DO-RA.Modul: a Project Ara radiation sensor

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

The Russian company Intersoft have presented their first modules at the second Ara developers conference.

Intersoft has developed the DO-RA.Modul (dosimeter-radiometer), a small silicon sensor that measures the level of radiation in the environment.

At the conference Vladimir Elin, Do-Ra Project Manager, showed three working prototypes, in different sizes, from the largest one (39x17x7 mm) to a very compact unit (18x18x3.5 mm). The team has also developed an Android App to control the module.

This technology could be used in alternative to expensive measuring instruments such as Geiger counters to monitor environmental radiation conditions, including the areas near nuclear power plants or could be used in everyday life. For example air travellers, flight attendants and pilots receive, during a flight, a radiation dose which is 20-30 times higher than normal.

The company is also working on a Multi Sim module.

On the forum of the Ara developers, Vladimir Elin has imagined a concept of a modular smartwatch based on the Project Ara technology. It isn’t an official product but only a personal and interesting idea of a new type of Endo.