Google Launches AI-Powered Air View+ to Combat Air Pollution in India

Google rolls out Air View+ for real-time air quality insights in India

Google today introduced Air View+, an innovative, ecosystem-based solution designed to provide both government authorities and the general public with real-time, hyperlocal air quality data. Powered by Google AI and in collaboration with local climate tech firms, this initiative aims to address the growing challenge of air pollution in India. As India continues to experience rapid growth, air pollution has become a significant environmental issue. Google highlighted that air pollution not only diminishes the livability of cities but also places a heavy burden on the healthcare system. Health problems caused by poor air quality contribute to physical and financial stress for individuals and communities alike. Until now, the ability to take targeted action against air pollution has been limited by insufficient and imprecise data at a hyperlocal level. Air View+ aims to fill this gap by providing accurate, real-time air quality insights to both government agencies and citizens. Air View+ adopts a collaborative approach, bringing together local sustainability startups, climate action groups, corporations, and citizens. Climate tech firms, such as Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences, have installed air quality sensors in over 150 cities across India. These sensors measure key air quality parameters, including PM2.5, PM10, CO2, NO2, Ozone, and VOCs, as well as temperature and humidity. The sensors are strategically placed in areas such as administrative buildings, commercial spaces, and utility poles. They collect data every minute, which is validated and calibrated with the support of local researchers from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, and state pollution boards. This data is then analyzed using Google AI to generate actionable insights. This new feature is now accessible to users across India, providing essential air quality information directly in Google Maps. Speaking about the launch of Google Air View+, Yael Maguire, VP & GM of Google Maps Platform & Google Earth, said,

Google Launches Air View+ to Tackle India's Air Pollution Crisis

Data is analysed using Google AI and validated by researchers from institutions such as IIT Delhi and IIT Hyderabad. The project is already piloted in Navi Mumbai and Greater Chennai. Google has unveiled Air View+, an ecosystem-based solution to provide hyperlocal air quality insights across India. Powered by Google AI and local partnerships, Air View+ aims to empower government authorities, urban planners, and citizens with actionable data to address the country's growing air pollution challenges. This comes amid the capital city New Delhi battling hazardous pollution levels in the past week. While the problem of air pollution is well-recognized, a lack of accurate, hyperlocal air quality data has hindered targeted interventions. Air View+ seeks to bridge this gap by integrating real-time data from strategically deployed air quality sensors across 150+ cities, supported by climate tech firms such as Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences. These sensors measure key pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, and NO2, alongside environmental factors like temperature and humidity. Data is analysed using Google AI and validated by researchers from institutions such as IIT Delhi and IIT Hyderabad, creating insights that can guide municipal actions and public awareness. The project already boasts successful pilot implementations in cities like Navi Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Greater Chennai, enabling urban planners to identify pollution hotspots and implement targeted measures. Source: Google Blog Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Municipal Commissioner G Sreekanth said, "Real-time data from the Google Air View+ sensors empower us to pinpoint pollution hotspots and take proactive measures. We've adopted the Hyperlocal Air Quality Monitoring Network implemented through the Google Air View+ Project in collaboration with Aurassure." Similarly, Navi Mumbai's Additional Commissioner Shirish Aradwad credited the project with aiding the city's climate action plan, which includes tree plantations and an expansion of electric public transport. "The Air View+ Project by Google helped us in understanding our city's air quality by providing us real-time, street-level data. We're taking additional initiatives under the City Climate Action Plan," he said. The big tech has been making significant strides in developing solutions to fight the climate crisis and even adopt sustainable energy solutions. Recently, Google signed an agreement with Kairos Power to buy nuclear energy to power their AI data centres.

Google Wants to Solve India's Air Quality Data Gap With This AI Tool

The tech giant partnered with climate tech firms to build the sensors Google announced Air View+, an ecosystem-based solution to address the gaps in air quality data across India, on Wednesday. The system uses the Mountain View-based tech giant's artificial intelligence (AI) models to process a large volume of air quality data at the hyperlocal level and provide actionable insights to Indian government agencies. For this, the company has partnered with climate tech firms and researchers from various Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) to deploy specialised sensors to monitor air quality data across 150 Indian cities. The rise of particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5 in the air of Delhi NCR region to dangerous levels has highlighted the problem of lack of proactive measures in fixing India's air quality issues. One of the reasons for this is believed to be the lack of consistent air quality data and the technology to convert such large volume of data into actionable insights. Google claims that its AI-powered Air View+ system can solve both of these bottlenecks to help government agencies combat air pollution proactively. The tech giant states that it is an ecosystem-based solution that both collects and processes air quality data from small localities and surroundings. To collect the data, Google partnered with climate tech firms Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences and built air quality sensors that can measure various parameters including PM2.5, PM10, CO2, NO2, Ozone, and VOCs, as well as temperature and humidity. These sensors take measurements every minute for consistency. A network of these sensors have been deployed in more than 150 Indian cities in locations with high population footfall such as administrative establishments, commercial buildings, utility poles, and more. Google claimed that researchers from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, state pollution boards and climate action groups have rigorously validated and calibrated these sensors. The idea behind setting up this sensor network is to get consistent hyperlocal data across the city and then using AI to process this information in real time. The company says its AI technology is used to power the Air View+ system. Once processed, Google will send the insights and key highlights from this massive data set to local municipal corporations and other government agencies. The company claims that this will enable them to better prepare action plans and proactive measures by observing patterns in air quality dips. This will also help fill in the data gaps by sourcing air quality information from previously unmonitored areas. This information will also be available publicly via Google Maps. Users of the platform can select the Air Quality layer from the Layer button on the home screen by picking any location. The same information can also be checked on the weather widget on the Explore tab on the home screen.

Google Maps launches Air View+ in India; real time hyperlocal air quality info

Users across India can now access hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps, the tech titan said on Wednesday announcing Air View+, an AI-powered and ecosystem-based solution. Google said Air View+ enables valuable air quality insights to government agencies responsible for environmental monitoring and urban planning, by offering citizens hyperlocal air quality information on Google Maps. The company said its latest move assumes significance as Delhi's air quality index (AQI) touched a high of 491 earlier this week, as toxic haze engulfed the national capital prompting the government to restrict vehicle movement and construction activities, and schools to shift to online classes. Google, in a blogpost penned by Yael Maguire, VP and GM, Google Maps platform and Google Earth, along with Miriam Daniel, VP and GM, Google Maps, announced Air View+ which it said is an ecosystem-based solution to empower government authorities and people with hyperlocal air quality information. As India continues its "incredible growth momentum", backed by tech innovation and demographic advantage, it is crucial to also mitigate risks which could slow it down, Google said in the blogpost, adding that environmental issues are one such stumbling block, with air pollution topping the list. "Air pollution not only diminishes the liveability of our cities but it massively contributes to an overloaded healthcare system," it said. While this aspect is widely understood and appreciated, the ability to take targeted action has been limited due to imperfect data around air quality at the hyperlocal level, Google said. "To combat this challenge, today, we are pleased to announce Air View+ -- an ecosystem-based solution to empower government authorities and people with useful hyperlocal air quality information, in collaboration with local climate tech firms," it said. Powered by Google AI, modelling a wide range of data inputs, Air View+ enables valuable air quality insights to government agencies responsible for environmental monitoring and urban planning. It would also enable real-time hyperlocal air quality information in Google Maps for users across India. "People in India can now access hyperlocal air quality information across the country in Google Maps," it said. Air View+ adopts an ecosystem-based approach, bringing together local organisations working to enable real-time hyperlocal air quality information, including local sustainability startups, researchers/climate action groups, corporations, city administrators, and citizens. "Climate tech firms, Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences were instrumental in setting up an air quality sensor network in cities that previously lacked the requisite infrastructure to monitor air quality," it explained. These sensors measure various air quality parameters, PM2.5, PM10, CO2, NO2, Ozone, and VOCs, along with temperature and humidity, taking measurements every minute. Strategically deployed in static locations across more than 150 Indian cities, including administrative establishments, commercial buildings, and utility poles, to maximise population coverage, these sensors continuously monitor air quality. With the support of local researchers from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, state pollution boards and climate action groups like CSTEP, these sensors are rigorously validated and calibrated. This data is analysed using Google AI by researchers and sustainability startups to compute insights quickly and at scale, making this information useful for both citizens and city planners. The solution empowers local municipal corporations with hyperlocal air quality data of their cities, which they are using to develop their in-house AQ dashboards via the researchers and sustainability partners (Aurassure and Respirer Living Sciences). These dashboards provide air quality data for unmonitored areas and help urban planners identify hotspots and make necessary interventions. People can readily access AQI in Google Maps by selecting the Air Quality layer from the layer button on the home screen and tapping on any location on the map or by clicking the weather widget on the explore tab on the home screen, for AQI info at their current location. "This information is especially important for vulnerable populations such as young children or the elderly, enabling families to take appropriately preventative measures and precautions for their health such as using N95 masks or reducing outdoor exposure," the blog said.