Here in Balkans where Gym of Tomorrow is produced we got hit pretty hard by heavy smog this winter. The situation is really bad with AQI > 400 on quiet foggy evenings. Apparently we have no time to waste until authorities in the region get pressed heavily enough to do anything meaningful about it, so we took action.
The obvious and simple small-scale solution for providing some breathable air at least in close spaces is to use air cleaners. Unfortunately such devices are rather hard to come by around here, the most probable cause being the fact that air pollution was not such a big deal only a few years ago and market for such appliances is essentially non-existent.
Being engineers by vocation we devised, tested and refined a simple DIY air cleaner design. You can download free and open source instruction manual for the contraption here.
The device is designed in such a way that it can be built from easily obtainable parts and components. Putting it together requires no special skills. With some help from the kids, every mother and father will be able to make one at home in a single afternoon.
Those who watched Apollo 13 already know that making an air cleaner is in fact quite simple – the key component is a quality air filter and all you need to do with it is to provide some suction power in order to make the air flow through and get purified. Lovell, Swigert and Haise used a good arm length of duct tape and an old sock but fortunately we can find some less smelly materials around nowadays.
So if you suffer from pollution or wish to save your family from second hand smoking but happen to live in a country in which handy air purifiers are unobtainium, we invite you to download the instruction manual and consider making this device for yourself. Total cost of the device should not exceed $30 and it will serve you well for a season or two. This manual assumes the use of raw filter material but if you are in a position to get a standard framed MERV filter that would make the assembly process even easier.
If you’re in the mood for writing we will be proud, happy and thrilled if you translate the manual into your mother tongue and help us to spread the word. And if you happen to be of the creative sort and feel the urge to further improve the design or make a video tutorial… that would be totally awesome!
Decorating the device using child labor is highly recommended. That will teach them to take care fore the environment better than their parents for sure!
Today, tobacco consumption is optional.
Gym of Tomorrow team