Google's New Pollen Mapping Tool Aims To Alleviate The Misery Of Allergy Seasons
A new Google tool could come in handy if you're particularly susceptible to seasonal allergies.
People with seasonal allergies, listen up. A new Google tool could come in handy if you're particularly susceptible to seasonal allergies. By adding a tool called Pollen API to its Maps services, the feature would provide "localized pollen count data, heatmap visualizations, detailed plant allergen information, and actionable tips for allergy-sufferers to limit exposure," the company wrote in an announcement.
In the same blog post, Google announced other environmental APIs (application programming interface) including one for air quality and another related to sunlight levels. An API enables communication between two applications.
Google
How would Google's Pollen API work?
The Pollen API draws information from a global pollen index that compares pollen levels in different areas. In addition, it can also get data based on species on trees, grass, and weeds around the globe.
Google
Based on this information, the company used "machine learning to determine where specific pollen-producing plants are located. Together with local wind patterns, we can calculate the seasonality and daily amount of pollen grains and predict how the pollen will spread."
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In a different blog post, Hadas Asscher, product manager of the Google Maps Platform wrote that the model "calculates the seasonality and daily amount of pollen grains on a 1¡Á1 km2 grid in over 65 countries worldwide, supporting an up to 5-day forecast, 3 plant types, and 15 different plant species." It can also consider factors like land cover, historic climate data, annual pollen production per plant, and more.
Google
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The tool can provide a pollen forecast for up to five days in the future and can also give tips on minimising exposure to pollen. App developers can employ this API in numerous ways by integrating it to their services.
What do you think about this feature? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.
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