AirNow’s fire map includes data from PurpleAir sensors (represented by small circles on the map), and Watch Duty, a non-profit app for tracking wildfires, also features PurpleAir data. But it is likely that due to different calculations and processing delays, the air quality index reported by the same sensor may vary from map to map. For what is known as PM2.5 pollution, or small particles of smoke and dust that can be inhaled, the PurpleAir sensors located south of Los Angeles International Airport simultaneously produce an air quality index of 28 on the AirNow website, 20 on WatchDuty, and 5 on PurpleAir. official page. Each of these values generally indicates healthy air, but it can become more complicated when other types of data are added to the calculations. That’s exactly what companies such as BreezoMeter and Ambee are doing in hopes of providing what they describe as “hyperlocal” estimates that are accurate over many miles between multiple sensor locations. BreezoMeter was founded in Israel and has raised tens of millions of dollars in venture capital funding before. Google acquired in 2022 for more than $200 million, according to Israeli media. (Google declined to comment on the value of the deal.) Powers air quality data that appears in the Weather app on Apple devices and the Google Maps app. An Indian startup, Ambee, is responsible for air quality data in the WeatherBug app, which is one of the most popular weather apps in the world. Yael Maguire, vice president of geo-sustainability at Google, said BreezoMeter estimates hourly air quality of various pollutants and locations, generating more data than many government systems. To make the calculations, the company uses information obtained not only from EPA and PurpleAir sensors, but also from satellites and other sources such as weather and traffic reports. The same data is incorporated into Ambee’s proprietary algorithm, according to CEO, Jaideep Singh Bachher. “We want to give people the right data whenever, wherever they need it,” he said.Volckens said he doesn’t trust the system. PurpleAir’s cheap, partially imaged sensors aren’t suitable for the conditions they’re often used in in the U.S., including during wildfires, he said. But he admits that while they tend to be off in terms of raw numbers, the sensors can be accurate about 90 percent of the time in determining the counselor’s level — a green to maroon scale that’s often enough to make a decision. about how to protect their health. Andrew White, a representative of PurpleAir, said that their sensors have been found to be accurate and that they cannot control how other services calculate using their data. Google’s Maguire said the company “provides industry-leading, highly accurate air quality information,” including “even in areas with limited monitoring.” Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, associate professor of forestry and environmental resources at North Carolina State University who has studied the PurpleAir sensor, said the safest bet for anyone concerned about air quality is to trust the highest number or level of color between different services. “I trust AirNow’s numbers more because I know them,” he said. But “it doesn’t hurt to make very conservative decisions while protecting yourself.” In a country with inadequate government oversight, startups are filling an important void. BreezoMeter and Ambee were founded by people concerned about exposure to harmful airborne particles in homes in Israel and India. BreezoMeter offers data in more than 40 countries, and Ambee more than 100. The wide coverage also makes its service attractive to Apple and other global companies that want to integrate air data, which includes pollen forecasts, into applications, product testing, or marketing campaigns. . Breezometer’s clients include companies in the automotive, health and fitness, and beauty industries. Ambee includes health businesses such as Sanofi, which makes the allergy pill Allegra and last year launched a tool to find walking and cycling routes with the cleanest air. air data. As the demand for air quality data blossoms, researchers are racing to increase the output of low-cost sensors and encourage the installation of various monitoring devices, such as pollen counting stations. What’s unclear today is that the weather is getting worse, Volkens said, and we can’t measure it very well.
