Technosphere, a division of P Alert Industries, an India-based product engineering services organisation, has developed a preventive solution enabling property managers and landlords to detect the presence of methamphetamine inside buildings. The P Alert Meth Alarm uses a Nordic Semiconductor nRF9160 System-in-Package (SiP) to send alerts and reports to a cloud platform.
The P Alert Meth Alarm can be used to monitor private property, apartment blocks, holiday accommodation, social housing facilities, local government facilities such as gyms and rest rooms, and health providers such as rehabilitation clinics. P Alert Meth Alarm also comes in a version suitable for vehicles.
Real-time alarms and reports
If the smoking and/or manufacture of methamphetamine is detected in the property, the P Alert Meth Alarm will trigger an instant alarm activation to the user’s smartphone. Using the cellular IoT connectivity provided by the Nordic Semiconductor nRF9160 low power SiP with integrated LTE-M/NB-IoT (narrowband Internet of Things) modem and global navigation satellite system (GNSS), the alerts and real-time methamphetamine level reports are relayed to the associated ‘WhizBlox’ secure cloud-based platform. The solution provides continuous monitoring and users can set the testing frequency.
“There is a growing awareness that contamination at even low levels of methamphetamine may cause negative health outcomes,” James Hansen and Allan Spic, directors of P Alert Industries, explained. “The harmful effects of exposure to methamphetamine contamination can have serious health consequences for tenants, and the cost of testing and decontamination can be devastating for landlords.
The P Alert Meth Alarm is a cost-effective solution that will prevent, deter, detect, and protect the health of tenants, while eliminating the need for swab testing whenever there is a concern or between tenancies. Preventing methamphetamine contamination is more effective than trying to remediate contamination after it has occurred.
Cellular IoT advantages
Bhaskar Rao, CEO of Technosphere, added, “We opted for NB-IoT/LTE-M cellular IoT connectivity over alternative LPWAN technologies to fast-track deployment in many countries across the globe, as well as optimise power consumption while avoiding the need for additional custom infrastructure such as gateways and servers. The cellular functionality is also critical for the product to be used in vehicles such as trucks.”
In addition to providing cellular IoT connectivity, the Nordic nRF9160 SiP performs the core processing for the sensor-based device. The P Alert Meth Alarm incorporates three AA alkaline batteries, providing the unit with one year of battery life – longevity achieved thanks in part to the low power characteristics of the nRF9160 SiP.
The P Alert Meth Alarm fits with tenancy agreements and privacy legislation.
“Guidelines currently vary between regions, local and central government, commercial accommodation providers, and third parties, such as insurers. Depending on local guidelines, the property owner is best placed to decide on a course of action,” said Dan Hansen, a director of Methalarms USA.
Rao identified that, “The Nordic team has been very helpful and proactive in terms of providing the necessary tools, quick response to our queries, and reviews of our hardware design.”
The P Alert Meth Alarm is patented, FCC approved, Industry Canada approved, ISO9001 certified and Telac registered, R-NZ certified, CE certified, and has been tested by ESR Laboratories in New Zealand. These certifications allow the solution to be sold worldwide. The device has been adopted across the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia.
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