*By [Cristian Sanchez]([https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristian-sanchez-data/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristian-sanchez-data/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristian-sanchez-data/"))*
Also, hello everyone! When I was working at the [National Aerothermochemistry Laboratory](https://nal.tamu.edu/) at Texas A&M, I often used these sites to shop for sensors.
They're organized in a catalog format that, sometimes, reveals solutions you might not have thought of originally. You don't necessarily even have to buy from the site itself, it sometimes points you to a company or manufacturer that can lead to even more solutions.
**Air & Environmental Sensor Catalogs**
_Note: These are not consumer products. Rather, these are where companies like AirNow or Airthings buy their base parts, in bulk, and package them into user-friendly products._
- [DigiKey - Particle & Dust Sensors](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/particle-dust-sensors/509)
- [DigiKey - Specialized Air Sensors](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/specialized-sensors/561?s=N4IgjCBcoMwCwFYqgMZQGYEMA2BnApgDQgD2UA2iDGAExwAMMIxA7PTTPUgLrEAOAFyggAygIBOASwB2AcxABfJUA)
- [Mouser - Environmental Sensors](https://www.mouser.com/c/sensors/environmental-sensors/)
- [McMaster-Carr - Environmental Air Quality Sensors](https://www.mcmaster.com/products/sensors/sensor-type~air-quality/)
I recommend browsing these websites, in general, as a practice in product design. These sites are the secret sauce to prototyping and product development.
Lastly, you should get familiar with the [TRIZ methodology](https://nesslabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SIT-matrix.png). It's a [framework that helps you understand](https://www.edelias.com/triz) what you are trying to design, the physical limitations associated, and finally, solutions to those limitations.