Towards the Development of a Sensor Educational Toolkit to Support Community and Citizen Science

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Community Engagement

Background:

• Commercial availability of air quality sensors necessitates research into their usability and public application.
• Existing research often prioritizes data quality and applications over user experience.
• Understanding user experience is crucial for effective deployment of air quality sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the usability and usefulness of low-cost air quality sensors in community settings.
• To identify barriers and successful strategies for sensor use based on participant feedback.
• To introduce an educational toolkit designed to support future community air quality monitoring projects.

Main Methods:

• Deployment of approximately 400 air quality sensors across 14 California communities.
• Provision of sensors, training, and workshops to participating communities.
• Assessment of sensor installation, engagement levels, and participant feedback.

Main Results:

• Observed widely varying levels of sensor installation and community engagement.
• Identified common barriers to sensor use and strategies for successful implementation across diverse communities.
• Developed an educational toolkit, "Community in Action: A Comprehensive Toolkit on Air Quality Sensors".

Conclusions:

• User experience and feedback are critical for effective public application of air quality sensors.
• Despite demographic and socioeconomic differences, common themes emerged regarding sensor usability.
• The developed toolkit can facilitate future citizen science projects for improved air quality monitoring and public health.