Many regions of France were on high alert this week as pollen levels spiked throughout the country.
At the same time, a French company has developed smart sensors that it says can help provide faster, more accurate pollen readings.
Grenoble-based Oberon Sciences' new sensors rely on artificial intelligence to provide highly accurate pollen readings that can not only detect the arrival of pollen, but also differentiate between its various types.
Traditional sensors have been around for a long time and are still widely used. They work with a pump that draws in air, causing pollen grains to stick to a strip of adhesive tape inside the device. This tape is collected every week and taken to a laboratory.
There, a specific dye called fuchsine is applied, turning the pollen pink so it is easier to observe under an optical microscope. This allows experts to identify and count the different types of pollen present, such as birch, oak, and others.
The tape is wrapped around a drum that completes one full rotation per week, enabling specialists to determine which types of pollen were present on each day.
“However, the limitation of this method is the time delay,” Samuel Monnier told The Connexion. “Someone has to physically replace the tape, transport it to a lab, and trained specialists must analyse it under a microscope. As a result, there are often several days between pollen exposure and the availability of the data.”
For this reason, Oberon Sciences developed a new type of sensor called Aerotape, inspired by the traditional model. The idea was to create a smart sensor capable of measuring pollen in real time, making the data immediately available on computers.
The “tape” in its name refers to the adhesive strip inside, similar to that used in traditional sensors, which still moves through the device.
The key improvement in Aerotape is the integration of a microscope directly into the sensor. A lens magnifies what is on the tape, since pollen is microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. In addition, a camera captures images of the tape and sends them directly to computers.
This is where artificial intelligence comes in. “The AI analyses the images and identifies the pollen types, for example: ‘this is birch pollen,’ ‘this is oak pollen,’ or ‘this is ragweed pollen.’ This means we get real-time data from all our sensors across France,” Monnier explained.
The AI has been trained on large datasets to accurately recognise pollen and continues to improve over time. Currently, recognition rates for major allergenic pollen range between 82% and 96%.
“With real-time sensors, we get data much faster. This allows us to inform allergy sufferers on a daily basis,” Monnier added.
Current pollen situation in France
At present, France is highly exposed to pollen, particularly in the northern half of the country, where high-risk levels dominate the map. Meanwhile, the Atlantic coast and the southwest are experiencing moderate levels.
However, pollen risks should not be taken lightly. For people with allergies, symptoms can range from a runny nose, sneezing, and irritated eyes to more serious respiratory discomfort.
This is why Aerotape represents such a significant advancement in the field. “For example, earlier this week, we detected the sudden return of oak pollen on our Aerotape sensors and were able to alert people immediately,” Monnier noted.
Oberon Sciences also works closely with allergists and doctors, regularly providing them with data.
In addition, the company offers a free mobile application called ‘France Pollen’, which provides allergy risk levels and sends notifications to users.
