BME688 is the first gas sensor with Artificial Intelligence(AI) and integrated high-linearity and high-accuracy pressure, humidity and temperature sensors which can be easily customized for specific use cases such as the detection of odors & bad smells & wildfires, etc.

This standalone environmental sensor BME688 is a high-performance 4-in-1 gas sensor with Artificial Intelligence (AI), integrated high-linearity and high-accuracy pressure, humidity and temperature sensors. It can measure humidity with ±3% accuracy, barometric pressure with ±1 hPa absolute accuracy, and temperature with ±1.0°C accuracy just like its predecessor BME280 & BMP280. Because pressure changes with altitude and the pressure measurements are so good, you can also use it as an altimeter with ±1 meter or better accuracy!

The new BME 688 sensor it's backward compatible with BME680. Compared to BME680, it carries an extra gas scanning function with low power consumption (3.9 mA in standard gas scan mode). It can detect a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), and other gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the part per billion (ppb) range. In standard configuration, the presence of VSCs is detected as an indicator for e.g. bacteria growth. The gas scanner can be customized with respect to sensitivity, selectivity, data rate and power consumption as well. Moreover, it is trainable to detect different gas mixtures and their presence (e.g. coffee) with Bosch's AI Studio like in home appliances, IoT products or Smart homes.

This new BME688 is ideal for innovative custom applications such as detecting food spoilage or timely detection of wildfires by measuring current gases and tracking changes in temperature and humidity. The artificial intelligence capabilities of the sensors and Bosch Sensortec's new BME AI-Studio software tool allow customers to quickly develop custom solutions directly for their specific use cases.

Features : 

• The first gas sensor with AI: Trainable to detect different gas mixtures and their presence (e.g. coffee) with Bosch's AI Studio
• High-performance 4-in-1 environmental sensor: Detect gas, humidity, temperature, and barometric pressure sensing in a compact size
• Detect a wide variety of gases: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), and other gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the part per billion (ppb) range
• High accuracy: Measure humidity with ±3% accuracy, temperature with ±1.0°C accuracy, +-1C and barometric pressure with ±1 hPa absolute accuracy
• Easy to use: Compatible with Grove port, just plug-and-play

Applications :

• Indoor and outdoor air quality measurement
• Bad breath or spoiled food detection based on the measurement of volatile sulfur compounds, which are an indicator of bacteria growth
• Detection of unusual gases and smells, which might indicate for instance a leakage or fire
• Diaper state detection, e.g. for baby care
• Early detection of odors & bad smells
• Wildfire detection

Specifications : 

How do I get started with this sensor?

At first sensor usage, a minimum of 20 minutes of "burn in" should be made and readings may take a couple of minutes to stabilise after beginning measurements.IAQ (Air quality index), target gas scanner selectivity, VOC, VSC data and other BME688 features may be accessed using the Bosch Sensortec "BSEC fusion library". In order to avoid contamination, DO NOT touch the metallic casing of the BME688!!!

Can we use the current PCB using the BME680 print and upgrade it with BME688 without any changes?

Yes, the BME688 is fully backward compatible and can be placed on every PCB, which has been designed for the BME680. You just have to update the API to the new version, which automatically detects the BME688 and does the right value calculation (necessary due to the extended ASIC range of the BME688).

Do you need to force air into the BME688 when taking samples?

No, this just happens “by itself” due to the laws of nature, in particular, due to diffusion. As soon as the gas composition around the BME688 changes, there is a concentration gradient, which leads to the diffusion of gases into and out of the BME housing. In addition, thanks to the tiny dimensions (the lid hole is less than 1 mm away from the gas sensor chip inside) this happens within a few seconds.

ECCN/HTS : 

Documents : 

• Flyer
  
• BME688 Datasheet
  
• BME AI-Studio Manual
  
• BME688 Software tools
  
• C Library

Package Includes : 

• 1 x Grove - Temperature, Humidity, Pressure and Gas Sensor (BME688)
• 1 x Grove cable