Urban Citizen Science

How relying on crowdsourced data collection can improve our cities.

Cities are a living organisms. Constantly changing, adapting, and flowing with activity. In order to track the air quality within cities, something just as mobile is needed. Cue TZOA, a kick-starter environmental tracking device that allows the average person to collect air quality, temperature, humidity, pressure, and sun exposure data. This mobile technology, if applied on a large scale, may be the future of urban air monitoring. While the majority of urban air quality measurements are currently taken from stationary locations, this wearable urban innovation allows for mobile readings and a continuous stream of data.

The TZOA device can be clipped to clothing, bicycles, or personal belongings such as backpacks.

The device contains a small air intake fan, and uses internal sensors as well as the GPS on a smartphone to map real-time environmental data in the cloud available for public use. It also connects to a smartphone application for the user to immediately understand their surroundings.

A smartphone is needed to sync TZOA air quality data and interpret findings.

Front-line workers in cities could make use of this innovation during their workdays, and the crowdsourced information could provide valuable insights to scientists, technologists, and policymakers. Interested organizations can use this data to highlight areas with high pollution and subsequently educate local residents, especially in urban areas where asthma and allergies pose increased threats to the population. As urban innovation increases, similar devices and applications will be developed that utilize citizen science to collect valuable data about the world.

As wireless coverage and smartphone ownserhip increases in urban centers, insurmountable amounts of data will be collected by citizens.

Making use of this data to improve human health and our understanding of the environment will forge a path to smarter, sustainable cities in the future.

Works Cited:

1. Adler, Laura. “Monitoring Air Quality and the Impacts of Pollution Data-Smart City Solutions.” Data-Smart City Solutions. Harvard University, 15 May 2015. Web. 17 Nov. 2016. <http://datasmart.ash.harvard.edu/news/article/monitoring-air-quality-and-the-impacts-of-pollution-679>.
2. “About TZOA.” TZOA Wearable Enviro-Tracker. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2016. <http://www.tzoa.com/about-tzoa/>.