EVolve - Personal air quality data and transition to electric bikes in Delhi
The Challenge
A 3-month Challenge-based Innovation program where the team focused on the pressing issue of air pollution in Delhi City, particularly vehicular emissions from motorbikes. The team was presented with four early-stage technologies and challenged to apply them to real-world challenges related to UN SGDs around water and air pollution.
The Outcome
EVolve Filter: Attachable to helmets, these filters purify the air for riders and collect samples for city-wide pollution mapping.
EVolve App: A user-friendly app providing personalized air pollution data and seamless transitions to electric bikes with exclusive deals and discounts.
Project coaches: FusionPoint - Esade, ATTRACT EU, CERN Idea square.
Location: Delhi, India.
Duration: 4 months.
Team members: Sonakshi Khatri (Design and Innovation), Tushita Sethi (MBA), Gonzalo Fernandez Lazo (MBA), Josep M Castañer Vilà (Telecoms Engineer), Claudia Ruiz Mas (Telecoms Engineer)
Context
The project was part of a challenge-based innovation program that aimed to apply early-stage detection technologies to pressing environmental issues. Teams were tasked with researching how these technologies could be used to address global air and water pollution challenges.
In Delhi, the air pollution crisis has reached alarming levels, with the city ranked as the most polluted in the world as of November 2023. Despite government interventions like anti-smog guns and traffic curfews, these short-term measures have not offered lasting relief. The need for innovative, long-term solutions was at the heart of our research and prototyping efforts.
Our role
01
Desktop research to analyze the global context of water and air pollution, exploring potential use cases for the technologies that address these challenges.
Interviews with air quality experts and Delhi residents to gain insights into the challenges they face and to evaluate existing solutions.
02
Research analysis and ideation to adapt the technologies to the selected air quality challenge, leading to the development of the proposed solution, EVolve.
03
Prototyping the helmet air filter and mobile app to test the solution, showcasing the results at an event booth for feedback.
Understanding the Problem
01
What are the sources of air pollution in Delhi?
What are the most common effects of air pollution in Delhi and who are the people most affected?
What are some of the existing solutions in the communities?
What are the government initiatives to tackle air pollution in Delhi?
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We dissected the challenge into two main categories: water and air pollution generating a list of primary concerns that could be addressed within each category. Plotting the technology use cases to these specific issues provided us with clearer direction regarding the areas we aimed to explore further.
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Conducting interviews with individuals from diverse backgrounds was crucial to obtain an understanding of the on-ground situation in Delhi. Our panel of 20 interviewees included industry experts, government officials, and residents of Delhi who gave us some very insightful thoughts and questions to think about.
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To further refine our research and identify what exactly we want to solve for, we used frameworks like the Impact Gap Canvas and People and Connections Map.
Technology usecases
02
Key findings and insights
The growth of Delhi and the contribution of urbanization to air pollution.
The air quality issue in Delhi is attributed to the high concentration of population and economic activities in the region. Delhi's population is around 30 million, with significant migration due to employment opportunities and infrastructure in the city. Delhi's urbanization has led to imbalances in development, with planned and informal areas coexisting.
Transportation in Delhi is a big contributor to air pollution.
Private vehicles, primarily running on petrol and diesel, constitute a large portion of transportation in Delhi (10-12 million registered motor vehicles). These vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution in the city. Dust pollution is also a significant issue in Delhi, arising from various sources such as vehicle movement and emissions.
The role of the government.
The Delhi government runs various programs to combat air pollution. Some of them include; The Smart Cities Mission, a global concept adopted by India to respond to urbanization challenges. Other efforts include addressing transportation control, smog machines, and engaging various stakeholders in planning. The future outlook for Delhi in terms of transportation and urbanization depends on the collaborative effort of the government, non-government institutions and citizens.
Residents of Delhi neglect precautions against air pollution.
In Delhi, the majority of the population comprises low and middle-income groups who migrate from nearby cities in search of employment opportunities. While affluent households prioritize their well-being by employing air purifiers and adopting precautionary measures like wearing masks outdoors, the same level of concern and action is notably lacking among the lower and middle-income groups. The issue here isn't solely related to awareness; it also pertains to the affordability of available solutions.
Outcome: EVolve
03
EVOLVE is a universal solution with a vision to foster a seamless transition from combustion two-wheeled vehicles to electric bikes for people in low to middle-income communities. This solution has three main objectives.
Acquire City-wide Pollution Data.
To gain comprehensive insights into air quality patterns in the city.
Engage and Build Awareness.
To educate the public on air pollution severity and the benefits of switching to electric bikes.
Facilitate Transition to Electric Motorbikes.
To promote sustainability through partnerships with electric bike providers.
Protoypes
EVolve Filter
The EVOLVE filter is a tool that attaches to the motorbike rider's helmet. This filter captures pollutants in the air to collect air samples and is meant to protect riders from the harmful elements in the air. The filter is to be deposited by the riders after 2 days to be analysed to detect the pollutants the rider has been exposed to when wearing the helmet and acquire data on pollutants in the city. The detection is possible through the PiPe 4.0 technology which can detect various pollutants and analyse the extent of contamination.
EVolve Mobile App
This user-friendly mobile app will be used by motorbike riders in the EVolve community. It brings value to the users through engaging and building awareness to educate them about the personal impact of air pollution and promote support for the rider’s transition to motorbikes through partnerships with electric bike providers with special incentives for users. Below are key motives of the mobile app as well as its features.
Key features
Free filter replacement
Riders using the EVolve filter will drop them off at designated points around the city. This drop-off should be done within two days. The drivers can replace the old filter with a new one for free at the drop-off points.
Awareness among users
Providing riders with air quality data at the city level and individual level showing them their exposure to air pollution and the possible health effects.
Motorbike marketplace
The riders will have access to a marketplace where they will be able to rent or buy new electric bikes at a reduced price. The aim of this is to make electric bikes more affordable to people from all communities. The discounts will be achieved through cooperation with electric motorbike manufacturers.
Community engagement
The community is meant to create a place for riders who have a shared goal to transition to an electric bike. The users will be able to share their progress on the transition to electric motorbike to motivate other riders, they could also share tips they learnt from their personal experience. A key part of this is to collaborate with local celebrities and influencers to engage the community.
Conclusion
The multidisciplinary team helped us approach the problem from different perspectives, with each team member contributing their expertise from their respective disciplines, we have all had the opportunity to learn from one another. This project also allowed me to develop skills in communication, problem-solving and systems thinking, approaching problems from diverse viewpoints, and pushing me out of my comfort zone.