Smartphone Spectroscopy Enables Citizen Science

Jan 21, 2021 Spectropolarimetry is a powerful remote sensing technique that enables the retrieval of air and water quality parameters that traditional spectroscopy cannot probe. iSPEX 2 is a smartphone spectropolarimeter add-on, based on the SPEX concept for spectropolarimetry through spectral modulation. It provides snapshot, and hence accurate, hyperspectral intensity and degree and angle of linear polarization data. Since it is smartphone-based and low cost, the add-on is ideal for citizen science use. Through its modular hardware design and SPECTACLE-based data processing, it provides universal smartphone support and future compatibility. In this presentation, Olivier Burggraaff focuses on the design and application of iSPEX 2 — and especially on its potential for citizen science measurements.

***This presentation premiered during the 2021 Photonics Spectra Conference Spectroscopy track. For information on upcoming Photonics Media events, see our event calendar here.

About Olivier Burggraaff
Olivier Burggraaff is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Leiden in The Netherlands. Burggraaff received BSc degrees in Astronomy and Physics in 2015 and an MSc degree in Research in Astronomy in 2017, all from Leiden University. He wrote his bachelor's thesis on the calibration of the iSPEX smartphone add-on for quantitative spectroscopy. His master's theses were on the topics of variable star detection using the Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA (MASCARA), and probing the velocity distribution of stars in the solar neighborhood using data from ESA's Gaia satellite. He's the lead author on a landmark paper on the standardized spectral and radiometric calibration of consumer cameras in Optics Express. His current project is "MONOCLE" (https://monocle-h2020.eu/Home): Multiscale Observation Networks for Optical monitoring of Coastal waters, Lakes and Estuaries. This EU H2020 project brings together 12 partners from across Europe to create sustainable in situ observation solutions for Earth Observation (EO) of optical water quality in inland and transitional waters.