The ITACA Institute at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) is leading the PREDATICS project, which integrates artificial intelligence, satellite remote sensing, and advanced predictive models to forecast air pollution episodes in the Valencian Community.
“Our goal is to develop and implement a digital platform for air quality monitoring and prediction, which will issue early health alerts to protect the most vulnerable populations, especially those with acute and chronic respiratory diseases”, explains Victoria Lerma, researcher at the ITACA Institute and project coordinator.
Predictive Models Based on Remote Sensing
One of the main challenges of the research is to accurately predict air quality using satellite and ground-based data, enabling preventive measures to be taken by both health authorities and the general public.
According to Victoria Lerma, “the project aims to integrate data from various sources, such as satellite images, ground station measurements, and meteorological models, to develop predictive tools based on artificial intelligence. This will allow us to advance our understanding of real air quality, even at street level, in different areas.”
Analysis of the Impact of Pollution on Public Health
PREDATICS focuses, not only on predicting pollution, also on assessing its impact on health. In this regard, the SABIEN group at ITACA-UPV uses artificial intelligence techniques to evaluate the relationship between air quality and healthcare demand on both a geographical and temporal scale.
Antonio Martínez Millana, a researcher from the SABIEN group, explains: “We want to understand how pollution affects health in real time and anticipate surges in healthcare demand. This will enable hospitals and health centres to optimise resources and improve their response to pollution episodes.”
In fact, the model will provide predictions on the impact of pollution on respiratory diseases and other conditions, offering key information for healthcare planning.
“The data analysis will serve as a basis for designing public policies that reduce risks for the most vulnerable populations,” he adds.
Digital Platform for Citizens and Public Authorities
In addition to developing scientific models, ITACA-UPV is participating in the implementation of an interactive digital platform in collaboration with SCILING and GEMINIS TOOLS, allowing users to access detailed real-time air quality information.
“The platform will issue alerts when pollution levels pose a health risk. Moreover, it will include personalised recommendations for individuals with respiratory diseases,” notes Edgar Lorenzo, researcher at ITACA.
PREDATICS is funded by Ivace+i Innovación through the FEDER Comunitat Valenciana 2021-2027 Programme. Alongside the ITACA Institute, the project also involves AIDIMME, SCILING, GEMINIS TOOLS, and G-Agua.