Future Now
The IFTF Blog
Mobile phones for pollution monitoring
A variety of researchers are exploring the use of mobile phones as sensors and communication devices for bottom-up pollution sensing and monitoring. This month, Eric Paulos of Intel Research has launched an SMS system for mobile phone users in the US to learn about the quality of the air around them. Called Ergo, the system uses data from the US Environmental Protection Agency's airnow.gov site and Weatherbug.com. The number to text is 415.624.6678. From the project page:
If you text...
* a 5 digit zip code = you receive the most recent air quality reports for that area (ex. 94704)
* the word worst = you receive the worst three locations in the US as currently reported (ex. worst)
* daily zip time = you receive a report every day at the specified time for the given zip code. The time should be in 24-hour format and uses the time zone associated with the zip code given. (ex. daily 10011 1300) for daily air quality for New York City at 1pm Eastern Time* daily worst time = you receive a report every day at the specified time of the worst air quality in the United States. The time should be in 24-hour format and interprets the time as Pacific Time Zone. (ex. daily worst 0900) for daily report of worst air quality at 9am Pacific Time.
And at UCSD's Calit2, our co-host for the upcoming Technology Horizons Exchange, Shannon Spanhake is developing a personal pollution sensor that links with a mobile phone via Bluetooth. Spanhake will demonstrate her system at our Exchange. From a UCSD news article:
There are only a handful of pollution sensors used by the Environmental Protection Agency to gauge pollution levels in San Diego County and a few more on the other side of the border in Mexico, Spanhake said. The price of wireless and sensor technology has dropped enough that everyone of us could become a pollution monitor, taking readings 24/7, she added. The results could then be fed wirelessly to a database that would give us a lot more concrete data to make informed decisions about how to fight pollution at the level of the individual, the region, and the country, she also said...