DETERMINATION OF CIGARETTE SMOKE DISPERSION USING OPTICAL RGB CAMERA AND DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING

Abstract. Across ages, the rapid prevalence of cigarette smoking has consistently posed adverse threats to both human health and the environment. Moreover, smoke dispersed from a single cigarette could expose serious respiratory problems to a number of non-smokers within the area. Cigarette smoke has always been a notorious, human-induced health risk and air pollutant thus, the urgent need to develop smoke management schemes by exploring strategies on observing cigarette smoke dispersion. This research aims to incorporate the potential of optical RGB cameras in the study of smoke dispersion. Through digital image processing of experimental smoking videos, a spatiotemporal visualization of smoke dispersion for an indoor and outdoor environment were created. Smoke movement starting from the source was observed in terms of smoke pixel density and maximum horizontal extent. Quantitatively, the results showed a relative maximum extent of 1.21 meters which lasted for 2 seconds for an outdoor environment while 1.05 meters which lasted for 6 seconds for an indoor environment. The maximum relative smoke pixel density values calculated for the outdoor and indoor environment are 1.46% and 1.12% respectively. The resulting graphs were indicative of a trend that creates a normal distribution curve that can be affected by external factors and represent a function relating dispersion and distance. The results of this study prove the capability of optical RGB cameras as an alternative and cost-efficient method in studying smoke dispersion. Furthermore, this practical method of monitoring smoke dispersion could lead to comprehensive analyses of air quality management and health exposure assessments.