VAST 2019 MC2: Citizen Science to the Rescue
Summarize the state of radiation measurements at the end of the available period. Use your novel visualizations and analysis approaches to suggest a course of action for the city. Use visual analytics to compare the static sensor network to the mobile sensor network. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach? How do they support each other?
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Findings |
Visual Proof
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Static Network
Strengths:
- Fewer inaccurate measurements
- Lower downtime
Weaknesses:
- Lower coverage of city
- More expensive to deploy
Mobile Network
Strengths:
- Greater coverage of city based on users’ movements
- Ability to detect contamination
- Less expensive to deploy
Weaknesses:
- Lower reliability of measurements
As a combined network, the static sensors would serve to provide accurate measurements for the more crucial areas, such as areas nearer to the power plant. This is such that any radiation leak can be swiftly and accurately detected.
Meanwhile, the mobile sensors would serve as sensors which can increase the coverage of the radiation sensors across all areas of the city. This complements the usage of static sensors, which are fixed in its location.
Mobile sensors would also aid in detecting any contamination from neighbouring cities or cars, hence it would help the city government and emergency management officials to develop an emergency response plan by identifying the contaminated areas.
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 Shows the lack of coverage of static sensors
 Shows the lack of accuracy of mobile sensors
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Suggested Course of Action:
- Educate citizen scientists on how to utilise the mobile sensors more accurately such that the uncertainty in mobile sensor readings would be decreased.
- Enlist the help of more citizen scientists by providing more low-cost mobile sensors. Try to distribute the sensors to different persons, instead of many sensors to one particular user such that their routes of travel would be different from one another and the mobile sensor coverage would be increased.
- Deploy more static sensors around areas of concern, such as near the Always Safe Nuclear Plant and around the major highways.
- Erect a no-residence zone around a perimeter of the nuclear plant. This is to prevent residents of Safe Town from being exposed to unsafe levels of radiation, even if it is for a short period of time. This could lead to long-term health issues for such residents.
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VAST 2019 MC2: Citizen Science to the Rescue
Shows the lack of coverage of static sensors 
