Using smartphones to collect time-activity data for long-term personal-level air pollution exposure assessment

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2016 Jun;26(4):356-64. doi: 10.1038/jes.2014.78. Epub 2014 Nov 26.

Abstract

Because of the spatiotemporal variability of people and air pollutants within cities, it is important to account for a person's movements over time when estimating personal air pollution exposure. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of using smartphones to collect personal-level time-activity data. Using Skyhook Wireless's hybrid geolocation module, we developed "Apolux" (Air, Pollution, Exposure), an Android(TM) smartphone application designed to track participants' location in 5-min intervals for 3 months. From 42 participants, we compared Apolux data with contemporaneous data from two self-reported, 24-h time-activity diaries. About three-fourths of measurements were collected within 5 min of each other (mean=74.14%), and 79% of participants reporting constantly powered-on smartphones (n=38) had a daily average data collection frequency of <10 min. Apolux's degree of temporal resolution varied across manufacturers, mobile networks, and the time of day that data collection occurred. The discrepancy between diary points and corresponding Apolux data was 342.3 m (Euclidian distance) and varied across mobile networks. This study's high compliance and feasibility for data collection demonstrates the potential for integrating smartphone-based time-activity data into long-term and large-scale air pollution exposure studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Air Pollution / analysis*
  • Data Collection / methods*
  • Data Collection / standards*
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Female
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mobile Applications* / standards
  • Mobile Applications* / statistics & numerical data
  • New York
  • Self Report
  • Smartphone
  • Time
  • Young Adult