In this article, we'll show how to display live air quality readings and forecasts on your digital signs with OptiSigns.
With the Air Quality Index app, it's possible to display the current air quality and the coming days' forecast for any location on your digital signs. Show the US AQI, the level of each pollutant, and simple advice, so visitors and staff know at a glance whether it's a good day to be outside.
Let's get started.
What You'll Need
- An OptiSigns account - Standard Plan or higher
- An OptiSigns-enabled device
- A screen, set up and paired with OptiSigns (see our Getting Started guide)
Creating an Air Quality Index App
From the OptiSigns portal, go to Files/Assets and select Apps.
Search for Air Quality and select the Air Quality Index app.
The Air Quality Index app settings will open. Any changes you make show up right away in the Preview on the right, which you can switch between Landscape and Portrait. The preview shows Sample data. Once saved, your screens show live readings for your location.
Start typing your city or address in the Location field, then pick it from the list of suggestions.
Fill in the following:
- Name - The name of your Air Quality Index asset. This is for organizational purposes within OptiSigns only and will not display on your screens.
- Use device setting's location - Turn this on to show the air quality for each screen's own location instead. See the section below.
- Location - The location whose air quality is displayed. Its name shows at the top right of the app.
Use Device Setting's Location
If you show the same app on screens in different places, turn on Use device setting's location. Each screen then shows the air quality for the location set on that screen. To set a screen's location, go to the Screens tab, click Edit on the screen, then open Advanced. Learn more about screen locations.
| NOTE |
| Location is still required with this setting on. It becomes the fallback, used by any screen that doesn't have a location set. |
Display
The Display section controls what the app shows and how it looks.
- Display Mode - What the app shows:
- Cycle (Current & Forecast) - Switches between the current air quality and the forecast. This is the default.
- Current Air Quality Only - Shows only the current reading, as in the example at the top of this article.
- Forecast Only - Shows only the forecast for the coming days.
- Theme - Light (the default) or Dark.
- Speed - How long each view is shown before the app switches. Only available in Cycle (Current & Forecast) mode.
The forecast shows the next three days, each with its AQI and level, along with a short outlook such as which day is better for spending time outdoors.
Here's the app with Theme set to Dark:
For Speed, choose Fast, Medium (the default) or Slow. To set your own timing, choose Custom and drag the slider to anywhere between 5 and 30 seconds.
Now hit Save. You'll have created an Air Quality Index app, and it will appear in your Files/Assets.
Deploying an Air Quality Index App
To push your Air Quality Index app to a screen, go to the Screens tab, then click Edit next to the screen you want to display it on.
The Edit Screen pop-up will appear. Select Asset under Content Type, then hit Change next to Selected Asset.
The Select Asset window will open. Search for your Air Quality Index app, click it, then hit Select.
Back in Edit Screen, hit Save. Your air quality readings will now display on your screen.
Your Air Quality Index app can also be displayed in a Playlist or Schedule, or as one zone of a Split Screen.
That’s all!
OptiSigns is the leader in digital signage software. If you have any additional questions, concerns or any feedback about OptiSigns, feel free to reach out to our support team at support@optisigns.com.