Pimoroni Enviro for Raspberry Pi Review: The Ultimate Indoor Monitoring Solution
In this episode of "Product of the Week," everybody's favorite Gadget Guru Robin Mitchell introduces the Enviro indoor monitor for the Raspberry Pi from Pimoroni. The Enviro is a small environmental monitoring development board that attaches to a Raspberry Pi for projects that need to sense the surrounding environment.
The Enviro for Raspberry Pi stands out as a premier environmental monitoring tool, designed specifically to cater to the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. Its compatibility and feature-rich design make it a top choice for enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The Enviro for Raspberry Pi is a must-have for enthusiasts looking to monitor their indoor environment.
The board is jam-packed with environmental sensors, including:
Enviro features
- BME280 temperature, pressure, humidity sensor (datasheet)
- LTR-559 light and proximity sensor (datasheet)
- MEMS microphone (datasheet)
- 0.96" colour LCD (160x80)
- Pimoroni breakout-compatible pin header
- pHAT-format board
- Fully-assembled
- Compatible with all 40-pin header Raspberry Pi models
- Python library
- Dimensions: 65x30x8.5mm
The Enviro for Raspberry Pi offers a range of features, including the Enviro + Air Quality version, which integrates an additional MICS 6814 gas sensor which can be used for monitoring volatile compounds. Please bear in mind that this board is designed for indoor use only not outdoor use!
With the rising demand for indoor monitoring solutions, the Enviro for Raspberry Pi offers a comprehensive solution, integrating seamlessly with Raspberry Pi models and ensuring accurate environmental readings.
The Enviro board is exceptionally useful in applications where space and weight are a virtue, and its small form factor makes it highly portable. The 40-pin GPIO header means that it can be connected to your Pi in a matter of seconds.
The ability to measure temperature, humidity, pressure, and volatile compounds can be excellent indicators of air quality. This could be tied to an IoT server or other device for controlling AC heating and even windows that try to provide the healthiest environment possible.
Project ideas
Moreover, this board can even be used as a security device to watch over valuables from Shady individuals! The Enviro board can be used with a Pi to detect if someone is lurking around with a torch and either triggers an alarm or even better, send a message to your phone. The four mounting holes are present on the outside of the PCB for securing to external places, but most likely, you will be sticking this board straight to the Raspberry Pi.
The Enviro board is tailor-made for indoor monitoring, allowing you to effortlessly keep tabs on the temperature, humidity, light, and noise levels in your home. With an integrated LCD display for easy data visualization and a proximity sensor for user interaction, it's the perfect headless monitoring solution.
For those familiar with Raspberry Pi projects, integrating the Enviro for Raspberry Pi can elevate the capabilities of your setup, allowing for real-time environmental monitoring with ease.
Why not take things up a notch and integrate some IoT functionality, like an Alexa skill that enables you to inquire about the current temperature or humidity? Alternatively, set up an IFTTT trigger that activates your Philips Hue lights whenever the ambient light level drops below a predefined threshold. The possibilities are virtually endless!
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the Enviro board is an excellent environmental monitoring development kit that can be used for more than just air quality. Many sensors allow this board to be used in IoT and security-related projects. The small size makes it highly portable, and the 40-pin GPIO header means that it can be connected to your Pi in a matter of seconds. If you want to know how far your air is or now live in fear over the idea of someone stealing your precious Pi boards, head over to the Electromaker store, where you can grab yourself an Enviro board today.
Interested in enhancing your Raspberry Pi experience? Check out the Enviro for Raspberry Pi today and dive into a world of environmental monitoring
Residing on the south coast of England, Rich has spent the last few years building Electomaker.io from the ground up. He is usually found behind a laptop coordinating the rest of the EM team and occasionally finding time to contribute articles to the blog. When not tapping away at a laptop, he can be found either paddleboarding, at the beach, playing golf (badly), or camping with his family.
Leave your feedback...