
Julee J. 2025 | BASIS Independent Fremont
- Project Title: LiDAR-Based Air Quality Monitoring and Pollution Mapping in Urban Environments
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Madame Laquidara
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 7 million premature deaths occur globally each year as a result of air pollution. Because of their significantly greater pollution levels, urban places are far more dangerous for their inhabitants. In order to help public officials better manage air quality challenges, my project intends to improve real-time monitoring of PM2.5, an air pollutant, across urban environments by creating a system that integrates LiDAR with air quality sensors. In contrast to traditional stationary air quality monitors, this device would provide real-time data on concentrations of PM2.5 with a higher spatial resolution to assist city planners in mitigating pollution exposure.
The research will involve a multi-phase methodology, beginning with a literature review on LiDAR’s environmental applications, then sensor selection, prototype development, and testing the sensor in locations in the city of Fremont with different pollution levels. The study will evaluate how accurate the system is in detecting the concentration of PM2.5 in the air and analyze how much potential it Has to improve current air quality monitoring approaches. The findings could contribute to the development of a novel real-time urban pollution monitoring network that enhances public health and sustainability efforts.