The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has begun to use an AI instrument for monitoring air pollen levels.
It said its toxicologists have recently installed the system for monitoring biological particles such as pollen and fungal spores on the roof of its lab at Chilton’s Harwell Science Campus in Oxfordshire.
It integrates sophisticated sensors with advanced data analytics to provide real time data on pollen in the atmosphere.
The instrument draws in air then particles into its chamber one at a time, where they are passed through a laser and scatter light captured by two cameras to create a holographic image. These provide detailed information on the shape and size of each particle.
The system is trained to identify pollen from other particles. It also measures the fluorescence profile of each particle to improve the accuracy of the classification.
This contrasts with the existing approach of trapping particles from sample air on slides or sticky tape then analysing them under a microscope. The AI tool is much faster and provides a higher resolution.
Game changer
“The real time capability is a game changer,” UKHSA said: “The team can now observe fluctuations in pollen concentrations and types as they happen. This allows for a detailed analysis of pollen patterns and trends, which can be invaluable for both researchers and those affected by allergies.”
It added that it also enables the team to track changes in the long term and at different times of day.
UKHSA said that researchers at Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester Universities are also collecting data with the instrument, and collaborating to establish the first UK network for real time monitoring of pollen and fungal spores.
“This wider real time data will revolutionise pollen and fungal spore forecasting, providing more accurate and more timely alerts about high aeroallergen levels, allowing people to take preventive measures and manage their symptoms more effectively,” UKHSA said.
