IIT Madras Researchers Develop Data Science, IoT-Based Method for Mobile Pollution Monitoring

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have made significant progress in the field of air pollution monitoring by developing a low-cost mobile air pollution monitoring framework. This innovative approach utilizes data science, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and low-cost pollution sensors mounted on public vehicles to dynamically monitor air quality at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

The project, known as Kaatru (meaning “air” in Tamil), aims to address the limitations of traditional stationary monitoring stations and provide valuable insights for policy-making and mitigation strategies.

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I. The Limitations of Traditional Air Quality Monitoring

1.1 Fixed Monitoring Stations and the Air Quality Index (AQI)

1.2 Spatial and Temporal Variability of Air Pollution 1.3 Cost Constraints in Expanding Monitoring Infrastructure

II. Introducing the IoT-Based Mobile Air Pollution Monitoring Framework

2.1 Leveraging Low-Cost Air Quality Sensors

2.2 Dynamic Monitoring Using Public Vehicles

2.3 High-Resolution Mapping of Air Quality

III. Advantages and Potential of the Kaatru Project

3.1 Pan-India Hyperlocal Air Quality Map

3.2 Individual Exposure Assessment for Citizens

3.3 Data-Driven Solutions for Policy, Intervention, and Mitigation Strategies