Clarity Node-S Air Quality Sensing-as-a-Service

Clarity Movement Co. was founded in 2014 by UC Berkeley graduates and is based in Berkeley, California. It aims to make air quality data accessible, actionable and affordable for cities, agencies, schools and companies, and reports more than 9,000 Node-S deployments across over 70 countries.

The solar-powered, cellular Node-S sensor measures PM2.5 and NO2 and accepts add-on modules for multi-gas, black carbon, PM10 dust and wind. Data flows to Clarity Cloud, which offers a dashboard with air quality alarms and an AI diagnostician, OpenMap for public sharing and a REST API with automated QC flags. Everything is delivered as Sensing-as-a-Service, one annual subscription covering hardware, connectivity, calibration and support. Users include the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Greater London Authority and South Coast AQMD.

• Node-S sensor: solar-powered, cellular-connected PM2.5 and NO2 monitor.
• Add-on modules: multi-gas (CO, O3, NOx), black carbon, PM10 dust and wind.
• Clarity Dashboard: real-time alarms and an AI-powered diagnostician to interpret data.
• OpenMap: public air quality map for sharing data with residents.
• Air Monitoring API: REST access with automated QC flags and historical reports.
• Sensing-as-a-Service: hardware, connectivity, calibration, QA/QC and support in one subscription.

The environment departments of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City can deploy pole-mounted Node-S sensors along busy corridors and publish data via OpenMap. Mining and cement companies can monitor PM10 at their boundaries with the MCERTS-certified dust module. School systems can track PM2.5 near campuses to guide outdoor activity decisions.

A single annual subscription removes separate software, data and storage fees and includes free replacement of faulty devices under warranty. Solar power and cellular connectivity allow installation on poles without wiring. Clarity became the second commercial PM2.5 sensor approved for the US EPA Fire and Smoke Map, and its PM10 Dust Module is MCERTS-certified for construction and industrial sites.

Cities worldwide are building dense hyperlocal sensor networks to complement regulatory stations, target pollution hotspots and inform residents. In Southeast Asia, Clarity already runs a pilot network in Metro Manila with Clean Air Asia, and Vietnamese cities facing traffic and construction pollution are looking for similar affordable, managed networks.

Clarity was founded in 2014 in Berkeley, California, by David Lu, Paolo Micalizzi and Baljot Singh. Investors include Spero Ventures, Amasia, SOSV and Kickstart Ventures. It won the CASANZ Air Quality Industry Innovation and Excellence Award in 2022 and 2024 and has a regional account manager for Southeast Asia.