A wireless solution for radon gas detection

A radon gas monitor with wireless readout has been designed, built and successfully tested. The monitor is based on a custom silicon chip that detects the alpha particles produced in the decay of radon and its progeny. The chip is combined with an electrostatic concentrator that collects progeny from the ambient air, giving good sensitivity. A wireless interface allows the monitor to be placed in those locations in a building in which the radon concentration is likely to be highest, while providing convenient continuous readout at a remote computer of the radon level detected. The system appears to provide significant advantages in terms of sensitivity, cost and ease of use compared to consumer-level monitors currently available on the market.