What AI Found In Almaty’s Spring Air

An AI-powered sensor in Almaty has resumed tracking allergens in the air after the winter break, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Almaty Air Initiative Foundation, the device near the intersection of Satpayev and Baitursynov streets is the only allergen detection sensor based on artificial intelligence in Central Asia. It analyzes air composition in real time and now also calculates an allergic discomfort index, which shows how dangerous the air may be for people with allergies.

The system uses neural networks trained on more than 80 million particle images. It can detect not only pollen, but also mold spores, dust, and microplastics. The technology operates in cooperation with the American company PollenSense.

Monitoring data from recent weeks show that pollen from weeds and trees currently prevails in air samples taken near the sensor, and its share is expected to grow as the weather gets warmer. The most active allergens recorded were plantain, grasses, nettles, as well as cypress-family trees, elm, and poplar. Fine dust and microplastics have also been consistently detected in the samples.

The foundation notes that smog in Almaty increases the impact of allergens: polluted air makes pollen more aggressive, while PM2.5 particles help allergens penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract.

The allergic discomfort index is calculated based on allergen concentration in the air, the allergenicity level of plants, and weather conditions, including humidity and wind.

Users can track allergen levels in real time through dashboard.air.org.kz.

Original author: Rustam Muratov

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