“MDES” Moving Forward As IoT and Innovation Institute, depa Team Up with “AIS” to Install PM2.5 Dust Sensors At 200 Locations in 3 Provinces in EEC with NB-IoT Used to Provide Real-Time Air Quality Reports via “depa PM2.5” app
May 6, 2020, depa Ladprao – The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) has never stayed silent to the particulate matter (PM2.5) problem amid the ongoing spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The MDES is preparing for the future as it assigned the IoT and Innovation Institute by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) to collaborate with Advanced Info Service (AIS) to install air quality sensors that monitor ambient temperature, humidity as well as the PM2.5 dust particles at 200 locations. The air quality of each location will be reported through using the Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network as all data collected will be sent to Data Center for analysis. The real-time air quality monitoring will be reported via “depa PM2.5” application, serving as an efficient tool for the people to prepare for dealing with the dust problem. The pilot installation of the PM2.5 dust sensor devices is set to start in three provinces in the Easter Economic Corridor (EEC), comprising Rayong, Chonburi and Chachoengsao. It also plans to install air quality sensors in others gate cities designated as smart cities across the country.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa, said the collaboration between the IoT and Innovation Institute, which is an agency under the supervision of the depa, and AIS is part of the depa’s steps forward to form partnerships to develop smart cities. Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), assigned the depa to collaborate with partners with a central goal to move forward the country to the digital economy. The depa has recognized the importance in preparing health-related infrastructures, so the depa joined AIS to improve the quality of life of the people through the use of Internet of Things (IoT). Air quality sensor devices that monitor ambient temperature, humidity as well as the PM2.5 dust particles will be installed at 200 locations.
Meanwhile, the depa and AIS will be jointly developing “depa PM2.5” mobile app for use to monitor and track the air pollution and air quality. The project will get off the ground in three EEC provinces because those provinces are particularly exposed to the risk and impacts of air pollution and they have so many industrial estates and factories, logistics system and seaports and cargo ships.
“IoT” or Internet of Things is the interconnection technology working through computing devices. It can be applied and utilized to serve multiple purposes and dimensions. The IoT can be used to enhance the efficiency and productivity in the agricultural industry as it helps with monitoring and controlling temperatures and humidity in the farm land. It can execute other computing devices to work automatically to control factors that suit each type of crops in the farm. Under the collaboration between the depa and AIS, air quality sensor devices will be installed to monitor the air pollution as the depa PM2.5 app will be developed to provide real-time air quality monitoring reports as well as air quality notifications or alerts for the selected areas and how to take care of yourself to stay safe from the air pollution. It aims to elevate the quality of life of Thai people through the use of IoT-based technology and system. Moreover, it also plans to install the air quality sensor devices in other areas nationwide, focusing on areas that are designated for developing as smart cities, including Phuket, Krabi, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Phitsanulok, in response to smart city development with environmental sustainability,” said the president/CEO of depa.
Weerawat Kiattipongthaworn, Chief Corporate Officer at AIS, said AIS received support from the depa to develop a system for the installation of air quality sensor devices and the development of mobile application to monitor air quality and track the air pollution. AIS collaborated with IoT-related partners to develop a smart device capable of monitoring ambient temperature and humidity. It is consisted of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor and a sensor for measuring the PM2.5 dust. All data collected
will be sent back to Magellan, which AIS’s IoT platform, for data analysis via NB-IoT, which is a data transmission system through the wireless mobile communication network. It has low battery consumption with a battery lifespan of up to 10 years, yet it has a highly efficient connectivity and penetration with the service network covering across the country. The air quality sensor device will measure the ambient temperature, humidity and dust pollution in every five minutes and send the data to Magellan platform for data analysis. It will show the results of temperature, humidity and the PM2.5 dust pollution. The air quality sensor device is capable of calculating the temperature, humidity and dust pollution even in sub-districts and suburban areas of three provinces in the EEC. In addition, the dashboard is also developed to display monthly summary reports of temperature, humidity and the PM2.5 levels. All data will be displayed in web-based presentation so that state officials and relevant parties involved in urban development can take the data and air quality monitoring reports into account for consideration and come up with the city and town planning and urban development plan that better meet the needs of the people. Aside from providing the real-time air quality monitoring reports, AIS plans to comprehensively develop data in collaboration with researchers and will jointly engage with Big Data analysis in order to be able to analyze and provide weather forecast for the benefits of natural resource management as state officials can efficiently use such data and weather forecast for taking care of people in certain areas.
Moreover, the president/CEO of depa added that as people around the world are dealing with the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has claimed lives, the depa has forged ahead with promoting the adoption of digital technologies so as to help the people and all parties get through the crisis. Regarding the dust pollution problem that Thailand is dealing with every year, especially when it comes to low-pressure seasons, the dust pollution problem might not immediately have health impacts, but it is accumulating and will pose a threat to health safety of the people in the long term. The air pollution
problem cannot be solved by merely launching a series of campaigns to return good air quality. What we can do now is avoiding and prevention as the collaboration with AIS will provide people with a smart tool to monitor air quality in the most real-time action so that people can prepare, protect against dust pollution and refrain from visiting risk areas as well as reducing chance of suffering impacts of air pollution.
People can now download “depa PM2.5” app for both iOS and Android operating systems via http://onelink.to/depapm or scan QR Code below
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