Finalists of air pollution sensor challenge announced

Four finalists have been selected in the My Air, My Health Challenge, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its challenge partners. Each finalist will receive $15,000, and will transform their designs to measure air pollutants and related physiological measurements into working systems. One overall winner will receive a cash award of $100,000 to be announced in June 2013.
The competition was created to spur the development of personal devices used to gather and integrate health and air quality data that is usable and meaningful to long-term health outcomes. In addition to NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), sponsorship for the challenge comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
Since the announcement of the challenge in June, individuals and teams have submitted designs for wearable sensors that take into account the possible links between airborne pollutants and health measurements, such as heart rate and breathing. This first phase of the challenge attracted more than 500 participants and dozens of solution submissions.
"Now comes the exciting part, where ideas are turned into working prototypes," said David Balshaw, Ph.D., NIEHS program administrator. "The hope for these kinds of devices is that researchers, communities, and physicians can ultimately better understand the connection between environmental exposures and health."
The My Air, My Health Challenge finalists are:

Guy Shechter, Ph.D. Mark Aloia, Ph.D. Johan Marra, Ph.D. Arpana Sali Ronald Wolf, Ph.D. from Philips Healthcare	Andover, Mass.	Linking exposure to ultrafine particulates with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through measurement of vital signs and respiratory function.
Finalists	Location	Project Description
Michael Heimbinder, HabitatMap Michael Taylor, Carnegie Mellon University Carlos Restrepo, Ph.D., New York University George Thurston, Sc.D., New York University	Brooklyn, N.Y.	Using an integrated system to link exposure to carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter with heart rate variability and blood oxygen levels.
Gabrielle Savage Dockterman, Angel Devil Productions Dot Kelly, Shearwater Design David Kuller, AUX	Carlisle, Mass.	Integrating sensors for multiple airborne pollutants with sensors for heart rate, breathing rate, and physical activity into fitness clothing for athletes.
Aaron Hechmer	El Cerrito, Calif.	Integrating modular air quality sensors, audio based spirometry, health assessment games, and biomarkers via an infrastructure that promotes sharing of health information.

In addition, Rajiv Totlani of Frisco, Texas, and Peter Sotory of Raleigh, N.C., were selected as honorable mentions.
NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

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