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Wearable Art Shows Invisible Air Dangers
25 Sep
Summary
- Art installations visualize invisible air pollutants like PM2.5 and black carbon.
- Wearable sensors translate air quality data into visual cues.
- Community research aims to make air quality technology useful and accessible.
Artists are developing innovative ways to make invisible air pollutants visible and understandable to the public. Grace Grothaus, an artist and scientist, created a prototype wearable sensor that illuminates in colors corresponding to the U.S. EPA's air quality index, indicating levels of PM2.5 and black carbon. This technology, developed at the University of California San Diego, aims to bring awareness to air quality issues that are often overlooked, especially during wildfire seasons.
Artist Michael Pinsky has long addressed environmental themes in his installations. His project 'Pollution Pods' recreated the air quality and smells of different cities to offer a visceral experience of pollution. He emphasizes that art can be a powerful tool for cultural change, suggesting that making certain polluting behaviors unfashionable is crucial for addressing climate change.
Grothaus is now working on a community-focused portable sensor called AirWear, designed as a friendly cloud shape. Following design workshops, she aims to conduct a real-world pilot of these devices by the end of the year. She believes that while art can make issues felt, community research is essential to making solutions useful and effective for everyone.
