The Array of Things (AoT) is a pilot network of interactive, modular sensor boxes to be installed around Chicago beginning in 2016 to collect real-time data on the city’s environment, infrastructure, and activity for research and public use.

Benefits & Problems Addressed

A "fitness tracker” for cities: this experimental project will test the type, placement and data collection needed to track, and analyze factors that impact livability in Chicago such as climate, air quality and noise.

Open data: By making the collected data open, users can create tools and apps in novel ways to address existing and emerging challenges.

Tips & Techniques

Getting started: The Chicago AoT pilot project is funded by a $3.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. There are experiments with AoT in 9 other cities worldwide.

Types of data collected: The nodes will initially measure temperature, barometric pressure, light, vibration, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, ambient sound intensity, pedestrian/vehicle traffic, and surface temperature.  Future sets include flooding & standing water, precipitation, wind, and other pollutants.

Using the collected data: Use cases include:

• Determining the healthiest and unhealthiest walking times/routes monitoring air quality, sound and vibration (to detect heavy vehicle traffic).
• Real-time detection of urban flooding .
• Better assessment of micro-climates for "block-by-block" information.
• Better traffic light timing during peak traffic hours based on flow of all modes.

Privacy: The Array of Things Executive Oversight Council will establish procesdures.  No personal data will be collected and there is no data collected from personal Bluetooth/Wi-Fi enabled devices.

Hot Buttons:  Public perceptions of data privacy, handling vast amounts of data, initial cost ($500 to $2000/node),

Resources

Array of Things Github page

Image: City of Chicago, IL US