Low cost air quality monitoring sensor

These devices will help Uganda reduce dependence on expensive imported surveillance equipment while dealing with worsening air pollution. Uganda’s capital Kampala is among the most polluted cities in the world. According to the report Air quality In the world of 2021, Uganda’s capital has air pollution levels 7 times higher than the safety standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Engineer Bainomugisham, who led the research from Makerere University in Kampala, said the fact that more and more people died from causes related to air pollution was what prompted the team to start looking for technological solutions. contribute to the improvement of air quality. According to a report by the Global Alliance for Health and Pollution (GAHP), pollution remains the biggest environmental threat to human health, causing 15% of all deaths globally in 2021. According to GAHP, each year, Uganda records about 28,000 deaths from air pollution.

The team’s project, called AirQo, is based on a network of sensors that cost $150 per device. This network collects air quality data around the city of Kampala. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies, the collected data is processed and uploaded to a cloud computing service for citizens and public agencies to exploit and use. through a smartphone app.

The main causes of air pollution in Kampala are traffic fumes, firewood burning, industrial emissions and indiscriminate burning of waste. Previously, the air quality monitoring system in Uganda’s capital mainly used equipment imported from the US, with a price of $ 30,000 / device. In addition, expensive equipment maintenance costs, inappropriate design for use in local environments make this system difficult to deploy on a large scale.

According to engineer Bainomugisha, AirQo monitoring devices are installed around the city, including schools, residential areas and on taxis. The devices are also designed with high durability, can operate in harsh environments such as hot sun and dust, can run both by electricity and by solar energy, so you don’t have to worry about interruption of operation when power-off.

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