Technical and economic feasibility of sensor technology for health/environmental condition monitoring
Continuous monitoring of health and environmental conditions is expected to be very helpful in identifying problem at an early stage and taking necessary measures and remedial actions. Analyzing an environment that has complex and highly variable emission sources at appropriate spatial and tempora...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book Chapter |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/41741/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/41741/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/41741/1/C1322_9780080965321.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/41741/4/FrontCover-n-TOC-Vol13.pdf |
| Summary: | Continuous monitoring of health and environmental conditions is expected to be very helpful in identifying problem at an early
stage and taking necessary measures and remedial actions. Analyzing an environment that has complex and highly variable
emission sources at appropriate spatial and temporal scales is essential to understanding, monitoring, and controlling the system
(1). The environmental condition in which a person lives largely determines the quality of his or her health. Detrimental effects due
to increased levels of environmental (air and water) pollution can be mitigated, controlled, or avoided in many cases if early
cautionary information is obtained. One cannot overemphasize the need for a reliable monitoring and controlling system for both
the environment and health in order to create such a safe and secure situation (2). In this respect, the application of sensor and
sensor technology has been playing a significant role. The recently acquired information and the technological capability to
precisely engineer material property and behavior have offered opportunities to develop new sensor materials and innovative
products, and to meet the demands for novel applications (3). Online sensing of material properties, combined with real-time
control, has paved the way to achieving the lofty goals of self-directed and intelligent processing of information. In this regard,
there has been a push to adopt the monitoring and controlling of human health and environmental conditions in many real-life
problems. The benefits from the successful implementation and operation of such systems could be enormous.
Naturally, environmental pollution is of great concern at present because of the imminence of the anticipated negative impact on
the climate. This concern is worldwide as environmental pollution cannot be restricted within the boundaries of any country. Due
to the rapid development and industrialization occurring globally, large amounts of pollutant gases and other toxic wastes are
generated (4). The emission of such gases and the disposal of industrial waste are contributing greatly to increasing levels of
pollution in the environment, and consequently the public is exposed to health risks and detrimental effects. Focusing on early
detection and the prevention of environmental deterioration can help to mitigate the damages in various aspects of health, thus
preventing catastrophic disaster. Recent developments in sensor technology make it possible to monitor personal exposure to air
pollutants directly, despite the fact that the activity spaces through which a person is moving have changing concentration fields (5). |
|---|