Proposal of a Particulate Matter Measurement Device and an Augmented Reality Visualization App as an Educational Tool

Air pollution contains Particulate Matter (PM), invisible to the naked eye due to its less than 10 micrometers size. These dimensions allow PM to reach deep into the lungs and heart, causing multiple health and environmental issues. Despite the ubiquitousness and danger of these pollutants, to date, there is no educational tool for understanding PM concentrations through visualization and measurement of air quality in real-time. In this context, we developed an innovative educational tool that leverages Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to create an interactive real-time PM levels information layer over the surrounding environment. In this article, we present our first IoT/AR prototype, a proposal on how to use it in a learning environment as an educational tool, and preliminary results of validation tests with high school students. We propose that our system has the potential to promote awareness and understanding of air pollution and its effects on human health.