Report (Part 2): Sustainable Development Convention 2002

Wonders: Air Pollution

Time: 30 October 2002, 14:30-15:30 Location: B Chair: Theodore Modis, Growth Dynamics Presenters/ Participants: Athanasios G. Konstandopoulos, PhD, Aerosol Particle Technology Laboratory, CPERI, Greece. Dimitros Zarvalis, MBA, CPERI Reporter: Zhenying Wu (ICVolunteers) Languages: English Key words: Pollution, computer, traffic, mapping, environment

The WONDERS (Wireless On-board Directional Emissions Relaying System) is a system allowing collection and mapping of air composition data. The data is collected by sensors mounted on dedicated vehicles equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System) and transmitted to a central computer through wireless (GPRS) technology. This data can then be automatically mapped and delivered to data users (for instance through the internet).

Even as alternative energy sources are being researched, for the foreseeable future mankind will continue to depend heavily on combustive energy as its main energy source. One of the biggest uses of energy is to enable mobility, and as mobility increases so does energy consumption. This has a very negative effect on the air quality, particularly in densely populated (urban) areas. Traffic generated pollution alone amounts to 1.7% of the GDP in developed countries.

Counter-measures are: designing better (less-polluting) cars, improving emission filters, promoting public transportation, but also intelligent traffic management. Here is where WONDERS can contribute to improve urban traffic, which is part of what will make life in the city sustainable in the long run.

WONDERS is a mobile data collection tool. Its advantages over static ones are: better resolution, and thus lower costs, better coverage, fault tolerance, and impossibility to tamper with the sensors (and thus the data).

It could possibly be mounted on many municipal vehicles covering fixed routes, like trains, buses, garbage trucks etc.

The tool is aimed at traffic controllers and municipal authorities, event organizers, transport professionals etc. It is fully scalable and customizable.

It can be marketed both as a licensed technology and a producer of data that will then be sold directly to the data consumers.

A pilot project can be set up in 12 months, the cost being around 1 million euros (depending on the local topography and covered area). WONDERS is currently looking for test sites, financial partners and potential clients.

Interesting Questions
A member of the audience asked about how collecting pollution data can really help to curb pollution. Dr Konstandopoulos recognized that WONDERS by itself cannot achieve that goal, but he believes this is a tool that can help to achieve which goal by providing data that can help improving policies and laws.