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Many African cities have growing air quality problems, but few have air quality monitoring systems in place. Low cost air quality sensors have the potential to bridge this data gap. This study describes the experimental deployment of six low cost air quality monitors consisting of an optical particle counter Alphasense OPC-N2 for measuring PM 1 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 , and Alphasense A-series electrochemical (amperometric) gas sensors: NO2-A43F, SO2-A4, NO-A4 for measuring NO 2 , NO and SO 2 in four schools, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) headquarters and a community center in Nairobi. The monitors were deployed on May 1 2016 and are still logging data. This paper analyses the data from May 1 2016 to Jan 11 2017. By examining the data produced by these sensors, we illustrate the strengths, as well as the technical limitations of using low cost sensors for monitoring air quality. We show that despite technical limitations, sensors can provide indicative measurements of air quality that are valuable to local communities. It was also found that such a sensor network can play an important role in engaging citizens by raising awareness about the importance of addressing poor air quality. We conclude that these sensors are clearly a potentially important complement but not a substitute for high quality and reliable air quality monitoring systems as problems of calibration, certification, quality control and reporting remain to be solved

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This paper presents the Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM), a novel intensive therapy mechanical ventilator designed for rapid, large-scale, low-cost production for the COVID-19 pandemic. Free of moving mechanical parts and requiring only a source of compressed oxygen and medical air to operate, the MVM is designed to support the long-term invasive ventilation often required for COVID-19 patients and operates in pressure-regulated ventilation modes, which minimize the risk of furthering lung trauma. The MVM was extensively tested against ISO standards in the laboratory using a breathing simulator, with good agreement between input and measured breathing parameters and performing correctly in response to fault conditions and stability tests. The MVM has obtained Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic and Health Canada Medical Device Authorization for Importation or Sale, under Interim Order for Use in Relation to COVID-19. Following these certifications, mass production is ongoing and distribution is under way in several countries. The MVM was designed, tested, prepared for certification, and mass produced in the space of a few months by a unique collaboration of respiratory healthcare professionals and experimental physicists, working with industrial partners, and is an excellent ventilator candidate for this pandemic anywhere in the world.