be used as-is or serve as a base for developing custom applications.

Key Air Quality Indicators

 AQI (Air Quality Index)

A composite index that measures the overall quality of air based on different pollutants. High AQI levels indicate reduced air quality, leading to respiratory problems, fatigue, and increased health risks for sensitive groups.

VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Organic chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature, often released from paints, furniture, and cleaning products. Exposure can cause eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, and long-term exposure may increase cancer risk.

CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)

A naturally occurring gas produced by respiration, combustion, and industrial processes. Elevated indoor levels reduce cognitive performance, cause drowsiness, and in extreme cases lead to serious health issues.

Specifications:

Additional Links

• EnSens Add-on firmware on GitHub
• Android App on GitHub
• Example project for  CrowPanel Advance 3.5", and 2.8"
• nRF52833 Product Specification v1.5
• BME 688 Datasheet