How do you make air quality data understandable for citizens?

There is a wealth of data available on the air quality in Eindhoven. Sensors and measuring instruments have been installed throughout the city, providing abundant data for extensive public datasets. However, for citizens without extensive data knowledge, these datasets can be difficult to interpret. How can this data be made more digestible? Kirill Smirnov, a student in ICT & Software Engineering specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), took on that challenge with his team.

Unlocking Data
Extensive data is being collected, but that doesn't necessarily mean everyone can make use of it. Kirill worked on this project commissioned by AiREAS, which is dedicated to a healthy living environment. The slogan is, "together responsible for our health and a healthy living environment." But in order to take on that responsibility, people need to acquire knowledge about a complex yet crucial topic such as air quality. Therefore, the team of students developed a chatbot where users can retrieve information. However, that is just the outcome.

Interpreting Data
AI is an excellent tool for exploring large datasets, Kirill explains. By training it effectively, it can swiftly produce an analysis. This sounds simple, but the students had to combine various technologies that aren't typically used together for this purpose. Additionally, the data had to be interpretable on the front end, where generative AI provided a solution. Finally, the group also decided to give the chatbot its own personality.

He elaborates further on this in an episode of Eyes on AI:

The application is now ready for use and is being rolled out to society. Kirill's project demonstrates how AI can assist us and raise awareness about our sometimes complex environment and how we can navigate it.

This student project is part of the AiREAS initiative and was carried out in the Fontys ICT InnovationLab. At this facility, students, researchers, and partner companies collaborate on innovations within the ICT field.