If you're an allergy sufferer you're probably acutely aware of how many substances and irritants are in the air around us. Two new products from Wynd are designed to be the ultimate in home air purification: Halo, an app-controlled sensor that can monitor specific pollutants in the air, and the Home Purifier, a massive air cleaner that can quickly clear contaminants from large spaces.
Wynd first came together as a company back in 2014 when a group of engineers from MIT became concerned about the health effects of air pollution. The company's first product launched in 2016, a portable two-in-one air quality sensor and purifier. It was a clever little device, but too small to offer marked effects in large-scale settings such as home environments.
After the success of that first product the company moved to develop a more comprehensive home air purifying system and is now currently launching two new products through a Kickstarter campaign. The Wynd Halo is an environmental monitor that, according to the company, holds a greater variety of individual sensors than any other similar device on the market.
The Halo has three primary particulate matter sensors reportedly able to detect molecules as small as 1 micrometer, alongside temperature, humidity, CO2 and volatile organic compound (VOC) sensors. Most interesting is the Halo's Air ID technology, which Wynd has developed to be able to specifically identify what particulate matter is actually in the air. So, unlike other environmental sensors that can only generally identify particulate matter concentrations, the Air ID system is claimed to be able to distinguish between pollen, pet dander and dust.
Alongside the Halo monitor, Wynd has developed a large Home Purifier that is able to clear the air of a 1,200 sq ft (11 sq m) space in around 30 minutes. The Home Purifier filters out a variety of particles, like other similar devices on the market, including VOCs, mold spores, and HEPA-level particulates. It's also Alexa-enabled, and can directly communicate with the Halo air monitor via a Wynd app, meaning the entire system can track and clear your air in real-time.
On a low setting, Wynd claims the Home Purifier, which admittedly looks like a beast of a machine, makes about 30 dB of noise, and on its highest setting it can get as loud as 62 dB, which is pretty much as noisy as an average air conditioner. Extra air filters can be purchased from Wynd for the Home Purifier, with a set expected to last around 12 months.
The products have just been launched on Kickstarter, and the early-bird prices are incredibly competitive, with the Halo going for US$89, the Home Purifier at $229 and both together for a neat $279. These are impressively cheap prices compared to similar devices on the market, although, as with similar crowd-funded campaigns, you are buying a product before it has actually been manufactured.
Wynd is aiming to begin deliveries in May 2019, which isn't too ambitious depending on how many early orders come through (the campaign quickly smashed its initial goal so there is some interest). As with all these kinds of campaigns, there is some risk in gambling with a new product, and these things do often get delayed. However, Wynd does have a track record at executing successful crowdfunding campaigns, which does lower the risk.
Take a look at the pitch video below.
Source: Kickstarter
