Google launches new AI feature to tackle air pollution in India

Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: istock

In a bid to combat the rising air pollution woes of India, tech giant Google has launched Air View+, which is an artificial intelligence-based solution that can help the government and the people with useful hyperlocal air quality information.

Air View+ is powered by Google AI and works in collaboration with local climate tech firms. This can enable real-time hyperlocal air quality information, which includes local sustainability startups, researchers/climate action groups, corporations, city administrators, and citizens.

The ecosystem can provide "valuable air quality insights to government agencies responsible for environmental monitoring and urban planning," said Google in a blog post.

It will also provide "real-time hyperlocal air quality information in Google Maps for users across India," it added.

Air View+ empowers local municipal corporations with hyperlocal air quality data for their cities. This can be used to develop their in-house AQ dashboards via the researchers and sustainability partners.

"These dashboards provide air quality data for unmonitored areas and help urban planners identify hotspots and make necessary interventions," Google said.

The capabilities of Air View+ were tested in a pilot run last year. The partnerships with municipal corporations including Navi Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Greater Chennai have yielded hugely encouraging results, Google said.

Further, Air View+ also helps common people access hyperlocal air quality information across the country in Google Maps.

"With a multi-layered AI fusion approach that combines data from various input sources, including the sensor network, government data, satellite imagery, weather and wind patterns, traffic conditions, land cover, and more, we generate dynamic hyperlocal Air Quality Index (AQI) at a granular level. We have customised the model for India to reflect the methodology, categorisation, and guidance as defined in the National Air Quality Index (NAQI)," the tech giant said.

The information garnered may help vulnerable populations such as young children or the elderly to take appropriate preventative measures and precautions for their health such as using N95 masks or reducing outdoor exposure.

People can readily access AQI in Google Maps by selecting the Air Quality layer from the Layer button on the home screen and tapping on any location on the map. Clicking the Weather widget on the Explore tab on the home screen can help them access AQI info at their current location.

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