hackAIR · Project

Citizen-Powered Air Quality Monitoring Platform Using Phones, Photos and Low-Cost Sensors

environmentPilotedTRL 7

Imagine if anyone could check the air quality in their neighborhood — not just from a few official stations, but from thousands of everyday people snapping photos of the sky with their phones or plugging in a cheap sensor they built at home. That's what hackAIR created: an open platform that combines official air quality data, user-uploaded sky photos, and readings from low-cost DIY sensors into one easy-to-read map. It was tested with real communities — an NGO with over 400,000 members and a health association with over 19,000 members — so people could finally see what they're breathing and make smarter choices about outdoor activities.

By the numbers

>400,000

members in grassroots NGO pilot partner

>19,000

members in health association pilot partner

pilot testing locations

consortium partners

countries represented in consortium

total project deliverables

data sources fused (stations, photos, sensors)

The business problem

What needed solving

Cities and companies need granular, real-time air quality data but professional monitoring stations are expensive and sparse — leaving large blind spots in coverage. Without localized air quality information, environmental consultants can't deliver accurate assessments, smart city vendors lack critical data layers, and health service providers can't give patients timely respiratory health advice.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete open platform including a web application, mobile app, low-cost open hardware sensor designs, sky-photo analysis algorithms, and a data fusion engine that combines official station data with crowd-sourced measurements. The final integrated and tested platform was delivered along with social media monitoring tools for community engagement, totalling 32 deliverables.

Audience

Who needs this

Environmental monitoring and consulting firms needing denser air quality data coverageSmart city platform providers adding environmental sensing layersHealth insurers and respiratory health apps needing localized air quality alertsMunicipal governments expanding citizen engagement in environmental issuesReal estate platforms wanting neighborhood-level air quality scores

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Environmental Consulting & Monitoring

SME

Target: Environmental consulting firms or air quality monitoring service providers

If you are an environmental services company struggling with sparse air quality data coverage in urban or suburban areas — this project developed an open platform that fuses official station data, citizen-submitted sky photos, and low-cost sensor readings into unified air quality maps. It was pilot-tested with communities totalling over 400,000 members across 2 locations, proving that crowd-sourced monitoring can fill the gaps between expensive fixed stations.

Smart City Solutions

mid-size

Target: Smart city platform vendors and municipal technology providers

If you are a smart city technology provider looking to add real-time environmental monitoring to your platform without deploying expensive sensor networks — hackAIR built a web application and mobile app that turns citizens into a distributed sensor network. The platform was integrated and tested across 7 partners in 5 countries, offering a plug-and-play community air quality layer that municipalities can customize and deploy.

Health & Wellness Services

any

Target: Health insurers, wellness apps, or respiratory health organizations

If you are a health services company that needs localized air quality data to advise patients with asthma, allergies, or respiratory conditions — hackAIR developed personalized air quality-aware information services that give individuals tailored guidance on outdoor activities. The platform was validated with a health association of over 19,000 members, demonstrating real demand for health-linked air quality alerts.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this platform cost to deploy?

EU contribution data is not available for this project. The platform uses low-cost open hardware devices assembled from commercial off-the-shelf parts and sky-depicting photos from smartphone cameras, which means the per-node cost for citizen sensors is minimal compared to professional air quality stations. Exact pricing would need to be discussed with the coordinator.

Can this scale beyond the pilot communities?

The platform was designed as a customizable web application that any community can install and adapt. It was piloted with an NGO of over 400,000 members and a health association of over 19,000 members across 2 locations, demonstrating it can handle large user bases. The open architecture and use of social media integration suggest it can scale further.

What is the IP situation — can we license or use this technology?

hackAIR was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA), and the project explicitly developed a sustainability and exploitation strategy to explore commercial opportunities. The platform is described as open, but specific licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL SA in Greece.

How accurate is citizen-collected air quality data compared to professional stations?

The project developed a dedicated data fusion algorithm and reasoning services specifically to synthesize heterogeneous data sources — official stations, sky photos, and low-cost sensors — into reliable air quality readings. The final integrated platform went through testing as documented in 32 deliverables. Exact accuracy benchmarks would need to be obtained from the project team.

What data sources does the platform combine?

The platform collects data from three sources: existing official air quality stations and open data, user-generated sky-depicting images (from social media or captured directly), and low-cost open hardware sensor devices assembled by citizens. A data fusion algorithm merges these into personalized air quality services.

Is this platform still maintained after the project ended in 2018?

The project ran from 2016 to 2018 and is now closed. A sustainability and exploitation strategy was developed during the project to ensure future availability of the hackAIR toolkit, community, and website. Current status of the platform should be verified with the coordinator or via the project website at hackair.eu.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for air quality reporting?

Based on available project data, hackAIR was designed as a citizen awareness and engagement tool, not as a regulatory compliance instrument. However, its data fusion capabilities combining official station data with crowd-sourced measurements could complement official monitoring networks. Regulatory applicability would depend on local requirements.

Consortium

Who built it

The hackAIR consortium brings together 7 partners from 5 countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway), with a healthy 43% industry participation rate. The project is led by DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL SA, a Greek SME, which signals entrepreneurial drive and potential for commercial follow-through. With 3 industry partners and 2 SMEs in the mix alongside 1 university and 2 research organizations, the consortium balances technical depth with market orientation. The geographic spread across Northern and Southern Europe suggests the platform was designed to work across different regulatory environments and climate conditions.

DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL SACoordinator · EL
ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXISparticipant · EL
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSELparticipant · BE
STIFTELSEN NILUparticipant · NO
ETAM ANONYMH ETAIREIA SYMBOYLEYTIKON KAI MELETHTIKON YPIRESIONthirdparty · EL

How to reach the team

DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL SA is a Greek SME specializing in environmental technology — reach out via their corporate website or LinkedIn for licensing and partnership discussions.

Order a report on this consortium See DRAXIS ENVIRONMENTAL SA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how hackAIR's citizen air quality monitoring platform could fit your product or service? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the project team and help structure a licensing or technology transfer deal.

Order a report on this topic More in Environment & Climate