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Staff Reporter

Mercedes EQS SUV Lets Front Passenger Watch Video While Car Is Moving

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One day automakers will have to figure out what people will do in cars when autonomous vehicles take over. That’s years away from happening, but the first steps toward expanding in-car entertainment are already here, and Mercedes is joining that push with the new EQS SUV.

The new all-electric model, the third to ride on the company’s dedicated EV architecture, will feature the massive, 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen. The 12.3-inch OLED display in front of the passenger will stream video while the SUV is moving. Passengers will have to wear headphones to avoid distracting the driver, but Mercedes will also employ a second safeguard to guarantee the driver is paying attention.The car will dim the passenger screen if it catches the driver trying to look at it, using the driver monitoring system to track their eyes.

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This is a first for Mercedes, but not the industry. Jeep also allows passengers to watch videos while moving in the Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee. Mercedes could expand this capability to other models, like the EQS sedan, which has the same technology; however, Mercedes has not confirmed this.

Mercedes will pair its massive Hyperscreen with one of seven interior color combinations, using fine leathers and wood to craft inviting cabins. Mercedes highlighted one interior trim feature that combines laser-cut magnolia wood with stainless steel inlays. The EQS SUV will also feature a Dolby Atmos sound system and the company’s air purification system, which receives a new scent called No.6 MOOD Mimosa.

The EQS SUV will offer optional third-row seating that Mercedes says is more comfortable than the third-row seats in the GLE. The brand’s EV architecture allows Mercedes to craft an SUV with generous interior dimensions, which benefits passengers and cargo. The EQS SUV will swallow up to four golf bags, according to the company.

We already have interior photos, leaving Mercedes to reveal the exterior design and the powertrain specs, which will happen on April 19. The SUV likely shares the powertrains that Mercedes offers in the EQS sedan, and that should include a high-powered AMG variant of the SUV, too.

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The power of incense : Gulf Weekly Online

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By Naman Arora

Ask any Bahraini to describe their childhood and the aroma of bukhoor and frankincense will engulf their memory lane.

Drawing inspiration from these ephemeral images and paying homage to the incense burner’s power to protect and purify, Bahraini artist Faika Al Hassan last week unveiled her exhibition at the Bin Matar house in Muharraq.

The exhibition, titled Protection or Ta’aweetha in Arabic, translating to talisman, encompasses almost 30 pieces, and explores the customs and practices around the traditional use of frankincense in Bahraini households.

“A cloud of white smoke rising from a large wooden incense-burner forms the core of unforgotten images and scents from many childhood memories,” Faika told GulfWeekly.

“And although the tradition has started to fade with time, many of us still hold on to that undefined power of the ‘mubkhara’ – incense burner, placing it as the foundation of any household into which we move. It’s a habit inherited by daughters from their mothers, who in turn, inherited it from theirs.”

The wooden incense burner, ‘mubkhara’, is a core motif in most of the work currently on display at the Bin Matar House.

Found in every traditional Bahraini household, the pyramidical wooden structure was used to perfume and disinfect clothes that would be draped over it.

“I remembered when we were young that in my grandparents’ house they used to use the mubhkara and this specific incense to disinfect all of the house from diseases,” Faika added.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is a massive mubkhara-esque structure, with white cloth draped over it. On each wooden bar are inscribed Quranic verses, believed to bestow blessings and keep evil spirits at bay.

Within the wooden frame is a type of frankincense – Liban in Arabic – arranged in the shape of an eye, to protect the dwelling against the evil eye of greed.

“I wrote on it the wordings that our ancestors used to repeat during that time to bring good energy and good omen and get rid of evil spirits,” Faika added.

“The white cloth represents bedsheets and bed linen that they used to disinfect by using the mubkharas.”

In the smaller mubkharas, small human figures are painted trudging along the insides and outsides of the structure, signifying ‘the people that live in this universe and how we react to all of what happens in this world’.

The idea of disinfecting and staying safe has particularly been important to Faika during the pandemic.

“Faika’s work often feeds off periods of disruption and transition,” Melissa Enders-Bhatia, Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research director, added.

“Here she has found herself in the midst of a pandemic and was reminded of ancient remedies and answers to illness and infection.

“Protection is an ode to the security of the home and traditional rituals, while also being tinged with nostalgia for a practice that is quickly being lost amongst the coming generations.”

Born in Bahrain, Faika studied economics at the Baghdad University, completing her education in 1977.

Her art career began when she took a course at the Bahrain Arts Society. As she explored art, the small human-inspired figures seen on the mubkharas have become her unique signature.

As Melissa puts it, the figures ‘seem to be teeming with activity yet are isolated and inconsequential in the towering settings they find themselves in’.

During her prolific career, Faika has exhibitied across the Gulf, in Australia, Egypt, France, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Syria, Yemen, Jordan, UK, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Morocco.

She also won the Al Saafa Prize for GCC Fine Art and Lines in 2009.

The Protection art exhibition is now open at the Bin Matar House until May 8. For more details, follow

@shaikh_ebrahim_center on Instagram.  

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Need Surgery? Amarillo Steps to the Future with Surgical Robot

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If you have ever watched a medical drama like Grey’s Anatomy, and see this fancy futuristic surgical machine, do you ever wonder if Amarillo has anything that fancy or if it is even real.

Well it looks like Amarillo is stepping into the world of fancy robotic surgery.   What this means is when it comes to surgery, the patient won’t have to be cut open like surgeries in the past.

Physicians Surgical Hospitals, with BSA Health Systems, has gotten a new fancy robotic surgical system, and it has the coolest name, it’s call the da Vinci® Xi™.  It will bring minimally invasive surgery to the Texas Panhandle.  This machine will be used for gynecologic, urologic, thoracic, cardiac, and general surgeries.

“We are proud to be a leader in providing cutting-edge surgical solutions to our community,” said Todd Greene, Chief Executive Officer of Physicians Surgical Hospitals. “Acquiring the da Vinci® Xi™ system furthers our commitment to providing patients with the most advanced treatments and optimized outcomes.”

Frankly, this machine is fascinating.

Minimally invasive surgeries me less healing time, which is a good thing for the patient.

Now our surgeons will be able to see better and have better access to the parts of our bodies that need surgery.  The robot isn’t doing the surgery, the doctor has complete control, but it assists the doctor.

“This revolutionary technology meets a wide range of surgical needs,” Greene said. “Due to the robot’s ability to make small incisions, our patients often recover more quickly with smaller scars as compared to traditional surgery techniques.”

This isn’t the first surgical robot that Physicians Surgical Hospitals have in their clinic.  They also use a MAKO SmartRobotics™ which they use for knee and hip replacements and the ExcelsiusGPS™ which they use for spinal prodecedures.

If you are having surgery with Physicians Surgical Hospitals, your surgery will probably be done with this machine.  Welcome to Amarillo da Vinci® Xi™.

Goosebumps and other bodily reactions, explained

 

KEEP READING: See 25 natural ways to boost your immune system

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Examining the Quality of Residential Life Post-2020

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This article contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.  

Two years ago, we began 2020 like any normal year. We celebrated New Year’s Day, made resolutions, celebrated our loves on Valentine’s Day, started taxes, the usual. Then we woke up one day in March, and everything changed. A nightmare suddenly became very real for us. Next enters social distancing, mask mandates, vaccines, and remote work. Before we knew it, we were spending increasingly more time at home. Time has passed, and things are fortunately trending upward. But as we still spend a lot of hours indoors, our quality of residential life is a topic that should be explored.   

Could your home’s air quality be making you sick? 

Indoor air quality at home is something most of us overlook, rarely considering how much it can affect our daily lives. According to the EPA, pollutants indoors can be 2 to 5 times more concentrated than those outdoors. This is due to the change in materials used to build new residential living quarters. We’re now relying on synthetic materials which lack the mechanical ventilation necessary for proper airflow. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to a condition called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). SBS symptoms can include skin, respiratory, and neurological system irritation. 

There are many invisible particles floating around in our home’s air that can affect our overall health and wellness, so we must make sure that we’re taking the proper precautions to protect ourselves and our families. The easiest way to start improving your home’s air quality is to make sure you use high-quality, pleated air filters and change them regularly. 

How to select the right air filter 

Many factors can increase the number of particulates in your air. A few things to take into consideration are the number of people living in your home, how many pets you have, and if anyone in your household suffers from asthma or allergies. The first step in finding the right air filter for your home is to select which MERV rating best fits your filtration needs by using the MERV rating system. 

“Changing your air filters is recommended at every 3 months but it is beneficial to change them more frequently if you have several people or pets residing. As you increase the number of living beings in the home, you raise the amount of airborne particulates.  Choosing a higher MERV rating, like a MERV 11 or MERV 13, offers the maximum level of filtration by capturing a higher percentage of the smaller particulates in your air.” says Cartier Kirby, NAFA Certified Air Filter Specialist and Vice President of Strategy, Compliance, and People at FiltersFast.com. 

In addition to changing your home’s air filters regularly, a True HEPA air purifier will help add an extra layer of protection. HEPA filters will capture by capturing 99.7% of all allergens including pollen, mold, bacteria, and other airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. True HEPA filters are most commonly used in hospitals and are not recommended for use in residential heating and cooling systems. However, thanks to filtration innovation, you can enjoy the benefits of HEPA filtration by investing in an air purifier with a True HEPA filter. 

Tips for selecting an air purifier

When selecting an air purifier, it is important to make sure that you select one that is appropriately sized for the room that it will be used in. Whether you are going to use it in your home gym, your kitchen, or your bedroom, before purchasing, make sure that you review the square footage capacity that is listed. 

How safe is your tap water? 

Each person, on average, uses 80-100 gallons of water per day. We drink it, clean with it, and bathe in it. As much as you use water throughout your daily routine, wouldn’t you want to know that your water is safe? 

Although the United States has one of the safest water supplies in the world, more and more cities are finding dangerous levels of lead in their water. Lead can result in physical and behavioral health effects in children even if their level of exposure is low. 

In addition to lead, there are also several common contaminants in your home’s tap water that can cause serious health problems. Chlorine is added to drinking water by municipal water plants to kill bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms that cause diseases. While the amount of chlorine added to drinking water does not have any traceable health effects, when you shower in chlorinated water, it is absorbed into your skin and vaporized, inhaled into your lungs, and transferred into your bloodstream. Over time, breathing in high concentrations of chlorine can lead to severe health problems such as fluid in the lungs. 

While it is the public water system’s responsibility to treat your water and make sure that it is safe, they are not responsible for making sure that it stays safe all the way to your faucets or showerheads. To ensure that you and your family have safe and clean water to drink, cook with, and bathe in, it’s important to make sure you have the right filtration system for your home and to change the filters regularly. 

The experts at FiltersFast.com recommend that you test your water with an at-home water test to see what kind of contaminants are in your water. Once you have the results of your water test, this will help you determine which water filtration system is right for you. 

Summary

The past few years have permanently changed the way we live and work. We must stay informed about the invisible factors that can affect our lives. Ultimately, it’s our responsibility to determine what we need to do to help keep ourselves and our families safe.

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Pingree Grove announces $3.5 million in funding to improve access to clean drinking water

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On March 14, the Village of Pingree Grove announced it will receive $3,500,000 in federal funding, toward the construction of a second water treatment facility.

This funding was secured by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14), through a new federal Community Project Funding initiative for fiscal year 2022, that allowed the congresswoman to request direct funding for projects that address some of the most pressing needs throughout northern Illinois. This project was included among nine others to support our community.

“On behalf of the residents of Pingree Grove, we are pleased to accept this federal funding to help further our mission to increase the Village of Pingree Grove’s water infrastructure sustainability and continue to provide clean drinking water to our expanding community,” said Village President Steve Wiedmeyer.

“Safe drinking water is a basic necessity for families and employers. I’m proud that this funding for Pingree Grove, the second fastest growing community in Illinois, will help secure clean water for residents as the community grows,” Underwood said.

This much needed funding will be used to improve the village’s public water supply system, which includes the construction of a new treatment plant and well.

Pingree Grove is a village in Kane County, Illinois, with a population of 10,365 based on the 2020 U.S. Census.

Rep. Underwood helped secured funding for nine other projects that will directly benefit the 14th District. Learn more about the additional projects at underwood.house.gov/media/press-releases.

        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        

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Tri-Town Health Department’s COVID-19 update for March 15

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Editor’s note: The following Tri-Town Health Department update was written by Amy Hardt, MPH BSN RN, Lead Public Health Nurse at the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative, and sent out Tuesday, March 15. It has been edited for clarity.

We are happy to report PCR case numbers are still dropping in both Southern Berkshire towns as a group (-8.5% over the previous week), and Berkshire County overall (-30%). PCR test positivity also continues to go down week over week (latest data shows 2.0% of PCR tests were positive in South County as a group, and 1.5% positive in the county overall). It’s unclear why, but the volume of PCR testing went up significantly the first week of March — one possible explanation may be a rise in symptoms of the common cold and other respiratory viruses, which are spread more easily with reduced mask wearing.

The level of COVID-19’s “community impact” tracked by the CDC in its updated County tables also continues to drop. Berkshire County remains in the Green/Low zone for the second week in a row. Along with lower “confirmed” PCR cases and test positivity, we also saw a dramatic reduction in local COVID hospital admissions and the percent of beds occupied by COVID patients.

Current MA state guidance still includes indoor masking for unvaccinated individuals as well as those at high risk for severe COVID outcomes, along with their household members. All must continue to mask in healthcare and public transport facilities at this time.

This week we focus on lessons we can learn from the winter Omicron variant surge. They can help us prepare for whatever may come in the next phase of our lives with COVID-19:

  • The primary vaccine series reduces transmission of all variants so far, but this effect wanes over time, even as it continues to protect against hospitalization and death
    • Those who had their booster shot were much less likely to get Omicron than those who were unvaccinated
  • Not being vaccinated continues to be the greatest risk factor for hospitalization with COVID, across all age groups
    • This is true, even when previous natural immunity has been acquired, because our individual immune systems are complex and varied in their specific response, and we saw that Delta infection immunity was no match at all for Omicron
    • In addition, elderly vaccinated, and even boosted, individuals with multiple comorbidities unfortunately remained at higher risk for hospitalization and death when they did get Omicron
  • Not protecting all of us, affects all of us
    • The primary route of COVID-19 spread across all the variants has continued to be household spread
    • Very young children were shown to be just as able to spread COVID as older ages, even though they had fewer symptoms and lower rates of hospitalization overall
    • Leading theories of where variants most likely develop continue to point to large, unvaccinated populations (such as in lower-resourced countries), and others with impaired immune systems
  • New variant surges occur quickly, so we need to be prepared ahead of time
    • Omicron’s path from being identified to becoming dominant over Delta in the U.S. occurred in less than 1 month
    • The need for rapid booster shots during that time outpaced our capacity to provide them, especially for individuals with the least access due to information and logistical challenges. These were also the folks at highest risk for exposure to the virus, or for severe disease outcomes
    • The implementation of appropriate, timely mitigation policies was hindered by public frustration, lack of official coordination across the federal, state ,and local governments, and an overall lack of political will at the end of two very challenging years

There are other lessons as well, but for now, what can we do to be better prepared for another potential variant of concern?

  • Get. That. Booster. This is the #1 way to reduce individual and community transmission of COVID-19, and to protect the most vulnerable. This week’s dashboard graphic illustrates how ill-prepared we are in Berkshire County, in this regard
  • Keep a supply of at-home tests and be ready to use them whenever new symptoms emerge. This helps reduce potential overwhelm of local testing resources and ensures that those who need PCR tests can get them in a timely manner
    • Insured individuals may request free at-home tests at any pharmacy counter. Depending on specific insurance, there may or may not be an up-front cost, which is reimbursable
    • Those covered by Medicare will soon receive this benefit, but not yet
    • All U.S. residents may request a second allotment of 4 free at-home test kits to be mailed to them by the federal government, through www.covidtests.gov or by dialing 1-800-232-0233
    • Anyone may stop by CHP Family Services, at 442 Stockbridge Rd. in Great Barrington, to request a free at-home test
  • Keep a supply of appropriately-fitting KN95 or N95 masks, especially for individuals who are unvaccinated, have major health conditions, or reduced immunity. Anyone living with a person in this category should have a supply of effective masks as well, to reduce the chance of bringing COVID home
  • Make the most of this current lull in new COVID cases. It’s a good time to visit with loved ones, travel if you’re able, and just have some carefree fun. Even those who remain at higher risk for severe COVID can take comfort in lower community transmission levels, and use strategies like improving indoor air quality and airflow, avoiding crowds in areas of high spread, and masking indoors as needed — with an effective mask, such as a KN95, N95, or well-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask

Investing in our community relationships now will pay off later, when there may be a need to pull together again against future COVID-19 or new public challenges.

To support access to effective masks for those who need them most, this week launches a new Mask Access Program in Southern Berkshire. This partnership includes our Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative and the Rural Health Network, with support from a Rural Vaccine Equity grant. Higher-risk community members are invited to pick up (5) N95 or KN95 masks and mask guidance information at a variety of locations, including local libraries, community centers, senior centers, low-income housing sites, food pantries, and more. We are also working with families in the local school system to offer tailored mask guidance and practical support in securing youth KN95 masks to help certain students reduce their own and their loved ones’ risk for severe COVID outcomes.

Image courtesy Tri-Town Health Department

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Bulgaria: Inflation hits 10% – Novinite.com

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Annual inflation in Bulgaria in February reached 10%, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

The consumer price index in February 2022 compared to January 2022 was 101.4%, i.e. monthly inflation is 1.4%. Inflation since the beginning of the year (February 2022 compared to December 2021) is 2.9%, and annual inflation for February 2022 compared to February 2021 is 10.0%.

The average annual inflation for the period March 2021 – February 2022 compared to the period March 2020 – February 2021 is 5.0%.

In February 2022, compared to the previous month, the prices of goods and services in the consumer groups changed as follows:

• food and non-alcoholic beverages – an increase of 3.3%;

• alcoholic beverages and tobacco products – an increase of 0.3%;

• clothing and footwear – a decrease of 1.0%;

• housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels – a decrease of 0.4%;

• home furnishings, household appliances and accessories and routine maintenance of the home – an increase of 1.3%;

• healthcare – increase by 0.3%;

• transport – an increase of 1.7%;

• communications – an increase of 1.1%;

• entertainment and culture – a decrease of 1.0%;

• education – an increase of 0.2%;

• restaurants and hotels – an increase of 1.9%;

• miscellaneous goods and services – an increase of 1.1%.

In February 2022 the prices of the following food products increased: rice – by 2.5%, flour – by 4.2%, bread – by 1.1%, pasta – by 1.3%, beef – by 2.3%, pork meat – by 1.4%, poultry meat – by 4.1%, sausages – by 2.5, fish – by 0.9%, whole and low-fat milk – by 3.1 and 2.9%, respectively, yogurt – by 0.9%, cheese – by 1.6%, yellow cheese – by 1.1%, cottage cheese – by 2.0%, eggs – by 0.8%, milk butter – by 4.0%, margarine – by 4.5%, sunflower oil – by 1.0%, apples – by 5.2% %, citrus and southern fruits – by 2.4%, tomatoes – by 27.4%, cucumbers – by 17.4%, cabbage – by 14.3%, pepper – by 23.3%, ripe onions and garlic – by 1.4 and 2.2%, respectively, green onions and leeks – by 4.9%, root vegetables (carrots and beets) – by 1.4%, leafy vegetables – by 4.1%, olives – by 5.1%, mushrooms – by 2.2%, ripe beans – by 1.6%, sugar – by 1.9% , vinegar – by 1.6%, salt – by 2.1%, coffee – by 6.7%, tea – by 1.5%, mineral water – by 3.1%, carbonated drinks – by 2.2%, brandy – by 1.7%, wines – by 2.3%, beer – by 0.6%, and others.

In February 2022 the prices of the following food products decreased: smoked pork fillet – by 0.1%, minced meat – by 3.1%, olive oil – by 2.5%, potatoes – by 0.3%, and others .

During the month under review in the groups of non-food goods and services there was an increase in prices for: materials for repair and maintenance of dwellings – by 2.7%, firewood – by 0.4%, furniture – by 2.7%, refrigerators – by 1.0%, air conditioning installations – by 0.3%, other cleaning and disinfecting agents (liquid household cleaners) – by 1.2%, washing powders – by 2.5%, diesel fuel – by 3.5%, petrol A95H – by 3.7%, petrol A100H – by 3.3%, bus transport – by 0.8%, passenger taxis – by 0.6%, telecommunications services – by 1.5%, floriculture – by 6.1%, catering services – by 2.1%, short-term accommodation services – by 0.6%, barber and hairdressing services – by 3.6%, personal hygiene products – by 0.8%, banking services and fees – by 0.4%, and others.

In February 2022 in the groups of non-food goods and services there was a decrease in prices for: clothing and footwear – by 0.8 and 1.5%, respectively, central gas supply – by 14.3%, gaseous fuels for domestic use – by 0.1%, coal – by 3.0%, pellets – by 2.4%, boilers – by 0.6%, vacuum cleaners – by 1.5%, dishwashing detergents – by 1.7%, tires for cars and bicycles – by 1.0%, methane for LTS – by 5.3%, TVs – by 1.2%, personal computers – by 0.1%, cosmetics – by 0.1%, and others.

In February 2022 an increase was registered in the prices of: medicinal products – by 0.3%, medical and dental services – by 0.5 and 0.4%, respectively.

According to final NSI data, the consumer price index in January 2022 compared to December 2021 was 101.5%, i.e. monthly inflation is 1.5%

Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)

The harmonized index of consumer prices for February 2022 compared to January 2022 is 101.2%, i.e. monthly inflation is 1.2%. Inflation since the beginning of the year (February 2022 compared to December 2021) is 2.4%, and annual inflation for February

2022 compared to February 2021 is 8.4%

The average annual inflation for the period March 2021 – February 2022 compared to the period March 2020 – February 2021 was 4.2%.

According to the HICP, in February 2022, compared to the previous month, the prices of goods and services in the consumer groups changed as follows:

• food and non-alcoholic beverages – an increase of 3.2%;

• alcoholic beverages and tobacco products – an increase of 0.4%;

• clothing and footwear – a decrease of 0.9%;

• housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels – a decrease of 0.2%;

• home furnishings, household appliances and accessories and routine maintenance of the home – an increase of 1.4%;

• healthcare – increase by 0.3%;

• transport – an increase of 1.1%;

• communications – an increase of 1.1%;

• entertainment and culture – an increase of 0.1%;

• education – an increase of 0.2%;

• restaurants and hotels – an increase of 1.6%;

• miscellaneous goods and services – an increase of 0.9%.

According to final NSI data, the harmonized index of consumer prices for January 2022 compared to December 2021 is 101.2%, i.e. monthly inflation is 1.2%.

Small Basket Price Index (SBPI)

The price index for the small basket for February 2022 compared to January 2022 is 102.1%, and since the beginning of the year (February 2022 compared to December 2021) is 103.9%.

In February 2022, the prices of goods and services from the small basket for the lowest 20% of households changed compared to the previous month, as follows:

• food products – an increase of 3.8%;

• non-food products – an increase of 0.6%;

• services – an increase of 0.1%.

According to final NSI data, the price index for the small basket in January 2022 compared to December 2021 is 101.7%

/BGNES

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Write to us at [email protected]

Информирайте се на Български – Novinite.bg

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Air monitoring system claims top prize

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A Grand Rapids-based sensor technology company recently won one of the 2022 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) Awards.

Antrum, a company that specializes in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solutions for commercial HVAC systems, won the 2022 AHR Expo Innovation Award in the Indoor Air Quality category for its centralized IAQ monitoring technology, AntrumX.

Adam Donovan. Courtesy Antrum

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we should better understand the quality of the air we’re breathing,” said Antrum President Adam Donovan. “AntrumX gives building managers the data they need to ensure healthy spaces for their occupants while optimizing efficiency.”

AntrumX was developed by engineers at Grand Valley State University. It monitors IAQ of up to 32 spaces in a single location on a scalable platform with zero moving parts.

It leverages the building’s supply air duct static pressure to continuously pull air, via quarter-inch tubing, from each monitored space to the main control panel, where it is sampled for CO2, RH, TVOC, PM2.5 and PM10.

The IAQ data is sent to the building management system and cloud. Building managers can access reports on their computers or smartphones.

“What differentiates us from our competitors is the scalability of our sensing platform and our Air Accelerator, which moves air to our monitoring panel with no moving parts,” Donovan said. “The result is a low-maintenance/high-value product that optimizes ventilation, saves energy and creates healthy spaces.”

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Finding the Best Air Purifier for Clean Breathing

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My space: Currently, I live in a house with two cats and a wood stove, so there is often some kind of fur, dander, and smoke in the air. I’ve also found that my gas stove puts out a decent amount of VOCs every time I cook, which isn’t great. Essentially, I find my allergies constantly shifting so I’m always trying to pay attention to the air in my house.

Area coverage: I use this air purifier in my bedroom (roughly 130 square feet), since it’s best for small spaces (up to 161 square feet).

Filter replacements: The filter replacements are only $20—you can even buy a replacement pre-filter (the sleeve on the outside) for only $8—and it is incredibly easy to replace. I didn’t even need to look at the instructions, so I’d say it is very intuitive.

My experience: I really like this purifier because of how quiet it is and how there are minimal bright lights to bug me at night (I really need a totally dark room). It’s also a very unobtrusive object—it tucks into a corner quite easily and has various outer sleeve color options if you do want it to pop in a room. While it doesn’t have a ton of extra features or buttons, I enjoy how simple and efficient it is—when you want a great little air purifier for your room, this is the way to go. It’s also easy to clean—I’ve used a vacuum on it and I’ve hand washed the pre-filter/cover.

According to Blueair’s website, the purifier is ENERGY STAR rated to use less energy than the average LED lightbulb, so you can keep it running all day without using too much energy. It also has a three-part filtration system, so the fabric pre-filter catches large particles like pet hair and dust and then the combination particle and carbon filter uses a layer of activated carbon to filter light household odors from pets, cooking, and smoking, while the main particle filter removes airborne particles like pollen, dust, and pet dander.

The bottom line: At $120, I think this air purifier is worth the price. It’s an ideal option for a smaller space or single room, and with its ultra quiet operation, it is a great pick for a bedroom.

Tester: Elise Portale, senior social media manager

My space: I live in a prewar apartment that is absolutely loaded with dust, not to mention that I have a cat (and light cat allergies), so my air quality is suspect for sure. My apartment is also a studio, which means that any weird smells, whether they’re from the kitchen or litter box, are inescapable if not dealt with immediately.

Area coverage: The My Happi purifier can cycle air in spaces up to 500 square feet, which is perfect since my studio is less than 400. While the appeal of bedside purification was tempting, I opted to place My Happi in the kitchen, where garbage smells, cat food odor, and other symptoms of my pandemic lockdown depression reigned supreme.

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Local man to travel to Ukraine to provide clean drinking water

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Joe Hurston with Air Mobile Ministries is flying to Poland with 10 water purifiers. He will cross the Ukraine border on foot.

SNEEDVILLE, Tenn. — Joe Hurston with Air Mobile Ministries has a mission to provide clean drinking water to areas struck by disaster. Ukraine is his latest mission.

Hurston will fly out of Florida into Poland on Saturday, March 19 with 10 purifiers, capable of providing clean drinking water to 10,000 people a day.

“These big buildings with a big gaping holes ripped into them, every single one of the plumbing lines have been compromised,” Hurston said. “This aggression against Ukraine, we must stand up to it and we must do everything we can to stop it and reach out and try to save as many lives as we can.”

Hurston added the nuclear threat in Russia makes this the most critical mission of his life.

“People are drinking water right now that is extremely bad for them and they don’t know it,” Hurston said. “After three to four days if people don’t have clean water bad things happen and it just opens the door for disease. It is much, much more critical than food.”

Hurston’s water purifiers utilize ozone and UV light to sanitize even the dirtiest water.

All the parts are replaceable and Air Mobile Ministries refurbishes the machines at no cost.

Hurston paid for all 10 purifiers out of pocket while he asks for funding. The Sneedville community has already funded one of the machines worth $3,000, leaving nine of them still unfunded.

Hurston is asking for prayers and funding as he heads to the middle of a warzone in Ukraine.

You can donate to Air Mobile Ministries on their website.

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Originally Appeared Here