WEARABLE AIR PURIFIER: DELHI RUSHES TO NEW TECH
As Delhi’s air quality worsens into the “Severe” zone, the residents of Delhi are planning for an innovative solution to protect themselves from the life-threatening pollution. Amongst these, one such innovation is the Atovio Pebble, India’s first neck wearable air purifier.
This air purifier, which is neck-worn, was launched in December last year and has already sold around 15,000 units, which is notable in the recent spike. Co-founder Anmay Shahlot mentioned that nearly 30-35% of total sales occurred in the past few weeks, which were largely consumed by Delhi-NCR.
Designed for personal clean-air protection:
As the city is experiencing constant pollution, this Atovio Pebble innovation made things so easy, in a safer way, and shifted towards portable use. This Pebble is pendant-style, compact, and designed in such a way that it can be carried anywhere. It creates a cleaner breathing space around the user.
Unlike the traditional HEPA filters that that used in rooms, hospitals, these wearable devices focus on the breathing zone, which protects individuals when they are stepping out of their house to travel through a polluted environment.
Also, this pebble helps to neutralize the harmful/toxic pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, bacteria, viruses, and other nanoparticles. This is powered by Advanced Variable Anion technology that has a turbo mode feature, where a higher-intensity setting is intended for days when the AQI exceeds 200, a level that Delhi has already crossed throughout the winter season.
What IIT Kanpur’s Tests Revealed:
The purifier was first tested at IIT Kanpur to check its ability to reduce the surrounding pollutants, especially particulate matter. The pebble revealed a 43.8% reduction of particulate matter. Moreover, the purifier is rechargeable and convenient to wear during traveling and working.
The company also advised that it should be used by people above the age of five, which excludes pregnant women and people with pacemakers. Also, researchers observed that this device successfully formed a cleaner breathing microenvironment. Even when the device was worn 25 cm away from the nose, it also worked best.
Experts Urge Caution Despite Popularity
Although this pebble gained a lot of popularity, pulmonologists and air-quality professionals suggest users treat these wearables as supplements, but not substitutes.
Dr. Anurag Agarwal, a pulmonologist and scientist at Ashok University, says that this device functions well on larger particles. He states that N95 masks remain superior for higher protection because the most toxic components of urban pollution hover around 40% approximately, which is comparable to a simple three-ply mask.
Dr. Vivek Nangia, vice-chairman of pulmonology at Max Healthcare, also stated that some studies only measured particles 1-10 microns, but most of the toxic particulates can be even smaller than 0.1 micron, making further real-world testing necessary.
For now, with Delhi’s situation with toxic air pollution, the Pebble represents a growing trend offering a novel solution– a future where clean air technology may become a part of everyday attire, not just an optional gadget.
