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Ushahidi v2 - Mobile.Crisis.Reporting

Project URL: 
http://www.ushahidi.com
Short Project Overview: 

Ushahidi is an open source software that solves communication and visualization challenges during crises situations through mapping and crowdsourcing. We are seeking support for further development of mobile functionality.

Detailed Project Overview: 

Why Mobile
Mobile phones are the one ubiquitous technology found all over the globe -if the goal of Ushahidi is to let ordinary people submit reports during a crisis and know of incidents happening around them, then we must ensure that any phone can be used for this purpose. 

What
The following features will be incorporated into Ushahidi’s mobile development: 
•    ability to send and receive SMS alerts;
•    ability to set up a local or international alert number at short notice;
•    ability work on different smartphones;
•    ability to send MMS messages (images and video);
•    ability to send GPS coordinates.

Who
There is an 8-person team already beginning the work on Ushahidi’s mobile phone functionality.  Java experts working on J2ME applications for GPRS phones, iPhone and Android developers, a 3-person team focused on FrontlineSMS integration and other SMS connection points, and a design team that manages the usability and functionality on each platform as it gets developed.

When
Development for the J2ME, iPhone and Android applications began in October 2008.  The full development team is now shifting into gear for a much broader push into all things mobile that touch the Ushahidi Engine.  Our goal is to have almost all of the work done by early 2009 for beta release.

Impact
Mobile functionality will extend the reach and applicability of Ushahidi, especially in the developing world due to the widespread nature of the mobile phones and the simplicity of of using text messages.  It will facilitate the ability to draw and disseminate information and alerts among a wider population that may not necessarily have access to the internet. 

(Find out more at Ushahidi.com and the Ushahidi Wiki at http://wiki.ushahididev.com.)

What else have you done in this area?: 

The original version of Ushahidi, which means "testimony" in Swahili, was born from the post-election violence that exploded across Kenya earlier in 2008.  The program was used to map incidents of violence and peace efforts throughout the country based on reports submitted via the web and mobile phone, and has been recognized as an innovative mashup and demonstration of citizen reporting.  In May 2008, we shared our code with a group in South Africa that used it to map incidents of xenophobic violence.

Since then we have grown from an ad hoc group of volunteers to a focused organization.   The core team is comprised of four individuals with a wide span of experience ranging from human rights work to software development.  We have also built a strong team of volunteer developers in Africa, Europe and the U.S.
We are founding members of the CrisisMappers group – a group that brings together different organizations working in mapping in disaster situations, and the Open Mobile Consortium, which has a primary goal of creating better interoperability and sharing between mobile phone application developers.

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Project RSS Feed: 
http://blog.ushahidi.com/index.php/feed/
Organization supporting your Project, if any: 
Humanity United
Supporting Organization URL: 
http://www.humanityunited.org
City: 
San Francisco
State/Region: 
California
Country: 
United States
Does your Project have financial support?: 
Yes
Is the impact area of your Project global?: 
Yes
Type of expertise needed: 
Policy/Program Expertise
Description: 

The Ushahidi management team consists of individuals with a strong focus in technology, Africa and media.  However, for further growth and use of the Ushahidi platform in emergencies around the world, we could use some help in the area of policy and government relations.  Our project team works directly with NGOs for feedback on usage of the platform, but we have little interaction with any government bodies.

Type of expertise needed: 
Other
Description: 

Since most of the team came from working in the private sector we are still learning how to raise the funds necessary for Ushahidi's growth.  We have been fortunate with our initial funding, but future growth required a better understanding on our part of how to galvinate action and gather capital.

Type of expertise needed: 
Technical Expertise
Description: 

We could always use additional technical expertise for helping us develop the mobile interface.

Sustainability (financial) Model: 

The first phase of Ushahidi is being funded by grants and prizes. This USAID prize would be used directly in the developing of the mobile side of the platform.  Once the Ushahidi rebuild is completed, our goal is to provide value added services, such as deeper customization, integration with other tools, hosting and installation, to subsidize the costs of running the organization and to support further development

Identified Obstacles: 

Obstacles include creating an API that allows all of the mobile phone applications and interfaces to operate functionally with the Ushahidi Engine.  There is also the matter of keeping the functionality simple and usable while trying to develop on multiple platforms at one time.

Project Milestones: 

Jan 2008 - Initial deployment in the Kenya crisis

May 2008 - Won NetSquared mashup challenge 

June 2008 - Began gathering developers for the open source rebuild of Ushahidi

July 2008 - Ushahidi v2 development starts

August 2008 - Integration with FrontlineSMS and iPhone application designed

October 2008 - Launch Ushahidi Engine v0.1 (“eldoret”)

Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Ory Okolloh
Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Erik Hersman
Additional Project Idea Representative NetSquared User Name: 
dkobia

Your Mapper - Know Your Neighborhood

Project URL: 
http://www.metromapper.org/
What will change in the world because this Project happens?: 

Three major empowering things would be improved in the world if this project happens.

One: Empowering local public citizens to learn about their neighborhood and take action when they identify a need. Citizens can view interesting things happening around their home and office on a map, and get notified when new things happen.

Two: Empowering local people to collect information that is currently locked up in government databases, and use our toolset to load that data and make it geographically and visually accessible to the public.

Three: Empowering local websites, blogs, news organizations, and companies by allowing them to embed searchable, interactive maps on their site as a service to their site audience.

Your Mapper is an online news organization that empowers people to obtain and load information in their home town, and make it available to their neighbors. We provide the tools that make this happen.

People who load the data (called "Mappers") only have to decide on what data they want, contact their local government agency for it, and assemble it into a spreadsheet. Once the spreadsheet is ready we provide the tools to load it into Your Mapper, turn it into a public searchable map, and let the Mappers manage the data online and updates to the data.

People who look at the the online maps (called "Citizens") can type in any address in the United States, and see a list of all the maps available. They can subscribe to feeds and updates and downloads. Each map will have meta information provided by the Mappers, and Citizens can rate the quality of the data and map content, leave comments, flag inappropriate data, and save their favorite maps.

The community aspects and rating system ensures that the best maps bubble to the top of the site, and even allow Mappers in the same city to 'compete' to load the highest quality, most valuable information to for the Citizens.

Local websites and businesses (called "Community Sites") can choose which maps they might like to put on their own websites, choose the starting point, map size, and other options, and with a little cut & paste can have these maps on their site in no time.

What information will people interact with to make this change?: 

The core idea behind Your Mapper is to create an easy way to make public information that has long been locked up in internal government databases, and present it to the world in a way that is visually appealing, easy to understand, and local.

Examples of these kinds of datasets would be crime, restaurant health reviews, traffic accidents, building permits, sex offender registries, property values, and pollution sources, or anything that can be linked to a physical address or location.

Because each government office stores each of theses items internally in very different formats, it would take too many resources to create a relationship with these local agencies and obtain data dumps on a regular basis. Your Mapper empowers concerned citizens to collect and share this information, since they know their town or city and have a good idea of what others living there would want to see made public.

I do not believe that altruism alone is enough to encourage local Mappers to load and maintain quality local data, so Your Mapper actually compensates the Mappers based on the amount of website advertising and embedded map revenue generated that is specifically related to their maps. This would empower the Mappers to become "local experts," much like Google's Knol project and Helium.com does.

What else have you done in this Cause Area?: 

Currently I run an online news service called Metro Mapper, which provides interactive maps of crime, restaurants, sex offender locations, and historic sites to the citizens of Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding area. We have a set of internal tools that allow us to load data quickly and turn it into useful maps for the public.

Your Mapper would make these tools available for public use, and extend Metro Mapper nationally. An essential social community layer would be added on top of Metro Mapper to allow Mappers and their maps to be rated, flagged, and commented on.

Your Mapper would leverage our existing technology and reporting tools for Community Sites to embed the maps quickly and easily on their own site.

I consider Metro Mapper to be a proof of concept for a local municipality using some high-profile datasets, and the first step to creating the truly groundbreaking, national, and more robust service of Your Mapper.

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Project RSS Feed: 
http://feeds.feedburner.com/MetroMapperBlog
Does your Project have financial support?: 
No
What kind of help or resources do you need to turn your project idea into a completed mashup?: 

 

Business Manager/Partner

A skilled business person who understands new web technologies and would be a good compliment to my existing skill sets and experience.

PHP Developers

PHP and MySQL programmers who are excited and knowledgable about internet programming, AJAX, user interface, and "Web 2.0" concepts. Security, database scalablity, and performance are all important issues to consider.

People Person

The forward facing part of the service, forging initial relationships with government agencies, courting local Mappers, working with Community Sites, and generating interest in local areas and the press.

 

List URLs that link to, or describe, your mashup data sources: 

Examples of some datasources for the Mappers to tap.

Crime Map: http://www.metromapper.org/index-crime.php

Bridge Saftety Ratings: http://www.metromapper.org/index-bridges.php

Local Restaurants (a Community Site): http://www.louisville.com/entertainment/dining.aspx

City with Easy-to-grab Datasources (Washington DC): http://data.octo.dc.gov/

Downloadable Crime Stats: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/police/pages/-4258-/

My Green Map: Sharing your Sustainable Worldview

Project URL: 
http://greenmap.org/ggm/
What will change in the world because this Project happens?: 

Since 1995, Green Map System has engaged communities worldwide in charting a sustainable future. Now, we’re taking the next step by merging local knowledge and our freshly updated iconography with a Google Map mashup to create an open interactive Green Mapmaking website that will inclusively help people worldwide quickly share their own selection of sustainability sites, pathways and resources online. The resulting interactive Green Maps will be viewable from our own and many other websites, starting in mid-2008. With open commentary, green ratings, multimedia elements, 'impacts index', mobile access, on-site markers and more, everyone will be able to get involved.

My Green Map (working name) will give a powerful voice to thousands and ensure that an enormous diversity of successful sustainability activities and critical issues are shared with the broadest audience possible. It will merge the booming ‘local first’ and green development movements with social networking and interactive mapping. It will draw from a rich data source: thousands of green living, nature, social and cultural resources already charted on 335 published Green Maps, used by millions both near home and while traveling.

Our network of 450 locally-led map projects in 50 countries will be the first to add sites to My Green Map. Each of their mashups will be linked to profiles and the locally-designed Green Maps already viewable at GreenMap.org. Once technical and financial barriers to participation have been overcome, we intend to phase in public mapmaking and behavior change assessment, mobile formats, thematic worldviews, and more. Thus, the N2Y3 Mashup Challenge can play a key role in promoting inclusive participation in sustainable community development around the world.

What information will people interact with to make this change?: 

My Green Map will welcome people to a fresh green perspective of cities, towns and villages. In a familiar Google Map format, it will enable people of all ages to explore or share comprehensive citywide maps; theme maps, such as cycling routes & resources or social justice sites; mapmaking workshop outcomes and eco-tourism maps.

Color-coded universal Green Map Icons will connect people instantly with sustainable living, nature, culture and social sites, helping them make better choices as they shop, dine, commute, work and play. The mapmaker's site description will be openly discussed, updated and translated by the public – they can add a green rating, an image or video and a personal change testimonial that provides evidence of the site's – and the map's – real impacts on community well-being and our common future. Alongside the maps, this will inspire more personal, policy and culture change.

Because My Green Map's mashups will be linked to GreenMap.org's multilingual profiles, users will be able to delve into the motivations and methodologies behind this community-media movement, exploring how grassroots, professional and youth Green Mapmakers are empowered by our adaptable full-scale Green Mapmaking resources. These public interactions will expand local project networks, too.

From a social change perspective, My Green Map offers tremendous hope to people of all backgrounds and communities everywhere.

What else have you done in this Cause Area?: 

Since 1995, we have built strong relationships with hundreds of environmental and social equity advocates on 6 continents. Collaboratively, we have:

• developed our eco-cultural .ORG and adaptable youth and professional mapmaking tools

• published multilingual websites, books and DVDs

• produced mapmaker gatherings, public workshops, tours and presentations

• supported decentralized Green Map Hubs in Indonesia, Japan, Latin America and other places.

Our work has received special recognition and positive press locally, nationally and globally, as GreenMap.org's News section attests.

At the heart of it all is the set of Green Map Icons, which is thought to be the world's only universal symbol system for maps. Updated during a 5-year inclusive process, Version 3 of this living lexicon was just released. Viewable at GreenMap.org/icons, these 170 symbols will identify, promote and link My Green Map's sites.

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Organization Supporting your project, if any: 
Green Map System and the global network of Green Mapmakers
Supporting Organization URL: 
http://greenmap.org
Does your Project have financial support?: 
No
What kind of help or resources do you need to turn your project idea into a completed mashup?: 

Our small, flexible team includes digital developers, designers, social change agents and collaborators in NYC, Bucharest, Yogyakarta, Tokyo and Victoria BC. We have seed funds and capacity to move from the alpha site at GreenMap.org/ogm to a mid-year public launch, but the fully integrated self-sustaining vision - from mapmaking tool to encyclopedic Global Green Map – needs financial, infrastructure, Drupal/PHP, Google API and mobile developers, business, marketing and legal support.

By prioritizing practical ways to democratically involve many more people – from rural elders to OLPC youth to urban digerati – we can exchange crucial information that helps whole communities take action. Get involved! This synergistic mashup makes local resources for sustainable community development accessible to all, and has potential to truly revolutionize the way people from all over the world perceive and interact with their communities.

List URLs that link to, or describe, your mashup data sources: 
Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Wendy Brawer, Founding Director
Project Designer: 
Akiko Rukube, Graphic Designer
Project Engineer: 
Thomas Turnbull, Chief Digital Developer

Sponsors

  • Microsoft
  • Yahoo
  • Business Objects
  • Raincity Studios
  • Mozilla Foundation
  • Ready Talk
  • .
  • Adobe
  • Linden Lab
  • Network For Good
  • Wild Apricot
  • Stanford Social Innovation Review
  • L'Atelier North America
  • The Panelist
  • Good
  • Fora.tv
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