“Palantir” for the North: A Bauman University Innovation Could Transform Yakutia’s Ecology

A New Eye on the Arctic

The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is a region defined by vast natural resources — and equally vast environmental risks. Extreme climate, permafrost landscapes, and intensive industrial activity demand new approaches to ecological safety.

Bauman Moscow State Technical University (MGTU) has proposed one such solution: an integrated environmental monitoring platform powered by artificial intelligence and engineered specifically for the harsh conditions of the Far North.

At the core of the system are autonomous monitoring posts called “Palantir.” These stations continuously measure a wide range of pollutants — from carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide to ultrafine particulate matter. All data flows in real time into a unified analytical center.

Another major component is a system for remote industrial monitoring based on Fourier spectroscopy — a fully Russian technology. But the most groundbreaking module is the waste‑processing block, which focuses not only on water purification and water reuse but also on extracting rare‑earth metals (REEs) from coal‑plant ash and slag. This turns a long‑standing environmental threat into a valuable industrial resource.

“Our system provides independent, real‑time environmental control with direct data transmission to regional leadership or a company’s headquarters, forming a complete and reliable picture of pollution. It ensures not only ecological safety but also transparency in the environmental activities of enterprises.”

Mikhail Ivanov

Doctor of Engineering Science and Professor of Environmental and Industrial Safety at Bauman MGTU

Predict, Warn, Protect

More accurate air‑quality data and automated alerts for hazardous conditions can meaningfully improve the quality of life for people living in Yakutia.

Beyond immediate environmental protection, the system supports critical infrastructure — energy, transportation, and housing utilities — by predicting risks to permafrost soils. A fully domestic platform designed for extreme Arctic conditions strengthens technological sovereignty in an area that is strategically sensitive.

The project aligns with Russia’s broader Arctic environmental‑monitoring framework. The country is building a national permafrost‑monitoring network, with 20 stations commissioned in 2023 — the northernmost located in the Franz Josef Land archipelago. By the end of 2025 the network will include 140 stations feeding data to the Permafrost Monitoring Center.

Meanwhile, major industrial players such as Nornickel have already launched pilot real‑time air‑monitoring projects, and the government is developing support mechanisms for REE‑extraction technologies.

A Global Opportunity

The system could attract interest from countries facing similar climatic conditions, such as Canada, Norway, and Finland. The rare‑earth extraction technology has an even wider global outlook, as coal‑ash pollution remains a challenge across multiple industrial economies.

Russia stands to become a leader in integrated environmental solutions for northern territories — combining intelligent sensing, predictive analytics, and deep waste processing into a single ecosystem.