Smartphone Detects the Presence of Smoke, Fire, and Tests the Air Quality in the Surroundings. Just Need the Most Powerful Snapdragon

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Introduction to MobilePhysics and Sensor Integration

Next year’s top Android models with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 operating system will be capable of detecting the presence of smoke or fire, measuring surrounding temperature, or assessing UV radiation levels. This is made possible thanks to the startup MobilePhysics, which has quietly integrated the necessary sensors and technology into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. However, it’s up to the smartphone manufacturers whether they choose to utilize this suite of sensors or not. If they do, the Mobile Physics measuring app will come preinstalled on next year’s high-end phones.

Capabilities of Mobile Physics Application

The Mobile Physics application will use all the phone’s sensors, including its cameras, to determine the air quality (e.g., PM2.5 particle concentration), smoke levels, UV radiation, and even temperature in the vicinity— all while running in the background, even if the phone is in your pocket. If the application detects an unexpected situation, it will alert the user and potentially offer various recommendations, such as seeking shade, opening a window, or turning on an air purifier. Moreover, the smoke detector can function overnight, providing protection while the user sleeps.

Mobile Sensing Hub and the Growing Importance of AI

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset was announced in October, with generative artificial intelligence generating significant interest. The MobilePhysics solution utilizing the so-called Mobile Sensing Hub might have gone unnoticed; however, it’s clear that it will heavily rely on artificial intelligence too, especially in areas where sensor data is lacking. It can be anticipated that the number of sensors in phones will continue to increase, leading to progressively more accurate measured and estimated data.

The Mission of MobilePhysics

The mission of the startup is clearly defined. It is led by Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Roger Kornberg, who aims to draw Android users’ attention to the deteriorating air quality. How popular this feature will become in high-performance Android devices will become apparent next year. To date, the technology has been tested in the Pixel 8 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, which have a basic set of sensors and the VL53L8 ToF sensor from STMicroelectronics, necessary for air quality testing. The officially supported Android devices with the Mobile Physics application are expected to hit the market at the beginning of next year.