- Ericsson will use locally developed air quality sensors that are capable of sharing environmental data at defined time intervals
- The pilot for the same is running and the project is expected to be operational in 3-6 months
- Community-based organizations will be involved to raise awareness regarding air pollution and steps that can be taken to reduce it.
The Indian Institute of Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) and Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson have joined hands to tackle air pollution in the national capital.
They will work together to deploy NB-IoT (narrowband internet of things) based sensor network within six months to monitor air pollution in Delhi.
NB-IoT is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) radio technology standard developed by 3GPP to enable a wide range of cellular devices and services.
Ericsson India head Nitin Bansal said in a statement on Thursday that NB-IoT based sensors will be deployed at strategic locations in the city.
“The sensors are automated and will relay information on defined time intervals, providing data on pollution levels, sources and locations in a sustainable and cost-efficient way,” he said.
The pilot for the same is running and the project should be operational in 3-6 months, he added.
The sensors will be locally developed
As part of the agreement, Ericsson will use locally developed air quality sensors that are capable of sharing environmental data, including (particulate matter) PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 levels at defined time intervals.
This will lead to better monitoring and analysis of data collected from different parts of the capital. The findings will be shared with local authorities and other key stakeholders on a periodic basis, Ericsson said.
According to Prof. S. Tripathi, Head of Department, Civil Engineering at IIT Kanpur, this will be “India’s first NB-IoT based low cost Particulate Matter sensors”.
“The collection and analysis of this data can be of crucial help in addressing the menace of air pollution,” he added.
The partnership will also include working with community-based organizations to raise awareness regarding air pollution and steps that can be taken to reduce it.
