This document discusses using low-cost sensors for environmental monitoring applications. It notes that while low-cost sensors can improve the spatial and temporal resolution of data collection, there are also challenges throughout the sensing pipeline, from sensor calibration to data accuracy. Machine learning models can help improve sensor calibration and accuracy. The document provides examples of applications like air quality monitoring and discusses open challenges.

1. Low-cost Sensing for
Environmental Sustainability
Huber Flores
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
1
October 31, 2023, Tartu, Estonia
Contact e-mail huber.flores@ut.ee
Homepage: https://huberflores.com
Research group: https://dps.cs.ut.ee

2. Pervasive computing
Omnipresent and prevalent, anytime and anywhere
computing
2
[source] https://yle.fi/a/74-20030751
[source] https://duoplay.ee/5826/ohtu?ep=725
[Patent pending]
[source]
https://novaator.err.ee/1
608698476/oomaja-
piilukaamerad-aitab-
paljastada-
soojustundlik-nutiseade
What about environmental sustainability?
huber.flores@ut.ee

3. Environmental pollution is a silent killer
3
[source] https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-
matters/combatting-epigenetic-effects-outdoor-air-pollution
[source] https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a29503442/running-
has-a-cup-problem/
[source] https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/plastic-
problem/plastic-affect-animals/animals-eat-plastic/
[source]
https://petsitters.org/page/WhyDoesmyCatEatPlasticRe
asonsPrevention
[source] https://www.k9magazinefree.com/my-dog-ate-plastic-bag/
[source] https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63012180
huber.flores@ut.ee

4. 4
[source] https://news.err.ee/1608676510/environmental-board-jogeva-county-silage-
farm-river-pollution-receding
[source]
https://news.err.
ee/1146314/lung
-cancer-mostly-
affects-men-
from-industrial-
regions-of-ida-
viru-county
[source] https://news.err.ee/1608721318/historic-
ship-leaking-fuel-into-parnu-river
huber.flores@ut.ee

5. Environmental monitoring
5
[source] Motlagh, N. H., Zaidan, M. A., Fung, P. L., Lagerspetz,
E., Aula, K., Varjonen, S., ... & Tarkoma, S. (2021). Transit
pollution exposure monitoring using low-cost wearable
sensors. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and
Environment, 98, 102981.
[source] Hutengs, C., Ludwig, B., Jung, A., Eisele, A., & Vohland,
M. (2018). Comparison of portable and bench-top
spectrometers for mid-infrared diffuse reflectance
measurements of soils. Sensors, 18(4), 993.
[source]
https://acwi.gov/methods/watersensors/field_deploy/examples.ht
ml
huber.flores@ut.ee

6. City view
6
[source] https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaksali_park
[source] https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emaj%C3%B5gi
[source] https://www.visitestonia.com/en/emajoe-
city-beach
Indicators?
Natural and
recreational
areas
Urban areas
huber.flores@ut.ee

7. City view
7
[source] https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaksali_park
[source] https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emaj%C3%B5gi
[source] https://www.visitestonia.com/en/emajoe-
city-beach
Indicators?
huber.flores@ut.ee

8. City view
8
Problem?
huber.flores@ut.ee

9. Low-cost sensors
• Miniaturized data sampling
9
[source] https://www.amazon.co.uk/KEYESTUDIO-Education-Electronics-
Components-Controller/dp/B08DK7KFHM
[source] Suh, C., & Ko, Y. B. (2008). Design and implementation of
intelligent home control systems based on active sensor networks. IEEE
Transactions on Consumer Electronics, 54(3), 1177-1184.
Re-purpose
them
huber.flores@ut.ee

10. Pervasive data science
• Pervasive environmental monitoring
10
[ICIEA] Rebeiro-Hargrave, A., Motlagh, N. H., Varjonen, S.,
Lagerspetz, E., Nurmi, P., & Tarkoma, S. (2020, November).
MegaSense: Cyber-physical system for real-time urban air
quality monitoring. In 2020 15th IEEE conference on industrial
electronics and applications (ICIEA) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Low-cost air quality sensor
[source] https://visittartu.com/town-hall-square-tartu
[source] https://keel.ut.ee/en/content/alumni-talk-best-place-world-
studying-estonian-and-finno-ugric-languages
[IEEE-PC] Z. Yin, M. Olapade, M. Liyanage, F. Dar, A.
Zuniga, N. H. Motlagh, X. Su, S. Tarkoma, P. Hui, P.
Nurmi, H. Flores: Toward City-Scale Litter Monitoring
using Autonomous Ground Vehicles, IEEE Pervasive
Computing Magazine, (IF: 4.95).
huber.flores@ut.ee

11. Pervasive data science
• Pipelines
11
huber.flores@ut.ee

12. Pervasive data science
• Pipelines: from data collection to end-applications
12
Micro-plastic monitoring Waste monitoring [IEEE-PC] Z. Yin, M. Olapade, M. Liyanage, F. Dar, A. Zuniga, N. H. Motlagh,
X. Su, S. Tarkoma, P. Hui, P. Nurmi, H. Flores: Toward City-Scale Litter
Monitoring using Autonomous Ground Vehicles, IEEE Pervasive
Computing Magazine, (IF: 4.95).
[IEEE-IoT] Flores, Huber, Naser Hossein Motlagh, Agustin Zuniga, Mohan
Liyanage, Monica Passananti, Sasu Tarkoma, Moustafa Youssef, and Petteri
Nurmi. Toward large-scale autonomous marine pollution monitoring. IEEE
Internet of Things Magazine 4, no. 1 (2021): 40-45. huber.flores@ut.ee

13. Pervasive data science
• Pipelines: from data collection to end-applications
13
[IEEE-PC] Z. Yin, M. Olapade, M. Liyanage, F. Dar, A. Zuniga, N. H. Motlagh,
X. Su, S. Tarkoma, P. Hui, P. Nurmi, H. Flores: Toward City-Scale Litter
Monitoring using Autonomous Ground Vehicles, IEEE Pervasive
Computing Magazine, (IF: 4.95).
huber.flores@ut.ee

14. Pervasive data science
• Pipelines: Dissecting the sensing process
14
[PMC] Dar, Farooq, Hilary Emenike, Zhigang Yin, Mohan Liyanage, Rajesh Sharma, Agustin Zuniga, Mohammad A. Hoque, Marko Radeta, Petteri Nurmi, and Huber Flores.
The MIDAS touch: Thermal dissipation resulting from everyday interactions as a sensing modality. Pervasive and Mobile Computing 84 (2022): 101625.
[source]
https://www.hulldailymail.co
.uk/news/hull-east-
yorkshire-news/hull-
streets-drowning-rubbish-
thousands-5199456
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Cup
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Bottle
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Cigarette butt
huber.flores@ut.ee

15. Pervasive data science (Challenges)
• Pipelines
15
huber.flores@ut.ee

16. Pervasive data science (Challenges)
• Pipelines
16
huber.flores@ut.ee

17. Pervasive data science (Challenges)
• Pipelines
17
huber.flores@ut.ee

18. Pervasive data science (Challenges)
• Pipelines
18
huber.flores@ut.ee

19. Pervasive data science
• Pipelines: Dissecting the sensing process
19
[PMC] Dar, Farooq, Hilary Emenike, Zhigang Yin, Mohan Liyanage, Rajesh Sharma, Agustin Zuniga, Mohammad A. Hoque, Marko Radeta, Petteri Nurmi, and Huber Flores.
The MIDAS touch: Thermal dissipation resulting from everyday interactions as a sensing modality. Pervasive and Mobile Computing 84 (2022): 101625.
[source]
https://www.hulldailymail.co
.uk/news/hull-east-
yorkshire-news/hull-
streets-drowning-rubbish-
thousands-5199456
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Cup
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Bottle
[t1, t2, t3…tK-1] → Cigarette butt
huber.flores@ut.ee

20. Pervasive data science (Challenges)
• Pipelines
20
huber.flores@ut.ee

21. Low-cost sensors
21
Data drifts leading to inaccurate results
[source]
https://www.oomipood.ee/en/product/flir_one_pro_usb_c
_termokaamera_flir_one_pro_android_telefonidele_usb_
[source]
https://www.botnroll.com/en/temperature/1308-omron-
thermal-sensor-array-4x4.html
[IEEE PerCom] Malmivirta, Titti, Jonatan Hamberg, Eemil Lagerspetz, Xin Li, Ella
Peltonen, Huber Flores, and Petteri Nurmi. "Hot or not? robust and accurate
continuous thermal imaging on flir cameras." In Proceedings of the IEEE
International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (PerCom), pp. 1-
9. IEEE, 2019.
huber.flores@ut.ee

22. Sensor calibration model
22
[IEEE PerCom] Malmivirta, Titti, Jonatan Hamberg, Eemil Lagerspetz, Xin Li, Ella
Peltonen, Huber Flores, and Petteri Nurmi. "Hot or not? robust and accurate
continuous thermal imaging on flir cameras." In Proceedings of the IEEE
International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (PerCom), pp. 1-
9. IEEE, 2019.
huber.flores@ut.ee
Improving accuracy of sensors

23. City view
23
huber.flores@ut.ee

24. City view (Monitoring applications)
24
huber.flores@ut.ee

25. Summary and conclusions
• Low-cost sensors can augment the spatial and temporal
resolution of data collection for environmental monitoring
applications
• Several challenges throughout the sensing pipeline (starting from
the sensor itself)
• Calibration models supported by machine/deep learning
25
huber.flores@ut.ee

26. Trustworthy AI
26
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MinnaLearn “Elements of AI” (In partnership with University of Tartu, TU Delft, UCD and Erasmus)
Sign up!
huber.flores@ut.ee

27. Questions?
Thank you!
Do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail
Huber Flores (huber.flores@ut.ee)
27
Homepage: https://huberflores.com
Research Group: https://dps.cs.ut.ee