This smart air purifier uses a plant to clean the air in your room – Times of India

NEW DELHI: IIT Ropar’s startup company, Urban Air Laboratory, has developed a smart air purifier that uses a living plant to clean the air in your room. The air purifier uses a plant and soil as a ‘Smart Bio-Filter’. The air inside the room goes to the soil-root zone where maximum pollutants are purified by relying on a process called Phytoremediation by which plants effectively remove pollutants from the air. The specific plants tested for air-purification include Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Spider plant among others.
Dubbed as ‘Ubreathe Life’, the startup claims that it effectively improves indoor air quality by removing particulate, gaseous and biological contaminants while increasing the oxygen levels in the indoor space through specific plants, UV disinfection and a stack of pre-filter, charcoal filter and HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter fitted in a wooden box.
There is a centrifugal fan which creates a suction pressure inside the purifier, and releases purified air, formed at the roots, through the outlet in 360-degree direction.
The product is claimed to have certain biophilic benefits, such as supporting cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being. The user need not water the plant regularly as there is a built-in water reservoir with a capacity of 150ml which acts as a buffer for plant requirements. The device supplies water to the roots whenever it gets too dry.
The technology is developed by scientists of Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar and Kanpur and Faculty of Management Studies of Delhi University. This air purifier can be used in indoor spaces like hospitals, schools, offices and homes.