The New Air Fare: Wearable Sensors Tell You What You’re Breathing
Numerous studies have demonstrated the fitness benefits of commuting by bike, but research also suggests cyclists face risks by breathing in polluted city air. One study found cyclists’ lungs to contain 2.3 times as much black carbon as pedestrians’ lungs.
Several projects (one here in NYC) strive to understand cyclists’ exposure to pollution. They rely on data generated from wearable air quality sensors (like Flow from Plume Labs) that, unlike the fixed monitors cities traditionally use, capture street-level variances in pollution due to a host of factors like architecture and trees.
Wearable sensors aren’t just for the lab nerds who like to bike. They’re for anyone who may want to know routes and habits that can help them best avoid unhealthy air. Priced around $200, they aren’t likely to become a mass market IoT device. But they can provide real health benefits, especially for sensitive populations.
Beyond the personal, wearable sensor data is a boon to designers and policymakers. When informed with hyperlocal data, they’re better equipped to address the realities on the ground (and in the air).
