Telemonitoring indoor air quality and development of environmental forecasting models for asthma triggering gases in the El Paso-border metropolitan region

Namdev Gopal Shenoy, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

Asthma is a respiratory disease that is characterized by bronchial hyper-responsiveness and airway obstruction. It can be easily triggered by allergens like pollen, pet dander, atmospheric gases, particulate matter, and falling temperature in degrees Celsius. Over the years, technology has evolved to measure accurate values for these triggers. Our objective is to telemonitor the gases that trigger asthma and temperature using low-cost, compact, reliable hand-held devices and transmit the data to a workstation using wireless techniques. Once the date is received it is displayed using a user friendly graphical interface and finally algorithms are run to perform statistical analysis on the data. The results are validated by transmitting data wirelessly over a distance and having them displayed within a graphical user interface. Finally statistical algorithms are run using the data, to map the changing trends and forecasting of the triggers. In order to achieve this goal we use a pocket PC with a sensor probe at the transmitting end. Wireless features of the PDA are explored in order to transmit data. The pocket PC is used for its compact size and commercial availability. Since the data varies with time, we use techniques in time series analysis like the least squares fit to monitor the trend of change of gases over a period of time and deploy concepts of moving averages and exponential smoothing to predict the level of these triggers when initial sample values are known. Using these methods, the indoor and outdoor air quality can be compared and subsequently preventive measures could be adopted. The results are validated by transmitting data wirelessly over a distance and having them displayed over a graphical user interface. Finally statistical algorithms are run using the data, to map the changing trends and forecasting of the triggers.

Subject Area

Electrical engineering|Environmental engineering|Occupational safety|Civil engineering

Recommended Citation

Shenoy, Namdev Gopal, "Telemonitoring indoor air quality and development of environmental forecasting models for asthma triggering gases in the El Paso-border metropolitan region" (2005). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1430228.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1430228

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