Now access hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps with AI-powered Air View+
Users across India can now access hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps, the tech titan said on Wednesday announcing Air View+, an AI-powered and ecosystem-based solution.
Google said Air View+ enables critical air quality information for government agencies responsible for environmental monitoring and urban planning, by providing citizens with over-the-air air quality information on Google Maps.
The company’s latest move is significant as Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) reached 491 earlier this week, as toxic fumes enveloped the national capital prompting the government to restrict vehicular and construction movements, and schools to switch to online classes.
Google, in a blog post written by Yael Maguire, VP and GM, Google Maps Platform and Google Earth, and Miriam Daniel, VP and GM, Google Maps, announced the Air View+ is an ecosystem-based solution to empower public authorities and individuals with hyperlocal air quality information.
As India continues its “amazing growth momentum”, fueled by technological innovation and human capital, it is also important to reduce the risks that can be mitigated, said Google in a blogpost, adding that environmental problems are one of the stumbling blocks, with air pollution. top of the list.
“Air pollution is not only reducing the livability of our cities but it is having a major impact on an overburdened health care system,” she said.
Although this feature is widely understood and appreciated, the ability to take targeted action is limited due to incomplete data surrounding air quality at the hyperlocal level, Google said.
“To combat this challenge, today, we are pleased to announce Air View+ — an ecosystem-based solution to empower government authorities and individuals with useful hyperlocal air quality information, in partnership with local weather technology firms,” it said.
Powered by Google AI, a multi-data model, Air View+ enables important air quality data for government agencies responsible for environmental monitoring and urban planning. It will also enable real-time hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps for users across India.
“People in India now have access to the most comprehensive air quality information across the country on Google Maps,” he said.
Air View+ uses an ecosystem-based approach, bringing together local organizations working to enable real-time hyperlocal air quality information, including local sustainability initiatives, researchers/climate action groups, companies, city managers, and citizens.
“Weather technology companies, Aurasure and Respirer Living Sciences contributed to establishing a network of air quality sensors in cities that did not have the necessary infrastructure to monitor air quality,” he explained.
These sensors measure various air quality parameters, PM2.5, PM10, CO2, NO2, Ozone, and VOCs, as well as temperature and humidity, taking measurements every minute. Strategically deployed in stationary locations across more than 150 Indian cities, including administrative centers, commercial buildings, and utility poles, to maximize population coverage, these sensors continuously monitor air quality.
With the support of local researchers from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, state pollution boards and climate action groups like CSTEP, these sensors are rigorously validated and calibrated.
This data is analyzed using Google AI by researchers and sustainability startups to calculate information quickly and at scale, making this information useful for both citizens and city planners.
The solution empowers local municipal corporations with hyperlocal air quality data for their cities, which they use to develop their internal AQ dashboards with researchers and sustainability partners (Aurasure and Respirer Living Sciences). These dashboards provide air quality data for non-monitored areas and help city planners identify hotspots and take necessary interventions.
People can easily access the AQI on Google Maps by selecting the Air Quality layer from the Layer button on the home screen and clicking any location on the map or by clicking the Weather widget on the Explore tab on the home screen, to get AQI information for them. current location.
“This information is especially important for vulnerable people such as young children or the elderly, making families take appropriate measures to protect their health such as using N95 masks or reducing outdoor exposure,” the blog said.
