AirCasting

An open-source, end-to-end solution for collecting, displaying and sharing health and environmental data

AirCasting is an open-source, end-to-end solution for collecting, displaying, and sharing health and environmental data using either a smartphone or a specially designed device called AirBeam.

By documenting and leveraging health and environmental data to inform personal decision-making and public policy, the objective of this platform is to empower citizen scientists and changemakers. The project was initiated in 2010 by HabitatMap, a non-profit environmental health justice organization aiming to raise awareness about the impact of the environment on human health.

Using the AirCasting Android app, AirCasters can record, map, and share:

  • Sound levels recorded by their phone microphone;
  • Temperature, humidity, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations recorded by the Arduino-powered AirBeam;
  • Temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas concentrations recorded by the Arduino-powered AirCasting Air Monitor;
  • Heart rate, heart rate variability, R to R, breathing rate, activity level, peak acceleration and core temperature measurements recorded by the Zephyr BioHarness 3; and
  • Heart rate measurements recorded by the Zephyr HxM.

The health and environmental data collected by AirCasters can be filtered and displayed on the AirCasting website maps using one of two views: “CrowdMap” and “Sessions”. Use the tabs on the filter menu located on the right hand side of the screen to toggle between the two. The CrowdMap view is the default.