Source: Plume LabsPeople will soon be able to measure air pollution in their immediate vicinity thanks to the Flow device from French startup Plume Labs.

The portable device will help inform the user about real-time air quality at the user's current location.

“The idea is to help people deal with their environmental health better," said Romain Lacombe, co-founder of Plume Labs.

“The device lets you know where you are exposed to pollution," Plume continued.

Ideal for just about anyone from parents of young children to those who commute via bike or skateboard, Plume intends to create a community of Flow device users to crowd-source air quality data in real-time, in much the same way as navigation apps work.

"In the long term, this could be helpful to policy makers, activists, urban planners, and even companies," Lacombe said. "Our goal now is to scale this around the world to create a database so scientists can research pollution; politicians can make smart policies, and people can petition for change."

"These devices, we hope, will get us a picture of reality," Lacombe added. "Maybe there is a particular park that has a pollution issue and you should not go there."

With a price tag of $139, the Flow device is available online at flow.plumelabs.com. They are expected to ship to buyers mid-year.