An app based air quality social sensing system built on open source Hw/Sw tools

Abstract

The use of conventional tools of analysis for air quality has shown strong limitations in spatio-temporal coverage of urban scenarios. The required level of service needs for a distributed approach, based on a dense network of mobile sensor nodes. Developments in sensor technologies and communications, together with the constant social innovation make it now possible for citizens to cooperate together, producing and socializing data for the simultaneous benefit of the individual and the community. The following paper aims to develop this concept and apply it to the distributed monitoring of air quality. The goal is to enable individuals to monitor their exposure to air pollution, at the same time contributing to the construction of a map of the state of urban air quality through the sharing of data.