September 30, 2011

The Qatar University Wireless Innovations Centre (QUWIC) at the Qatar Science and Technology Park has unveiled two new systems that they say will deal with some of the significant logistics and systems management issues currently facing Qatari institutions.
Using its new Labeeb data processing system, QUWIC has launched Masarak, a comprehensive solution to provide real-time and historic traffic information in Qatar, and a user interface that will support services and applications using this information to address the needs of three market segments: government entities, enterprises, and consumers.
Users can access these systems through mobile device applications, web applications, voice, SMS and broadcast, and will allow users to monitor traffic congestion on an interactive map, as well as get directions between locations that factor in traffic flow, ease of use and distance. The system can monitor data from vehicles such as Mowasalat taxis and buses, and will also integrate data from cameras. QUWIC officials say that the system promises to assist with traffic congestion and monitoring, vehicle tracking, trip planning, dispatching and intelligent fleet management.

Users will be able to monitor air quality in real time on their mobile device According to QUWIC officials, strategic partnerships have been formed to create comprehensive business ‘eco-system’, including the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, the Ministry of Interior and Traffic Department, Mowasalat, Qtel, Qatar University, and Qatar Foundation.
QUWIC has also partnered with Qatar Foundation’s HSSE Department, the Qatar Energy and Environment Research Institute and the Ministry of Environment to design and build its Qatar Air Pollution Surveillance System (QAPSS).
The system will use the Labeeb data processing technology to integrate data from air monitoring sensors that are set to be installed along Qatar’s roads with data from larger air quality monitoring stations at Qatar University, Education City, the Ministry of Environment and other locations around Doha.
QUWIC officials said that additional sensors can be installed at construction sites, smart cities, sports facilities and educational institutions as needed.
These stations will be monitoring levels of particulate matter, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur oxide, as well as other atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity, all of which have an effect on human health.
QAPSS will help build a bank of historical and real time environmental data that will provide a clear map of air quality conditions around Doha, which will allow experts to advise on possible safety measures and government policies.
Users will also be able to monitor air quality conditions in real time on their mobile device through an application designed by QUWIC’s Mobile App Development Centre. QUWIC officials said that these systems were purpose built, and will continue to evolve to meet new challenges and tackle new problems as they come up. They are in a position to be flexible and adaptive, as these solutions have been built in-house and have not been brought in from institutions outside of Qatar.

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September 24, 2011

We have been working on this topic for several years and thought it would be beneficial to gather and share in one location technical information pertaining to wireless sensors for urban environmental monitoring.

Here is a map of the projects/studies we are aware of, and we will constantly update it of course. If you are aware of other projects that we should add to this list, please send us information.

View Sensaris Environmental monitoring sensor network research in a larger map

Korea Seoul micro sensor node

air pollution based on geosensor network Korea

EcoBus Serbia

Columbia CO augmented reality

India bus GPRS GPS Air sensing

Maqumon Vanderbilt

INTEL COMMON SENSE SAN FRANCISCO

common Sense novice users

Open Sense Zurich 1

Open Sense Zurich 2

Cambridge Message

VITO Noise and air quality sensor network

URBAN NETS KEAN UNIVERSITY

September 8, 2011

Air pollution causes nearly half a million premature deaths each year in the European Union. In busy cities, air quality is usually at its worst, with high concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and ozone. The average life expectancy of people living in the EU’s most polluted areas is reduced by over two years as a consequence of this. A lot can be done at a local level to avoid these emissions.
The European City Ranking is part of the “Soot-free for the Climate!” campaign.Its goal is to demonstrate that many local solutions to improve air quality exist and to find out how cities use these solutions, if at all. This ranking mainly focuses on efforts made to reduce particulate matter (PM10) and soot, or black carbon. However most measures looked at also help reduce other air pollutants, and can therefore serve as general examples for good air quality policy.

The top 3 cities are: Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm.
Then come: Vienna, Zurich, Amsterdam, Lyon, Glasgow, Graz, Paris.

These cities get a shameful F grade: Brussels, London,Madrid, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Milan, Rome.

When will your city start using Senspods ?

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