IP67 waterproof sensor for high-humidity environments

Renesas Electronics Corporation has extended its ZMOD4410 Indoor Air Quality sensor platform with what is claimed to be the industry’s first software-configurable IP67-qualified waterproof option for IAQ applications working in wet or dirty environments including bathrooms, kitchens, and hospital rooms, where they are repeatedly exposed to oils, water, and dust.

The firmware-configurable waterproof sensor offers a unique hermetically sealed package that shields the sensor from water and dust with a hydrophobic and oleophobic material that is permeable to humidity and VOCs at the same time. By incorporating IP67-rated packaging with the industry-leading accuracy and reliability that the platform is known for, the company allows new, low-power IAQ applications that function in splash zones, while preserving the high precision and flexibility customers require to customise their systems and to eradicate the necessity for expensive waterproofing systems.

“The increasing use of IAQ sensors in splash zone environments along with other areas with frequent exposure to water, oils, and dust drives higher demand for protection from those elements without sacrificing performance – a traditionally expensive process that requires additional hardware and firmware,” said Uwe Guenther, senior director, Sensing Solutions, IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit at Renesas. “The new waterproof ZMOD4410 sensor combines the best of both worlds cost-effectively, enabling broader adoption of highly accurate smart sensing devices that can operate in high-humidity and harsh conditions for a wider range of market applications.”

The combination of waterproofing, programmability, reliability, best-in-class stability, and sensitivity in measuring VOCs makes the new sensor an excellent solution for IAQ devices, including smart HVAC systems, bathroom lights and switches, ventilator fans, and wearables, that function in a broad range of high-humidity, splash zone, dirty, or submersible environments.