Computer scientists at the University of California, San
Diego have built a small fleet of portable pollution sensors that allow users
to monitor air quality in real time on their smart phones. The sensors could be
particularly useful to people suffering from chronic conditions, such as
asthma, who need to avoid exposure to pollutants.
CitiSense is the only air-quality monitoring system capable
of delivering real-time data to users’ cell phones and home computers—at any
time. Data from the sensors can also be used to estimate air quality throughout
the area where the devices are deployed, providing information to everyone—not
just those carrying sensors.