An engineered eye on air quality

Jovan Aigbekaen was stuck in Friday afternoon rush hour traffic on Route 1 in New Jersey. For most drivers, this would have been a frustrating, if familiar, inconvenience. But for Aigbekaen, it was a chance to grab some data.

By improving mobile measurements of air quality and geolocating them to sites like highways, buildings, parking lots and green spaces, Aigbekaen’s research for his Princeton University senior thesis unveils critical information that could help cities become cleaner and more livable. He put the technology through its proof-of-concept stage in suburban central New Jersey.