Aura AQ
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Project available nowOpen-source, local-first air-quality monitor

See what’s really in the air.

Aura AQ is an open-source, local-first air-quality monitor for particles, CO₂, gas context and room climate on one touchscreen, with no cloud account or subscription.

Get files & build guideOpen Web Installer
Aura AQ 4.3-inch and Aura XL 7-inch air-quality stations with live measurement dashboards
Choose

4.3″ compact or 7″ across-room display.

Measure

Particles, CO₂, gases and room climate.

Stay local

Touchscreen and dashboard without a cloud account.

Connect

MQTT, Home Assistant and optional Aura AQ Link.

Maker-backedUSD 93,1302,761 backers on MakerWorldView campaignOpen source700+GitHub stars for Project AuraView repository

Measurements

Air quality is more than one number.

The standard build covers the room every day. Optional channels add context only where the space needs it.

Standard buildSEN66 + Aura PCB
Room climateTemperature · RH · pressure

Keep every air-quality reading in the context of the room around it.

Sensor extensionsPurpose-built for the space
FormaldehydeHCHO

Add focused monitoring for furniture, adhesives, paints and renovation spaces.

SFA40 sensor add-on
Specialised gasTargeted gas

Add one electrochemical module to monitor the gas that matters in your environment. It extends Aura AQ for targeted use in production facilities, farms and livestock areas, laboratories, wastewater treatment, utilities and other specialised spaces.

Choosing a DFRobot gas sensor? Read the practical applications guide.
Available gas modulesNH₃SO₂NO₂H₂SO₃O₂
Aura AQ 4.3-inch station showing live air-quality readings and a VOC warning

Device experience

Understand the room at a glance.

Aura AQ is designed to feel like a finished monitor, not a sensor board waiting for another dashboard.

01
Room status

One readable recommendation at the top of the screen.

02
Live readings

The current value, unit and condition stay visible together.

03
Sensor state

Warm-up and availability are shown instead of hiding uncertain data.

04
Climate context

Temperature, humidity, pressure and trends explain the reading.

Built in public

Open source. Followed by builders.

The firmware is public, development is visible and the complete device can be seen in action before you build.

21cncstudio / project_auraPublic firmware source
700+GitHub stars
60+ forks600+ commitsGPL-3.0 firmware

Inspect the firmware, follow every release and join the project discussion.

View on GitHubRelease notes
Watch Aura in actionOfficial 21CNCStudio videos
15:33
21CNCStudio · YouTube

Project Aura AQ: Full Overview

A complete walkthrough of the hardware, interface and local-first experience.

2:23
21CNCStudio · YouTube

Project Aura AQ in two minutes

A fast look at the finished monitor and its core capabilities.

Community feedback

See Aura AQ builds shared by other makers.

MakerWorld hosts public reviews, comments and photos from people who have built Aura AQ. Browse the original posts to see their finished devices and experiences with the project.

View reviews & build photos
Independent coverageHackster News · CNX Software · Adafruit
View press coverage

Spaces

Build for the air you actually need to understand.

The same core device can stay simple at home or add one focused channel for a specialised room.

Aura AQ monitoring air quality beside an enclosed laser cutter in a workshop
Base build + optional HCHO

Workshop and laser room

See particle and VOC changes around printing, cutting, finishing and ventilation experiments.

Base SEN66 build

Home and bedroom

Watch CO₂, particles, VOC, temperature and humidity without sending the room to the cloud.

Local-first

Your air data starts at home.

The screen and local network remain useful on their own. Remote services are an optional extension, not the foundation.

01Sensors

SEN66 and the optional channels you choose

02Aura AQ

Touchscreen status and local setup

03Local dashboard

Readings and controls on your own network

04MQTT / Home Assistant

Bring Aura into an existing smart home

Aura AQ local dashboard open on a laptop beside an Aura AQ 4.3-inch station
Local dashboard

No cloud account required.

Open readings and controls from the same network.

Home Assistant Project Aura dashboard on a phone beside an Aura XL 7-inch station
Home Assistant

Fits an existing smart home.

MQTT discovery keeps the integration visible and understandable.

Included for every backer

Five enclosure designs are included.

Four compact 4.3-inch variants and one dedicated Aura XL enclosure are supplied with the project files.

Original white Aura AQ 4.3-inch enclosure with its measurement screen on

4.3″ · Original enclosure

White wall-mount Aura AQ 4.3-inch enclosure

4.3″ · Wall mount enclosure

Black-and-yellow and white Industrial Aura AQ 4.3-inch enclosures

4.3″ · Industrial enclosure

Grey Lunar Artifact Aura AQ 4.3-inch enclosure with its measurement screen on

4.3″ · Lunar Artifact Enclosure

Aura XL enclosure with a 7-inch measurement display

7″ display XL version

Build path

From parts to a finished monitor in four clear steps.

The project keeps the mechanical build, sensor ports and firmware path separate and understandable.

  1. 01
    Choose the display

    Start with the compact 4.3-inch build or the larger Aura XL.

  2. 02
    Print the enclosure

    Use the enclosure files and fastener notes supplied with the project.

  3. 03
    Connect the hardware

    Mount the Aura PCB, SEN66 and only the optional channels you need.

  4. 04
    Install the firmware

    Connect by USB and use the protected Aura AQ Web Installer.

Opened Aura AQ enclosure held in both hands with the PCB, connectors and cable routing visible
Mechanical build

Print and prepare the enclosure.

  • Choose the enclosure for the selected display.
  • Prepare the inserts, fasteners and ventilation path.
  • Check fit before installing electronics.
Electronics

Connect the board and sensors.

  • Seat the display and Aura Sensor Hub PCB.
  • Connect SEN66 with the separate cable.
  • Route optional modules before closing the case.
Assembly videoWatch the complete build guide34:32 · YouTube

Interactive BOM

Build Aura AQ without guessing parts.

Required hardware is locked in. Add only the capabilities your room actually needs.

Included in every build

Core kit

Three logical groups cover the complete working monitor.

Aura AQ 4.3-inch air-quality station with its measurement interface on
Required

The compact desktop build and the best starting point for most rooms.

Display + matching enclosure16 MB required800 × 480
Required USB power supply5 V / 2 A adapter + USB-C cable
Three-quarter render of the Project Aura AQ Sensor Hub PCB v1.1
Required

Aura Sensor Hub PCB v1.1

A clean sensor hub with dedicated ports for the full Aura AQ build.

Required RTC batteryCR1220 3 V lithium coin cell
Three-quarter product view of the Sensirion SEN66 air-quality sensor
Required

Sensirion SEN66

The main particles, CO₂, VOC/NOx, temperature and humidity sensor.

Separate cable requiredJST-GH 1.25 mm pitch, 6-pin, about 100 mm
Configure for the room

Add capabilities

Optional modules are independent from the required core.

Choosing a DFRobot gas sensor? Read the practical applications guide.
DFRobot Gravity SFA40 formaldehyde sensor module
Optional

Formaldehyde sensor

Adds focused HCHO readings for furniture, adhesives, paints and renovation spaces.

HCHO readings
DFRobot Gravity DFR0971 two-channel 0–10 V I2C DAC module
Optional

0–10 V DAC output

Adds a 0–10 V output for ventilation and control experiments.

Ventilation control

Project resources

Files, releases and help.

AvailableMakerWorld files

Enclosures, backer resources and the detailed build guide.

Open ↗StableReleases

Stable firmware packages and release notes.

Open ↗CommunityTroubleshooting

Report a reproducible issue or inspect known problems.

Open ↗

Web Installer

Install Aura AQ from your browser.

Once the hardware is ready, the official Installer keeps Full Install and Update on the correct device path.

Open Aura AQ InstallerRelease notes
  1. 01
    Connect by USB

    Use the supported 16 MB Waveshare ESP32-S3 board.

  2. 02
    Choose the install mode

    Choose Full Install for a clean device or Update to keep existing settings.

  3. 03
    Finish local setup

    Complete AP-mode setup, then connect MQTT or Home Assistant if needed.

FAQ

Before you build.

Does Aura AQ require Aura AQ Link?

No. The touchscreen, local setup, local dashboard, MQTT and Home Assistant path work without Link. Link is an optional remote layer.

Do I need an Aura account?

Normal local operation does not require an account. Access to the official protected Web Installer requires an Aura account and the relevant product grant.

Which display should I choose?

Choose the 4.3-inch version for a compact first build. Choose Aura XL when the screen needs to stay readable from farther away and you have a larger print bed.

Can I use an 8 MB Waveshare board?

No. Aura AQ firmware and its filesystem require the correct 16 MB flash board.

What does the standard build measure?

The SEN66 and Aura PCB path covers particles, CO₂, VOC/NOx indexes, temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure context.

Is Aura AQ a certified CO alarm?

No. The optional CO channel is telemetry for experiments and context; it never replaces a certified life-safety alarm.

Choosing a DFRobot gas sensor? Read the practical applications guide.

Does it work with Home Assistant?

Yes. Aura AQ supports MQTT discovery and can publish its readings to an existing Home Assistant setup.

Make the invisible visible

Ready to build Aura AQ?

Open the project files, prepare the exact parts list, or install firmware on hardware you already have.

Get files & build guideBuild your BOMOpen Web Installer