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Short Abstract

We introduce a privacy centric data pipeline that allows communities to share data collected with low-cost sensor networks, while preserving data ownership and control as data originators. This workflow puts the user choice first, and is implemented as a demonstrator within the CitiObs project.

Abstract

Citizen Science initiatives using low-cost sensors often store data in online data platforms, which generally offer functionalities such as APIs to access sensor data. To facilitate the agreement between Citizen Science initiatives (as data producers) and potential data users, while preserving their control over what data is shared, we introduce a data pipeline involving real-time data forwarding with private data streams. These data streams are based on MQTT, a popular Internet of Things (IoT) messaging stack, using encrypted data channels, and created on demand by the individuals collecting environmental data. Data consumers can subscribe to these data streams only if the data creators have generated and shared a secret key-pair, which is then used to access the data streams on a centralized data broker in JSON format. This workflow is currently being demonstrated as part of the CitiObs project in 35 cities across Europe, using SmartCitizen devices to store data in the SmartCitizen Platform where they can choose to enable data forwarding. During CitiObs, users can choose to send data to a data platform owned by NILU as project coordinator. Data is then quality controlled, and made available in a standardized format via OGC standard STAplus. Data producers can choose other destinations, which effectively changes the data format in which this is shared, while keeping its content, enhancing interoperability. Data licenses, vocabulary definitions as well as sensor datasheets are included in the payloads shared across platforms, supporting the implementation of FAIR and CARE data principles.