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How Steep Is That Sidewalk? A Digital Map for People With Disabilities

Megan Wildhood

August 21, 2019 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Crowdsourcing data allows developers to help those with limited mobility find accessible routes. The AccessMap Seattle project, in collaboration with the Taskar Center for Accessible Technology at the University of Washington and OpenStreetMap, has tested and is improving a map where users can find and edit information about the elevation of rotes, sidewalks, and crosswalks to serve those who are challenged with their mobility.

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When a Restraining Order Fails, a GPS Tracker Can Save Lives

Misha Valencia

July 30, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Using GPS tracking on repeat offenders of domestic violence has shown to decrease repeat instances of such abuse. Of the 23 states that use such devices, those that use them in ankle bracelet form have the ability to not only monitor locations, but alert officials and victims when the offender leaves the designated boundaries. While the system has shown demonstrative success, some people voice opposition to such technology, citing privacy concerns.

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Cell data giving 911 dispatchers more accurate locations

Connor Hansen

July 01, 2019 |

KTUL-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

Under 3 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Enid, Oklahoma

The Enid, Oklahoma police department has started using a service called RapidSOS to locate 911 calls coming from cell phones. Without the service, tracking where these calls come from can be a challenge, but RapidSOS allows them to access caller data, like what WiFi they’re on, to accurately pinpoint their location.

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Can ‘Big Data' Help Fight Big Fires? Firefighters Are Betting on It

Jose A. Del Real

June 24, 2019 |

The New York Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

FireMap is a new program that uses real-time data to predict the direction of wildfires. In Southern California, where the tool is being tested, there is a huge potential for positive impact - fires in California swept across about 1.7 million acres in 2018. FireMap is built off an older technology, but this one is faster, more accurate, and has greater potential to scale.

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How Baltimore is saving urban forests – and its city

Stephanie Hanes

June 10, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore’s urban forest is one of the best-protected in the country. Since a 2006 scientific analysis of Baltimore’s trees, the city has become a leader in tracking and preserving green space and using data to shed light on the interaction between greenery, temperature, safety, and more.

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Wildfire escape routes? There's (almost) an app for that.

Krista Langlois

May 23, 2019 |

High Country News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Durango, Colorado

Scientists and engineers in Colorado are developing an app that can help firefighters determine the safest routes to safety during wildfires. The app, currently in development, was created with data from another trail and hike tracking app and applied to analyze how long it would take a firefighter – given their unique equipment and uniforms – to escape wildfire.

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Can Scientists, Entrepreneurs, And The Private Sector Come Together To Save Sharks?

Melissa Cristina Márquez

April 29, 2019 |

Forbes |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Bahamas

The research group, Beneath the Waves, is cultivating cross-sector collaborations with nonprofits, scientists, and individual philanthropists in order to better study the movements and patterns of sharks in the Bahamas. What has typically been a challenging task has been made possible through the use of acoustic tags, which can provide researchers insight into ocean ecosystems and thus conservation. Such initiatives are part of a larger trend of bringing together private donors, nonprofits, and ocean scientists to bolster marine science and conservation efforts.

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How Drones and GPS Are Helping Indigenous People in Ecuador Save the Amazon

Kimberley Brown

April 16, 2019 |

Pacific Standard |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Ecuador

The indigenous Cofan community in Ecuador, battling miners and other seeking to use their ancestral land, have a new tool to fight them: mapping. By working with non-profits who trained locals to use data and GPS technology, the Cofan now map the environmental resources worth protecting. They are using this data to make the case for why the land should stay in their hands.

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Six years later: Learning from the deadly West fertilizer plant explosion

Erin Cargile

April 16, 2019 |

KXAN-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, West, Texas

Following a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant, cities in Texas are taking preventative measures. Emergency Management Specialists have updated and are employing software that tracks hazardous material storage in facilities around the state and generates disaster scenarios. The software can be used in real-time by firefighters and other emergency responders on their way to the scene.

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One Way to Combat Climate Change: A Smartphone App That Lets Farmers Control Where Their Cows Graze

Kevin J. Ryan

April 15, 2019 |

Inc. Magazine |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

A San Diego startup called Vence has created a device that can help farmers control their livestock’s movements and behavior. The new technology – a collar with accompanying software – buzzes when an animal is somewhere it shouldn’t be and shocks them if they keep going. While the practice of shocking animals isn’t universally approved, doing so can prevent overgrazing and thus improve overall land health.

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