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KT unveils fine dust monitoring app

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Lee Dong-myun, center, a president who heads the future platform business group at KT, and models promote the Air Map Korea app as well as a smart safety helmet and traffic lights, which are all designed to offer fine dust information. / Courtesy of KT
Lee Dong-myun, center, a president who heads the future platform business group at KT, and models promote the Air Map Korea app as well as a smart safety helmet and traffic lights, which are all designed to offer fine dust information. / Courtesy of KT

By Jun Ji-hye

KT released a mobile phone app offering fine dust information, Monday, enabling users to check levels of fine dust in the air around them in real time.

Users can download the app, dubbed "Air Map Korea," both from the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store regardless of which telecom company they subscribe to, the firm said during a news conference in Seoul.

The mobile carrier's Air Map Korea project, which was launched in September 2017, is part of the firm's social contribution activities designed to contribute to the government-led efforts to reduce fine dust levels.

When announcing the start of the project, the firm said it was going to utilize internet of things (IoT) technologies and big data analytics to monitor and analyze air quality 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The firm has established a fine dust observation network at 2,000 spots nationwide for the past two years and carried out the verification work in cooperation with local governments.

"Through the launch of the mobile application, KT will suggest ways of reducing fine dust levels and preventing any damages," said Lee Dong-myun, a president who heads the future platform business group at KT. "We will also cooperate with international organizations to improve the global environment."

The Air Map Korea app offers users fine dust information at their current location. Users can also compare levels of fine dust region by region.

Along with fine dust information, the app provides practical guidance on laundry, exercise and car washing.

The telecom firm said the results of its big data analytics showed that the number of senior citizens over the age of 65 venturing outside was not reduced even when fine dust reached the "bad" level. The number of people going hiking was not reduced either.

Based on the results, the firm plans to more actively cooperate with relevant institutions to help people be aware of air quality information more easily. The measures will include installing traffic lights offering fine dust information.

To improve senior citizens' access to information, the firm will offer audio and video guidance services through its internet protocol TV service, Olleh TV, and artificial intelligence and smart speaker system, Giga Genie.

Lee said the firm will install fine dust observation networks at 500 additional spots in addition to about 7,000 movable sensors to offer more accurate information.

The company will also provide field staff with smart safety helmets mounted with small-sized air quality analyzers.


Jun Ji-hye jjh@koreatimes.co.kr


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