Begun as the thesis project of JOSEPH SAAVEDRA, MFA DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY ’10, Citizen Sensor has become a global tool and a model of open- source, DIY creativity. Consisting of customizable hardware and software that monitor, share, and interpret environmental data, Citizen Sensor alerts users to ambient stressors on the body, including noise pollution, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane. Saavedra’s noncommercial production and distribution system is perhaps the most important feature of the device. Users assemble portable sensor packs from open-source DIY kits that Saavedra is developing and then download free software for mobile phones. They then use smartphones to upload data, display augmented reality maps, and share information worldwide. Saavedra’s goal of building community around environmental awareness impressed judges of the Cologne Design Prize International, who awarded Citizen Sensor first prize. In February, Saavedra presented his work at the prestigious Design Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
