Air Quality Index Funnies

The air we breathe is of utmost importance to our health and well being. While one could check this statistic for your area in a variety of ways, AQI Funnies by San Francisco-based artist Andrew Kleindolph (AKA Extrasleepy) shows what’s going on via a series of cartoons. These stand out nicely (and power efficiently) on its seven-color ePaper display.

The device’s comics change between one of seven scenes, where a ghost character notes the AQI (air quality index) in a speech bubble, while a second bubble that describes conditions with a random adjective. A Raspberry Pi is the brains of the operation, checking quality stats every four hours, while a UUgear WittyPi module manages the on/off time and takes care of battery conservation. It's able to run for a month between charges.

The device measures 5x4 inches, with a 3D-printed frame made by Shapeways. It’s a subtle design, nicely put together to show off its pleasing comic art. From a technical perspective, it also does a great job of highlighting the seven-color ePaper displays available (or listed at least, since the 4-inch and 5.7-inch models are sold out as of this writing) on Pimoroni.

It’s a product you may not have heard of (and I hadn't to be honest). Although its hard to represent how something like this really looks in person, Kleindolph’s photos really convey a nice matte texture. It’s almost like you’re looking at an actual comic book… which is perhaps the point!