Technosphere, an India-based product engineering services organization, has introduced the ‘P Alert Meth Alarm’, a preventive solution designed to detect methamphetamine presence in various properties. Developed for P Alert Industries, this innovative technology is particularly beneficial for property managers and landlords, offering real-time monitoring and alerts for private properties, apartment blocks, holiday accommodations, social housing facilities, local government facilities, and health providers like rehabilitation clinics. Additionally, a specialized version of the alarm is available for vehicles.
Real-Time Alarms and Reports
When the P Alert Meth Alarm detects methamphetamine smoking or manufacturing within a property, it triggers an instant alarm to the user’s smartphone. Leveraging the Nordic Semiconductor nRF9160 low power System-in-Package (SiP) with integrated LTE-M/NB-IoT modem and GNSS, the alarm provides real-time meth level reports and alerts to the associated ‘WhizBlox’ secure Cloud-based platform. Users can continuously monitor their properties and adjust the testing frequency as per their needs.
Health and Financial Implications of Meth Contamination
James Hansen and Allan Spic, Directors of P Alert Industries, emphasize the growing awareness of health risks associated with low-level methamphetamine contamination. They point out that exposure to such contamination poses serious health risks for tenants and can lead to significant testing and decontamination costs for landlords. The P Alert Meth Alarm serves as a preventive measure, offering insights into methamphetamine particle levels and thereby reducing the need for frequent swab testing.
Advantages of Cellular IoT Connectivity
Bhaskar Rao, CEO of Technosphere, explains the decision to use NB-IoT/LTE-M cellular IoT connectivity for the P Alert Meth Alarm. This choice facilitates rapid global deployment, optimizes power consumption, and eliminates the need for additional infrastructure like gateways and servers. The cellular functionality is crucial, especially for vehicular applications such as trucks.
Device Specifications and Battery Life
The P Alert Meth Alarm, powered by three AA alkaline batteries, boasts a year-long battery life, achieved partly due to the low power characteristics of the nRF9160 SiP. The SiP not only provides cellular IoT connectivity but also performs the core processing for the sensor-based device.
Global Certifications and Adoption
The alarm has garnered several certifications, including FCC, Industry Canada, ISO9001, Telac registration, R-NZ, and CE certification, and has been tested successfully by ESR Laboratories in New Zealand. These certifications enable worldwide sales, and the device is already in use across the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia.
Compliance with Tenancy Agreements and Privacy Legislation
Dan Hansen, Director of Methalarms USA, discusses the device’s alignment with varying regional guidelines, local and central government regulations, commercial accommodation providers, and third-party entities like insurers. He notes the efforts of social housing and local government housing providers to balance ESG commitments with the risk of methamphetamine contamination.
Nordic’s Role in Development
Rao commends Nordic Semiconductor for its significant contribution to the development process, highlighting the team’s helpfulness, responsiveness, and design review support, which were instrumental in realizing the P Alert Meth Alarm project.
