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Design

Following natural disasters, homes often lose power and must turn to alternate forms of energy for fuel and energy for food and heat (“Preventing”). During power outages, generators, grills and devices that use gasoline, propane, and charcoal are commonly used, and these can output CO into the environment. This can allow CO to build up and poison people and pets. In fact, 400 Americans died last year from accidental CO poisoning.

For instance of real life application, in the five days following Hurricane Rita, a total 21 people were affected by CO poisoning in the area around Beaumont, Texas (Cukor). These injuries were largely due to portable generators placed indoors or near the intake systems of home air conditioners. Of those 21, five were fatally affected, one became brain dead, two were moved to hospitalization, and the other 13 were treated and soon released.

With these considerations in mind, we have engineered our CO sensor so that it can continue to alert people of high amounts of CO in the air regardless of the power source availability. It will continue to run without needing outlet or batteries. It’s similar to a digital sensors, but optochemical instead of electrochemical. Usually, these sensors offer lower levels of protection, but can be lower cost in the market. Generating only qualitative data and using senses instead of numbers, this sensor is easier to comprehend. In addition, the scent aspect of our sensor is a substitute for sound based sensors that works better for those who lack hearing.

Works Cited

"Carbon Monoxide Poisoning." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.

Cukor, Jeffery, and Marc Restuccia. "Carbon Monoxide Poisoning during Natural Disasters: The Hurricane Rita Experience." The Journal of Emergency Medicine 33.3 (2007): 261-64. US National Library of Medicine. National Institute of Health, 5 July 2007. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.

"Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After an Emergency." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. US Department of Health & Human Services, 20 June 2014. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.