I-Corps: Mobile air quality sensor module that can be attached to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是一种使空气质量和环境工程师能够通过无人机(无人机：UAV)收集移动空气质量数据的设备。这将对需要收集空气质量数据的广泛行业产生直接影响，包括但不限于能源生产、天然气和石油。该设备允许工程师从真实的地理空间数据而不是模拟数据创建空气质量模型，从而获得更准确的排放值。这些准确的数值将使公司和政府机构能够更好地跟踪空气污染对环境和社区的直接影响。该设备还可以用于识别自然灾害(如野火)对当地社区造成的环境影响和空气污染的传播。此外，该设备还可用于军事应用，以确定特殊使用情况或战场场景的标准和危险污染物浓度。在i-Corps计划期间，目标是与包括空气质量工程师、环境工程师和泄漏检测与修复(LDAR)监督员以及环境保护局(EPA)等政府机构在内的各种潜在客户交谈，使该设备适用于各种行业和使用案例。i-Corps项目基于先前开发的移动空气质量传感器模块，该模块可以连接到无人机上，以执行先进的空气采样技术，使污染物浓度的地理空间数据能够实时记录。该设备由低成本、高质量的传感器组成，这些传感器可在可印刷电路板(PCB)内互换。该装置能够同时收集以下空气污染物：二氧化氮(NO2)、二氧化硫(SO2)、颗粒物(PM1.0、PM2.5、PM10)、一氧化碳(CO)、臭氧(O3)和铅(Pb)。将该设备收集的移动空气质量数据与独特的机器学习模型相结合，可以在全国范围内看到新的微观和宏观环境洞察。所提出的解决方案已经用阿尔法原型成功地进行了评估。该设备是空气质量监测行业独一无二的，目前还没有上市。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project will be a device to enable air quality and environmental engineers to collect mobile air quality data via a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle: UAV). This will have a direct impact on a wide range of industries that are required to gather air quality data including but not limited to energy production, natural gas, and oil. This device allows engineers to create air quality models from real geospatial data rather than simulated data leading to more accurate emission values. These accurate values will allow both companies and government agencies to better track the direct effect air pollution is having on the environment and communities. The device also may be used in identifying the environmental effects and spread of air pollution from natural disasters such as wildfires on local communities. In addition, the device may be used in military applications to determine criteria and hazardous pollutant concentrations for special use cases or battlefield scenarios. During the I-Corps program, the goal is to speak with a variety of potential customers that include air quality engineers, environmental engineers, and leak detection and repair (LDAR) supervisors as well as government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make the device adaptable across a variety of industries and use cases.This I-Corps project is based on a previously developed mobile air quality sensor module that can be attached to UAVs to perform advanced air sampling techniques that enable geospatial data logging of pollutant concentrations in real time. The device is comprised of low-cost, high quality sensors that are interchangeable within the printable circuit board (PCB). The device has the ability to simultaneously collect the following air pollutants: Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Particulate Matter (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O3), and Lead (Pb). Combining the mobile air quality data collected by the device with unique machine learning models, new micro and macro environmental insights may be seen across the country. The proposed solution has been successfully evaluated with an alpha prototype. The device that has been developed is unique to the air quality monitoring industry and is currently not offered on the market.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.