DCU researchers use data analytics to devise travel routes with reduced exposure to pollution in new prototype app

By commuting to work by bike or on foot, you could be breathing in high levels of pollutants. Extended exposure to nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide can leave pedestrians and cyclists at risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems. In addition, microscopic particles in exhaust fumes have the ability to penetrate deeply into the respiratory system when inhaled, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath

Furthermore, recent research has indicated that individuals living in more polluted areas are at a greater risk of developing chronic illnesses such as asthma, allergies, and cancer. 

The team used data analysis, investigating the recently released Google Air Quality dataset, to suggest green travel routes for Dublin commuters. By developing an optimisation strategy for people’s daily travel, they can offer ways to reduce exposure to harmful air pollutants.

Primarily intended for cyclists sharing the road with cards, users can enter pollutants they wish to avoid into an Android app. User preferences are then fed into an algorithm which calculates a route using the Google data, which was processed and supplemented by the team during the project. Users are then shown their quickest, and least polluted routes on an interactive map. 

The team carried out a number of experiments using the app and found that in most cases, the rate of pollutant saving exceeds the rate of distance increase. Hence, the algorithm provides a good trade-off between reducing pollutant inhalation and the increase in trip distance.

The data was collected in 2021 and 2022 by Google, using a car equipped with mobile air sensing equipment to measure pollution levels street by street. This data was processed and supplemented by the DCU team for use in this project.

The team has developed a prototype and have shown that commuters who use our model to plan their outdoor activities can benefit notably, with a significant decrease of 17.87% on average in pollutant intake, from the environmental advantages it offers.

Dr Mingming Liu is an Assistant Professor in the School of Electronic Engineering at DCU, and a funded investigator at the SFI Insight Research Centre. This project involved a multi-disciplinary team including Insight CEO and DCU professor Noel O’Connor, Sen Yan, Shaoshu Zhu, Jaime B. Fernandez, Eric Arazo Sanchez, ´ Yingqi Gu, and David O’Connor.

At the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics our mission is to conduct high impact research in data analytics that benefits the individual, industry & society by enabling better decision making. Insight is one of Europe’s largest data analytics research organisations, with over 450 researchers, over 220 industry partners & over €150 million in funding. The current project is one of many led by DCU as one of Insight’s four research sites.