Kato develops system to track air pollution levels

PIC: The air pollution-detecting sensor. (Credit: Billy Rwothungeyo)

ENVIRONMENT | POLLUTION

Go to the Kampala Capital City Authority; ask for air pollution levels in Mutungo or Naguru and chances are you will not be given any scientific data regarding those particular suburbs of Kampala.

Reason?

They simply do not have that information.

Everywhere you turn in this city, you see pollution. Aren't we polluting our city into oblivion?

But the solutions might be just around us. In fact, amongst ourselves.

Richard Kato Sembatya, a software developer in Kampala, has developed a low-cost system that can be used to gauge the exact air pollution levels in the city.

The system, which basically has solar-powered air quality sensors placed in strategic points around the city, sends data to servers.

"The sensors keep sending data onto a server, and then on the back-end, you do some processing. You can then represent this data on a chat or a map to see just how much pollution you have around you," says the founder of JERM Technologies.

 Richard Kato Sembatya

 How data is visualized with the air pollution-detecting system

Kato, a telecommunications engineering graduate, has placed a few servers in some spots in the city in a trial project. To scale up the project however, he will need support from partners.

As a start-up, Kato cannot afford to buy huge masts to spread all over the city. This is where he needs support from city authorities and private sector players like telecoms.

 "You can have an arrangement where these sensors can be mounted on towers owned by telecom providers," he argues.

He hopes he can partner with KCCA and other partners to save a city he so loves.