If for you spring is synonymous with a runny nose, sore throat, irritated eyes… you are surely part of the 30% of the world population allergic to pollens. And this figure is constantly increasing: soon, according to the WHO, half of the population will be affected. Beyond medical care, some applications can make your life easier by helping you locate areas to avoid.
In 2018, the start-up Lify-Air decided to create innovative sensors. They make it possible to identify the pollen in real time. The information collected is directly transmitted to their application, Live Pollen, and this allows you to adapt your movements according to the pollen detected in a particular area. Jérôme Richard, founder of the start-up, explains: “Being allergic to pollen myself for a long time, I was sick long before being warned of the presence of pollen near my home…We wanted to change that. .”
However, the application has a major problem: the lack of sensors. France currently only has 70 sensors throughout its territory, whereas, Jérôme Richard reminds us, “there should be at least 5 in each department.” The difficulty lies in convincing local authorities to install these sensors. For example, no sensor has been installed in inner Paris.
Despite these difficulties, Lify-Air already has 5,200 users and 75% of feedback is positive, according to its founder. “There must now be a general awareness about this allergy which is ruining our lives.” he concludes.
Geolocation is the main tool used today by these applications. For example, it allows the Pollen Alerts application to give you a score out of ten every day, indicating the level of pollen in the air. This note is accompanied by a commentary on the level of risk associated with a particular type of pollen. Finally, it is possible to configure a daily notification which is displayed if a particular type of pollen is present in the air around you, so that you do not forget to take your treatment.
You can also, with Pollen, another application, create your own “pollen diary”. This allows you to record your feelings every day and have access to a personalized calculation of your allergy risks. The application also offers to fill out a questionnaire, when creating your account, which allows you to determine if you suffer from a pollen allergy.
