Smart Occupancy & Air Quality Monitoring Apps for Safer Spaces
Challenge
During the Covid pandemic, businesses needed practical ways to manage occupancy and improve ventilation to reduce transmission risk. However, existing solutions were often costly, complex, or raised concerns around surveillance and privacy, making adoption difficult for many organisations.
Our thinking
We recommended a simple, privacy-first IoT solution that combines CO2 sensing with occupancy insights to provide clear, actionable information. By avoiding heavy infrastructure and focusing on low-cost, easy-to-use components, businesses could monitor air quality and occupancy without ongoing costs or concerns about surveillance.
Execution
Matchbox designed and developed an application and supporting platform that integrates LoRa-based CO2 and occupancy sensors. The system provides real-time monitoring, alerts, and simple visual feedback via mobile devices and displays, enabling staff to take immediate actions such as improving ventilation or managing room capacity.
Outcome
Semtech was able to demonstrate a scalable, low-cost solution for safer indoor environments during Covid. The system helped businesses make informed decisions to improve air quality and manage occupancy, while maintaining trust through a privacy-conscious approach.