The large gradients in air quality expected in urban areas present a significant challenge to standard measurement technologies. Small, low-cost devices have been developing rapidly in recent years and have the potential to improve the spatial coverage of traditional air quality measurements. Here we present the first version of the Outdoor Dust Information Node (ODIN) as well as the results of the first real-world measurements. The lab tests indicate that the Sharp dust sensor used in the ODIN presents a stable baseline response only slightly affected by ambient temperature. The field tests indicate that ODIN data can be used to estimate hourly and daily PM_2.5 concentrations after appropriate temperature and baseline corrections are applied. The ODIN seems suitable for campaign deployments complementing more traditional measurements.