iSpex-EU Project Gathers Steam in Manchester

An open-source air monitoring scheme which is taking place in cities across Europe has issued a call to arms to the citizens of Manchester to get on board and help collate a comprehensive picture of the cleanliness of the air we breathe.

The project is called iSpex-EU and is pioneered by a team of Dutch scientists at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. Two years ago, a small-scale test of the software was trialled in that country and yielded very encouraging results – now, the team want to take the same technology across Europe.

As well as monitoring data from Manchester and London, the project will also encompass the major European strongholds of Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Athens, Berlin, Belgrade and Copenhagen, using the help of around 10,000 volunteers.

How it Works

The iSpex-EU works quite simply via the addition of a small piece of equipment to a Smartphone. The add-on, known as a ‘spectropolarimeter’, clips onto the iPhone 4, 4S, 5 or 5S and acts as a sensor for small, inscrutable matter in the air. All volunteers have to do is receive the add-on (free of charge, by post), download the accompanying app and then snap a photo of the cloudless sky.

The technology is powerful enough to be sensitive to particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, caused by traffic and industry, as well as other naturally-occurring particles, such as the tiny ash elements left over from volcanic eruptions, forest fires and the suchlike. It is also able to detect sea salt.

This information is then uploaded to the app and collated with findings from across Europe. The resulting data will afford the scientists an overall view of how polluted air is around the continent, allowing them to speculate the reasons behind air contamination.

Furthermore, because the project is part of an ongoing effort in the field of bioscience to make big data open source, it will be freely viewable by the general public, as well. This can help citizens make real-time decisions on which parts of town to avoid and whether to bring an appropriate face mask when exercising in heavily polluted atmospheres.

Calling all Mancunians!

In order for the project to be a success, the organisers will need approximately 700 volunteers from Manchester. “This is a very large scale project and we hope it is going to provide us with lots of data. If enough people take part then we should be able to track how air pollution moves through the city,” explained Dr Hugo Ricketts, lead coordinator on the Manchester arm of the initiative. “We need as many people from all over Manchester from Rochdale down to Stockport and out to Wigan to take part.”

If you have a Smartphone which qualifies for the project and would be interested in helping increase our knowledge of the cleanliness of the air we breathe – or you just would like further information on the topic – check out the site yourself at https://ilmt.co/PL/XdVd and https://ilmt.co/PL/801y.