A complete air quality monitoring ecosystem

Clarity’s Node-S air quality sensors serves as a platform that supports a suite of modular sensors, including particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), black carbon, and wind speed and direction. This modular system allows cities and organizations to customize deployments for different use cases — from roadside traffic monitoring to wildfire smoke detection — without needing to replace the base sensor unit.

Clarity’s hardware is designed for low-touch operation, with automated QA/QC checks and over-the-air firmware updates. While frequent manual calibration is not required, initial collocation with a reference-grade monitor is recommended for optimal accuracy. Clarity also offers Project Support Services including field validation and recalibration to ensure data reliability over time.

Clarity’s outdoor air quality monitors are built to last 3–5 years or longer, depending on the deployment environment and conditions. The rugged, weatherproof design combined with solar power and cellular connectivity ensures long-term, reliable performance — even in harsh conditions. Plus, the modularity of the system allows for cost-effective upgrades or sensor replacements without full unit swaps. Our warranty provides free replacements under warranty for the duration of your subscription. 

No fixed internet or Wi-Fi connection is needed. Each Node-S air pollution sensor is equipped with integrated cellular connectivity, allowing it to transmit air quality data directly to the Clarity Dashboard. This makes our system especially well-suited for distributed, remote, or mobile deployments where traditional network infrastructure may not be available.

Clarity Node-S air quality sensors are built for year-round outdoor durability. They’re weatherproof, UV-resistant, and field-tested in snow, heat, rain, and tropical humidity. Maintenance is minimal — occasional cleaning of the solar panel and exterior may be needed, and sensor modules are hot-swappable if performance ever degrades. Most customers operate sensors for years with little to no intervention, and remote monitoring ensures potential issues are flagged early.

Deployment is simple and fast — Node-S air quality monitors can be installed in under 10 minutes per location using standard brackets or zip ties. Solar-powered and cellular-connected, the sensors require no external power or internet. Many cities have deployed 100+ devices in days — like RAC’s network in Western Australia.

The core Clarity Node-S air pollution sensor measures particulate matter (like PM₂.₅) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in real timeclarity.io. It also serves as a modular platform – you can attach specialized Clarity modules to measure additional parameters. For instance, Clarity offers a Wind & Meteorological Module (for wind speed, direction, temperature, humidity, and pressure), a Black Carbon Module (to differentiate black carbon soot from other PM), a Multi-Gas Module (for gases like CO, O₃, NO, NO₂, and NOx), and a FEM Ozone Module. These modules snap on in seconds and integrate seamlessly. In summary, a fully equipped Clarity Node-S can monitor a wide range of common ambient pollutants – fine particulates, gaseous pollutants, plus weather conditions – giving you a comprehensive view of air quality.

While FRM/FEM monitors provide gold-standard measurements, they’re expensive, complex, and sparse. Clarity’s low-cost sensors are easier to deploy, solar-powered, and cloud-connected — ideal for dense monitoring networks. When calibrated, they provide decision-grade data suitable for public health decisions, supplementing traditional infrastructure.

Yes, Clarity’s sensors have undergone multiple third-party evaluations and achieved certifications, indicating their performance meets certain standards. For example, the Clarity Node-S air quality sensor has been evaluated by the South Coast AQMD’s AQ-SPEC lab in California – a well-known independent test for low-cost sensors. The results of such evaluations showed that the Node-S air pollution sensors correlate well with reference monitors under various conditions. Another strong validation: the Clarity Node-S with appropriate configuration obtained UK-MCERTS certification (certifying it for indicative ambient monitoring in the UK, including use of solar power). MCERTS is a rigorous certification; obtaining it means the device passed performance criteria for accuracy, reliability, and data availability under UK-EU guidelines. Additionally, an evaluation by the San Joaquin Valley Air District (California) gave positive marks to Clarity sensors, and Clarity’s tech won an AIRLAB Microsensors Challenge in 2018 in France, further demonstrating credibility.