Mobile environmental information

 Real-time environmental information delivered to your mobile phone and the Internet.

AffectoGenimap, together with its Finnish and Canadian partners, is developing services that allow satellite-collected information on environmental conditions to be transmitted to, for example, mobile phones and the Internet. In the future, the service will enable you to receive real-time information on, for example, ice thickness or alga conditions to your mobile phone.

AffectoGenimap is leading a remote sensing project to develop methods for measuring and interpreting levels of snow, ice and water, as well as services based on the information collected. The project is part of the AVALI Technology Programme launched by Tekes, the National Technology Agency of Finland. The Space Technology Laboratory of the Helsinki University of Technology, the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) are also participating in the "Remote Sensing for Surface Water Management" project. The project is being implemented in co-operation with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Within the scope of the project, the Helsinki University of Technology and the Finnish Meteorological Institute have the task of developing methods for studying satellite-obtained imagery on natural phenomena. SYKE's role is to process and interpret the material so that it becomes understandable to the end-user. It then brings the material to AffectoGenimap, which in turn uses it to develop commercial services.


Assistance to authorities and occasional swimmers

Information on environmental conditions is being transmitted to mobile phones, the Web and Web Map Service user connections.

"Introducing real-time, satellite-based information is new to us. To date, we have published static map materials to be used as a foundation for various presentations. Now we are delivering real-time content, i.e. actual information as well", Says AffectoGenimap's Esa Orava.

The end products are at the ideas stage. According to Orava, the biggest challenge the project poses is not technology development, but finding the right kind of products for the right customers.

To facilitate the process, AffectoGenimap has assembled a project management group, which includes potential customers such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Finnish Defence Forces, Kemijoki Oy and Fingrid Oyj, which operates the nationwide main electricity transmission grid.

Of interest to Kemijoki Oyj are the day-to-day snow conditions in late winter and early spring, as they influence the waterways and thereby the regulation of energy production. The Defence Forces in turn are in need of information on snowfall and ice thickness. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry considers opportunities in mapping cultivation data, while Fingrid Oyj is concerned with the protection of its equipment from icebergs.

Other users might include persons responsible for land rescue operations, or fishermen who need to know the water surface temperature in order to practice their trade.

"Traditionally, information has been gained from labour-intensive land measurements, which causes delays. It is now possible to get real-time, automated information covering a wide area".

The ordinary consumer stands to benefit as well. By pushing a few buttons, future users will be able to receive on their multimedia mobile phones an image depicting the alga conditions or water temperature of the nearest beach.

The project began in the autumn of 2004 and runs until spring 2007. Tekes is financing the Finnish parts of the project, and CSA the Canadian parts.


For further information, please visit:

AffectoGenimap