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International journal of biometeorology
Nov, 2024;68 (11): 2357-2371.

Introducing PLEMS: the application of a low-cost, portable monitoring system in environmental walks.

Eduardo Krüger, Walter Ihlenfeld, Ivan Callejas, Solange Leder
Author Information
  1. Eduardo Krüger: Departamento de Construção Civil, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - UTFPR /Campus Curitiba - Sede Ecoville, Rua Deputado Heitor Alencar Furtado, 4900, 81280-340, Curitiba, Brazil. ekruger@utfpr.edu.br. ORCID
  2. Walter Ihlenfeld: Departamento de Construção Civil, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - UTFPR /Campus Curitiba - Sede Ecoville, Rua Deputado Heitor Alencar Furtado, 4900, 81280-340, Curitiba, Brazil.
  3. Ivan Callejas: Departamento de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, Brazil.
  4. Solange Leder: Departamento de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, João Pessoa, Brazil.
PMID: 39115564 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02754-x

Abstract

The application of innovative systems using low-cost microcontrollers in human biometeorology studies is a promising alternative to conventional monitoring devices, which are usually cost-intensive and provide measurements at specific points, as in stationary meteorological stations. A Portable Low-cost Environmental Monitoring System (PLEMS) aimed at the pedestrian scale is introduced. The backpack-type equipment consists of a microcontroller with attached sensors that assess environmental conditions in a broad sense, integrating measurements of air quality, lighting and noise levels alongside variables typically measured at meteorological stations. The application of the system took place in altogether 12 environmental walks carried out with questionnaire-surveys with concurrent environmental monitoring with the PLEMS in Curitiba, Brazil, a subtropical location characterized by a Cfb climate type. Results allowed us to test the equipment and method of data gathering within a limited period (approximately 50 min) and for a short walking circuit of 800 m. The equipment was successfully able to capture even slightest differences in environmental conditions among points of interest, whereas subjective responses (n= 3843 responses to a total of 11 questions) showed consistency with measured data. From a multi-domain perspective, relevant insights could be obtained for the measured variables.

Keywords

Backpack Climate walk Environmental monitoring system Environmental walk Low-cost Microcontroller

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MeSH Term

Humans
Environmental Monitoring
Brazil
Walking
Adult
Surveys and Questionnaires
Female
Pedestrians
Lighting
Male
Noise
Middle Aged
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0environmentalmonitoringapplicationEnvironmentalequipmentmeasuredsystemlow-costmeasurementspointsmeteorologicalstationsLow-costPLEMSconditionsvariableswalksdataresponseswalkinnovativesystemsusingmicrocontrollershumanbiometeorologystudiespromisingalternativeconventionaldevicesusuallycost-intensiveprovidespecificstationaryPortableMonitoringSystemaimedpedestrianscaleintroducedbackpack-typeconsistsmicrocontrollerattachedsensorsassessbroadsenseintegratingairqualitylightingnoiselevelsalongsidetypicallytookplacealtogether12carriedquestionnaire-surveysconcurrentCuritibaBrazilsubtropicallocationcharacterizedCfbclimatetypeResultsallowedustestmethodgatheringwithinlimitedperiodapproximately50minshortwalkingcircuit800msuccessfullyablecaptureevenslightestdifferencesamonginterestwhereassubjectiven=3843total11questionsshowedconsistencymulti-domainperspectiverelevantinsightsobtainedIntroducingPLEMS:portableBackpackClimateMicrocontroller

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