Webpage with pictures

CHEAL5 is a multi-sensor environmental tracker developed for a study on children’s health by the Faculty of Medicine at Leipzig University in cooperation with the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research.

The tracker measures temperature, air pressure, humidity, particulate matter, air quality, NO2, CO and O3. Coupled with an app, the data from the tracker and other data from the smartphone and location are recorded over a period of one week.

At the same time, the app is designed to create a positive bond with the test person. The principle is similar to that of a Tamagotchi. The app and tracker enter into a relationship with the test person in the form of avatars. Notifications prompt them to communicate their mood or to charge their smartphone or tracker or to keep them within range. Points are awarded for this and medals can be collected, which result in small prizes at the end of the study.

The central element of the app is the mood input. To do this, the avatar can be moved on an invisible coordinate system of different emotions. At the same time, the avatar reflects the set mood by morphing its facial features and adjusting the background color gradient.

I was involved in the conceptual design of this project and developed the electronics and associated firmware. I also created the app with the Ionic Framework. The graphics and design were created by Karl-Ludwig Kunze and the housing by Bernhard Schipper. The biggest challenges were morphing the emotions through various SVG graphics, the wiring of the analog gas sensors and the stability of the data tracking as a background process of the app.