Melvin's In-Class Activity 1

By: Melvin He, Spring 2023

In-class Exercise: 30 minutes

Instructions:

Upload your screen captures and fill in this exit ticket after today’s class: https://forms.gle/vv78gxdbJE2vM935A

Group Breakdown:

The purpose of splitting up into groups is so that you can help each other by collaborating as well as staying as efficient as possible. Help your group if they have technical issues or if they need to borrow your VR Headset while theirs loads on a particular task.

Please discuss discussion questions with your group members!

Hardware: Camilo, Yuanbo, Brian, Dave

VideoVR: Vincent, Ashley, Yifei, Lexi

VR Software: Liza, Mohammed, Austin

Exploring Air Pollution Hardware & Data Collection

Educate yourself on ongoing Brown research organizations on Air Pollution Hardware Data Collection (3 minutes):

Breathe Providence is a community-focused network of low-cost air monitors in Providence, Rhode Island. The monitors continuously measure concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM), alongside meteorological conditions.


More info about Breathe Providence:

Articles you may want to check out in your free time:

More info about Breathe Providence:

Articles you may want to check out in your free time:

The Map below is the data collected today:

The CityAir Kit is a tool that measures air quality and noise pollution. It was developed by the University of Manchester’s Citizen Science group in collaboration with the environmental charity Friends of the Earth. The kit consists of a small, portable device that can be attached to a bicycle or backpack, and measures air pollution and noise levels in real-time as the user moves through a city. The data collected by the CityAir Kit can be used to create maps of air and noise pollution in urban areas, which can help inform policies to improve air quality and protect public health.

Breathe Providence uses sensor nodes from the Berkeley Environmental Air-quality and CO2 Network (BEACO2N) project at the University of California, Berkeley. The nodes require power (110V) and can be equipped to use wireless internet or cellular networks. We mount them either on permanent rooftop railings or on freestanding tripods at our sites. By deploying these sensors, we also hope to advance the science of lower-cost air quality monitoring and data interpretation.

Exploring VideoVR for Pollution Data Visualization & Storytelling

Immerse yourself in this 30 second CO2 360 VR Data Visualization (1 minute):

Take a screenshot of the country you think has the most air pollution.

Now immerse yourself in this data storytelling VideoVR (5 minutes):

Questions to consider while watching:

VR Software for Creating Immersive Data VR Visuals

Ambee is an environmental intelligence platform that provides real-time hyperlocal air quality, weather, and pollen data through its API and dashboard. It uses a combination of data from various sources, including government agencies, ground-based sensors, and satellite imagery, to provide accurate and up-to-date information on air quality and other environmental factors. Ambee’s data can be used by businesses, governments, and individuals to make informed decisions and take actions to improve the health and well-being of people and the planet. The following real-time air pollution data is parsed

Disclaimer:

The Data visuals only consist of 1500+ cities rather than 10,000 since the Ambee free version only allows a certain amount of calls to their API. Data collected through Postman API calls to the Ambee dataset also takes considerable time.

The dataset I parsed took a considerable amount of time but include real-time data on CO, NO2, OZONE, PM10, PM25, SO2, AQI, etc:

Explore the following Data Visualizations of Real-Time Immersive Air Quality VR Displays. Take 2 screenshots of your favorite displays or anything you find intersting.
Discuss with your group on the pros and cons of different displays as well as (6 minutes).

VR Immersive Pollution Data Visualizations:

World Map (Air Quality Index):

https://app.flow.gl/flow/en0fhnw

World Lollipop Map of AQI:

https://app.flow.gl/flow/lenvvy34

Circular Categorization of CO by Country:

https://app.flow.gl/flow/lenwestv

Circular Categorizations of PM25 by Country:

https://app.flow.gl/flow/lenw9fa1

PM10xPM25xAQI data plot:

https://app.flow.gl/flow/lenwoi7y