Science-based monitoring to tackle air pollution

A network of IoT sensors and data analysis platforms is democratising pollution control in India

Spotted: India is reportedly the eighth most polluted country in the world, with air particulate matter over 10 times higher than levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization (WHO). In a bid to significantly reduce air pollution, the Indian government established the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Working towards the same goal is Respirer Living Sciences, which was founded to improve air quality monitoring coverage across both urban cities and rural districts.

Respirer has developed a network of air quality monitoring devices connected to real-time air pollution artificial intelligence (AI) analytics platforms. According to Respirer, this network is the first and largest scientifically validated Internet of Things (IoT)/sensor-based air quality network in India. The devices provide actionable data to governments, industries, and citizens, helping them to take control of their air pollution.

Respirer Founder and CEO Ronak Sutaria states that Respirer helps democratise clean air. By making air quality data available from tens of thousands of locations across the country, the platform will, “help bring awareness, assist in evidence and data-driven policy making, track down sources of pollution and eventually work towards a clean air society for all.”

The company is supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including government pollution regulators, industrial emissions monitors, and sustainability researchers. Respirer was recently awarded a $572,000 (around €523,600) grant from Open Philanthropy to support work tracking the progress of the NCAP in achieving the government’s national clean air targets. In 2019, there were 1.66 million fatalities in India that were attributed to air pollution. The desire to reduce this staggering figure has spurred a number of innovations, including charcoal-free incense and healthier urban gathering places, which Springwise has spotted in the archive.

Written By: Lisa Magloff