Schoolchildren in London will be carrying more than just their books – but now IoT sensors to measure air pollution in the area.
Children and teachers from East Barnet school in North London have been fitted out with sensors that will collect and process air pollution data from both inside the classroom and on routes to and from school.
The 16 children and teachers have been given CleanSpace Tags, portable air pollution sensors created by Drayson Technologies. The initiative makes East Barnet School one of the first schools in London to accurately measure and address the issue of air pollution by mapping data in real time.
IoT sensors and a real-time heat map
Drayson Technologies has partnered with Sustrans on the project alongside teachers to set up the 16 CleanSpace Tags, ten of which will also be placed inside the school to monitor indoor pollution levels.
The carbon monoxide data collected from the tags will be fed into a time-lapse heat map that will show the pollution levels, in real time. The findings will be used to provide a clear picture of air pollution in and around the school.
The data collected from the IoT sensors will show the times of day that pollution levels are worst, and will become the first step to informing changes that can be made to overcome unnecessary pollution. On top of this, the results will be used to provoke change in how students and teachers travel to and from school and to promote sustainable modes of transport.
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Detailed analysis
Lord Drayson, chairman and CEO of Drayson Technologies, said that until now we have been unable to get a detailed understanding of what the air quality is like in, and around, our schools.
“This project will not only enable us to see how much pollution these pupils are exposed to, it will help us identify ways we can reduce this by addressing behaviour that might be contributing to pollution levels,” he said.
Stuart Owen, head of Science at East Barnet School said the project would “enable us to understand the quality of the air inside, and around our school, and help us to devise a strategy to ensure our pupils have a minimal exposure to pollution.”
Emanuele Angelidis, CEO of Breed Reply, told Internet of Business that there are a lot of solutions that are emerging “designed to help governments and big business reduce pollution and achieve environmental targets, as well as maximise efficiency.”
“Rather than simply selling hardware such as sensors it will be the long-term services – data management and analysis – that they offer to customers that will be profitable,” he said.
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