citizen science group for air quality/pollution monitoring?

[Colin Rowat]

Dear THS,

Does anyone know a group like SafeCast, but for air quality/pollution monitoring?

I'm visiting Beijing later this month with my sons, and wanted to show them what I could about air quality.

(In the past, thanks for THS' recommendation, we've been able to borrow Geiger counters for SafeCast for drives through the Fukushima exclusion zone and - this Easter - for an 1,000 ferry trip to Ogasawara: see https://safecast.org/tilemap/?y=31.76&x=138.06&z=6&l=0&m=0)

I'm currently in the UK, so can pick up equipment here, in Tokyo or in Beijing.

Thanks / ありがとう

Colin

[Taylan Ayken]

Hi Colin,

I believe SafeCast was starting an air quality monitoring project. I would ask them about the status.

Best,

Taylan

--
このメールは Google グループのグループ「TokyoHackerSpace」に登録しているユーザーに送られています。
このグループから退会し、グループからのメールの配信を停止するには tokyohackerspa...@googlegroups.com にメールを送信してください。
このグループに投稿するには tokyohac...@googlegroups.com にメールを送信してください。
https://groups.google.com/group/tokyohackerspace からこのグループにアクセスしてください。
その他のオプションについては https://groups.google.com/d/optout にアクセスしてください。

[Richard Frankum]

Last month at the Raspberry Pi JAM there was a presentation by one of the Taiwan RPi Users Group members regarding air quality. I believe he was working with these guys:

https://openaq.org/#/community?_k=m4kj03

--Richard

[Colin Rowat]

Thanks both.

@Takyen: I've just written to SafeCast to find out more about their air quality kit.  They've got some information at https://blog.safecast.org/2016/08/air-quality-beta-kit/, and a mailing list that seems active.

@Richard: I've written to the OpenAQ people as well now.

The Smithsonian had a 2015 article (https://bit.ly/2rq8mFM) on "wearable" environment monitors.  Here's a brief summary of the projects mentioned there:

• TZOA: has gone from being a wearable monitor to some sort of household device (Haven).  There's still a waitlist.  See http://mytzoa.com.
• AirBeam: second generation AirBeams are available for USD249 each from http://www.takingspace.org/aircasting/airbeam/
• Lapka PEM: also available for USD249, from https://mylapka.com/pem/
• Clarity.io: seems to have moved away from the low cost clip-on portable device to fixed IoT devices for cities.  However, they have a mailing list for people interested in the portable device (https://clarity.io/contact) and mention a ship date of 2018.
• AethLabs: the makers of the microAeth line of monitors, their website seems the most detailed (inc. an extensive FAQ).  No prices listed, beyond "request quote".  My request has been passed to their UK distributor (where I live).
• Plume Labs (not in the Smithsonian article): produces the Flow, a personal monitor that they expect to ship by July 2018 for USD139 (q.v. https://flow.plumelabs.com/products/flow) 

Best,

Colin

[Colin Rowat]

More follow-up:

• SafeCast's beta test is finished; they don't have any kits publicly available.  Further, the kits are large and static, rather than mobile/portable.

Best,

Colin

[Kalin KOZHUHAROV]

Not available yet, but there is a good chance that this will
materialize by the end of the year:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/850087978/pocketlab-air-measure-whats-in-your-air/

Basically, it is very difficult to do quantitative AQ measurements
with small and non-static sensors.

Also, most sensors employ some kind of "air cavity" that gets clogged
with dust and needs at least regular maintenance.

BTW, recently, there was (still is) a huge pollen boom in Germany due
to a strong heatwave... everything is yellow, and turns yellow in
seconds outside (hours/inside). This clogs sensors, fans and blocks
PV-panels for fixed/remote devices rendering them unusable...
A picture (not mine) is worth 1K words they say:
https://www.wetteronline.de/fotostrecken/2018-04-24-ps?galleryIndex=6&part=single

Cheers,
Kalin.