Innovative Web Service Streams Real-Time Weather, Air Quality, and Traffic-Related Air Pollution Data to BREATHE Participant Smartphones

We designed a modeling system that integrates real-time local weather data with traffic and vehicle emissions data to estimate pollutant concentrations by on-road vehicles. This web service supports pediatric asthma research as well as smartphone/smartwatch applications that provide real-time information and alerts to help children avoid asthmatic incidents.<br>

For each web service request made on a study participant’s smartphone/smartwatch, a unique dispersion model simulation is carried out based on estimated emissions from freeways and major roads within 2 km of the participant’s location. Near-road pollution estimates are combined with regional real-time air quality data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow system and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to provide a comprehensive snapshot of a participant’s local exposure to air pollution. The web service also provides real-time weather information at the participant’s location, as specific weather conditions can also be asthma triggers.<br>

This web service supports the Biomedical REAl-Time Health Evaluation (BREATHE) platform, which was developed by the Medical Imaging Informatics Group at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and other project collaborators to provide a comprehensive framework to address pediatric asthma. The framework standardizes and organizes sensor data, local and regional environmental data, clinical data, and patient-reported activities and outcomes. BREATHE is the focus of the UCLA/NIH Pediatric Research Integrating Sensor Monitoring Systems (PRISMS) Informatics Center.