The MapSwipe App Helps Users Map Crisis Areas & Help Aid Workers
Rahul Kalvapalle — July 19, 2016 — Tech
References: mapswipe.org & doctorswithoutborders.org
MapSwipe is an innovative new smartphone app, launched by Doctors Without Borders, that is designed to leverage the power of the crowd to map crisis areas in order to assist aid workers in their efforts.
The app, available for free from Google Play and the App Store, allows users to swipe through satellite images of remote parts of the world in order to identify features such as roads, water bodies and settlements. The details gleaned from these efforts will be used to help construct maps for aid workers to use in parts of the world that haven't been adequately mapped, such as South Sudan and Sierra Leone for example.
The ability to map crisis areas once only lay in the hands of a few experts, but by making this practice crowdsourced, Doctors Without Borders stands to have a greater impact in neglected parts of the world.
The app, available for free from Google Play and the App Store, allows users to swipe through satellite images of remote parts of the world in order to identify features such as roads, water bodies and settlements. The details gleaned from these efforts will be used to help construct maps for aid workers to use in parts of the world that haven't been adequately mapped, such as South Sudan and Sierra Leone for example.
The ability to map crisis areas once only lay in the hands of a few experts, but by making this practice crowdsourced, Doctors Without Borders stands to have a greater impact in neglected parts of the world.
Trend Themes
1. Crowdsourced Mapping - The trend of crowdsourcing mapping efforts allows for more comprehensive and up-to-date maps, particularly in remote or neglected areas.
2. Disaster Response Technology - The development of crisis-mapping apps like MapSwipe demonstrates the potential for technology to aid in disaster response efforts.
3. Collaborative Humanitarian Efforts - Crowdsourced crisis-mapping apps encourage collaboration between aid workers and the general public, enhancing humanitarian efforts.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - The technology industry can explore opportunities to develop and enhance crisis-mapping apps, improving disaster response capabilities.
2. Non-profit/ngo - Non-profit organizations and NGOs can leverage crowdsourcing and mapping technologies to optimize their humanitarian efforts in crisis areas.
3. Remote Sensing - The remote sensing industry can benefit from the demand for high-resolution satellite images that can be used for crisis mapping and aid worker support.
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