Next Article in Journal
Characterizing the Cracking Behavior of Large-Scale Multi-Layered Reinforced Concrete Beams by Acoustic Emission Analysis
Previous Article in Journal
Ultrafast Time-Stretch Optical Coherence Tomography Using Reservoir Computing for Fourier-Free Signal Processing
Previous Article in Special Issue
Measuring CO2 Concentration and Thermal Comfort in Italian University Classrooms: A Seasonal Analysis
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Sensors
Volume 25
Issue 12
10.3390/s25123739
sensors-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

A Wearable Sensor Node for Measuring Air Quality Through Citizen Science Approach: Insights from the SOCIO-BEE Project

by
Nicole Morresi
1,*,
Maite Puerta-Beldarrain
2,
Diego López-de-Ipiña
2,
Alex Barco
2,
Oihane Gómez-Carmona
2,
Carlos López-Gomollon
3,
Diego Casado-Mansilla
2,
Maria Kotzagiani
4,
Sara Casaccia
1,
Sergi Udina
5 and
Gian Marco Revel
1
1
Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
2
DeustoTech, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
3
Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza, 50003 Zaragoza, Spain
4
Municipality of Amaroussion, 15124 Athens, Greece
5
Data Science Team, Bettair Cities SL, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sensors 2025, 25(12), 3739; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123739
Submission received: 14 April 2025 / Revised: 26 May 2025 / Accepted: 11 June 2025 / Published: 15 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors Network and Wearables for People Activities and Wellbeing Monitoring)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Air pollution is a major environmental and public health challenge, especially in urban areas where fine-grained air quality data are essential to effective interventions. Traditional monitoring networks, while accurate, often lack spatial resolution and public engagement. This study presents a novel wearable wireless sensor node (WSN) that was developed within the Horizon Europe SOCIO-BEE project to support air quality monitoring through citizen science (CS). The low-cost, body-mounted WSN measures NO2, O3, and PM2.5. Three pilot campaigns were conducted in Ancona (Italy), Maroussi (Greece), and Zaragoza (Spain), and involved diverse user groups—seniors, commuters, and students, respectively. PM2.5 sensor data were validated through two approaches: direct comparison with reference stations and spatial clustering analysis using K-means. The results show strong correlation with official PM2.5 data (R2 = 0.75), with an average absolute error of 0.54 µg/m3 and a statistical confidence interval of ±3.3 µg/m3. In Maroussi and Zaragoza, where no reference stations were available, the clustering approach yielded low intra-cluster coefficients of variation (CV = 0.50 ± 0.40 in Maroussi, CV = 0.28 ± 0.30 in Zaragoza), indicating that the measurements had high internal consistency and spatial homogeneity. Beyond technical validation, user engagement and perceptions were evaluated through pre-/post-campaign surveys. Across all pilots, over 70% of participants reported satisfaction with the system’s usability and inclusiveness. The findings demonstrate that wearable low-cost sensors, when supported by a structured engagement and data validation framework, can provide reliable, actionable air quality data, empowering citizens and informing evidence-based environmental policy.
Keywords: citizen science; air quality; wearable devices citizen science; air quality; wearable devices

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Morresi, N.; Puerta-Beldarrain, M.; López-de-Ipiña, D.; Barco, A.; Gómez-Carmona, O.; López-Gomollon, C.; Casado-Mansilla, D.; Kotzagiani, M.; Casaccia, S.; Udina, S.; et al. A Wearable Sensor Node for Measuring Air Quality Through Citizen Science Approach: Insights from the SOCIO-BEE Project. Sensors 2025, 25, 3739. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123739

AMA Style

Morresi N, Puerta-Beldarrain M, López-de-Ipiña D, Barco A, Gómez-Carmona O, López-Gomollon C, Casado-Mansilla D, Kotzagiani M, Casaccia S, Udina S, et al. A Wearable Sensor Node for Measuring Air Quality Through Citizen Science Approach: Insights from the SOCIO-BEE Project. Sensors. 2025; 25(12):3739. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123739

Chicago/Turabian Style

Morresi, Nicole, Maite Puerta-Beldarrain, Diego López-de-Ipiña, Alex Barco, Oihane Gómez-Carmona, Carlos López-Gomollon, Diego Casado-Mansilla, Maria Kotzagiani, Sara Casaccia, Sergi Udina, and et al. 2025. "A Wearable Sensor Node for Measuring Air Quality Through Citizen Science Approach: Insights from the SOCIO-BEE Project" Sensors 25, no. 12: 3739. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123739

APA Style

Morresi, N., Puerta-Beldarrain, M., López-de-Ipiña, D., Barco, A., Gómez-Carmona, O., López-Gomollon, C., Casado-Mansilla, D., Kotzagiani, M., Casaccia, S., Udina, S., & Revel, G. M. (2025). A Wearable Sensor Node for Measuring Air Quality Through Citizen Science Approach: Insights from the SOCIO-BEE Project. Sensors, 25(12), 3739. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123739

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop