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Keep an eye out for the next event. You can start working on a Project Definition at anytime!
Welcome to Atlanta’s first Random Hacks of Kindness hosted by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). 15 countries, 20 cities and 450 attendees from around the world.
The GTRI is proud to be a host for RHOK and we are excited that you will be a part of this global opportunity to give back. If you have any questions in advance or on the day of the event, please contact Robert Delano directly: Robert.delano@gtri.gatech.edu
December 2010 RHoK Atlanta Winners
Video montage of Day 1 Participant Interviews
(add your own links)
Proposed by: Cyrus Shahpar
Summary Malnutrition is common in natural disasters, especially in prolonged emergencies such as floods. Currently, measures of height, weight and age are used to define whether a person is underweight/overweight (weight and age), stunted or tall (height and age), or wasting/obese (weight and height). Determination of height (or length if less than 2 years old) is a cumbersome process, because children are measured using a heavy wooden board that must be carried to each assessment. More rapid accurate assessment of height or length would be extremely helpful to assessing malnutrition in emergencies. Ideally, the solution would be an open source application for a camera-enabled mobile device (e.g. Android tablet or phone) that could accurately calculate the height or length of a person. It would also be helpful to include inputs for age and weight, so that the software could calculate whether the person was stunted/wasted/underweight.
December 2010 1st Place Winner WhoIsOk
Proposed by: google.org
WhoIsOk Demo
Source code: github
Worked on by:
Summary
After a disaster, I want one page that shows a list of my contacts and who and who has not tweeted nor posted to facebook or buzz since the disaster.
December 2010 2nd Place Winner
WGACA Happens (coming soon)
Proposed by: Bren Ames
We have some great prizes lined up including roundtrip airfare for 2 to anywhere in the US, some cash prizes and a PS3 (you must be present to win).
Event leads:
Event Manager:
USTREAM
Flickr
Skype
IRC Channel
This is a hackathon/barcamp style event (flavors of both). Check this out: hackathon, barcamp. What this means is that we get folks together and they collaborate on a project for a period of time, in this case, about 26 hours. All these project definitions have a theme of disaster and crisis humanitarian relief. Other than the initial kickoff and some checkpoints throughout the day (oh, and food), there won't be much structure to the event. We can help to direct the participants to particular interests or match skills the day of the event, but it will also be up to you to find your home, projects that interest you, area of research you want to dive down, or folks you want to collaborate with. Ultimately, you will want to become part of a 'team'. And your team could also include other RHoK cities, and you may choose to take a project started in another city, or bring folks onto your team from theirs. This is why we want to ensure we are setup for the collab part too (see below).
You may know some friends before you arrive and have some ideas of things you want to work on, or you may connect with folks before the event, others will not know until they show up on Saturday where they can fit in. Don't worry, it will work out if you are nervous. Although the focus sometimes seems on coders at these events, and we do have a lot of tech folks, a well rounded team often also includes a manager/team-lead (really really important, keeps you on schedule), graphic designers, documentation folks, presentation experts, social media resources, information-experts, architects, usability designers, etc. There are no limits to team size, although we believe that the innovation part happens best with smaller teams, 4-8, although teams of 1 and 2 are common too.
The focus on specific projects, with a team approach is important. Teams will work on their solution, and do a presentation (which could also include a demo) on Sunday, which will be judged. There will be REAL PRIZES for First, Second, and Third place teams (more detail will be published on these).
The projects are defined around problem definitions in the space of crisis and disaster relief. There are some broad reaching, big thinking projects, which could have many pieces or phases, which you may want to bite off just a slice of. There are others which are smaller, and could be completed in the time of the hackathon. Some (many) are carry over from previous hackathons, perhaps you want to continue those or take them into a new direction. And not all the projects necessarily have to result in a completed/coded solution. Some could be prototypes of ideas. Others could be research proposals or analysis based. We encourage collaboration, both within and across cities. However, if a team takes a parallel approach to a problem definition solution that another city/team has started, this isn't the end of the world, the problem space that one solves will never be exactly the same as someone else, this is part of the innovation cycle. Parallel tracks off the same idea are therefore perfectly ok.
Participants are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to review the problem definitions on the wiki in advance of the event. New problem definitions may be added before Saturday, others are being tweaked, others will be conceived that day (by you or a SME that might attend the event): Problem_Definitions_RHoK2.0. And some, as you will notice, are at varying degrees of detail or structure. Oh well, we will have to just go with what we have, but realize that if you are unfamiliar with the 'domain' of crisis/disaster management, that is ok, just learn what you can.
There's more detail about the NYC projects and problems at the bottom of this page.
Note:
GTRI Conference Center
250 14th Street
Atlanta, GA 30332
Parking is free (pull up to gate and it will open/no pass needed)
RHoK Global is providing stickers and tshirts
You should bring
The Hub Atlanta has generously provided space for you. Open Workspaces & Dedicated Desks: a variety of desk situations are available from the more publicly situated and interactive desks in the Open Workspace area to the option of a Dedicated Desk for full-time members in a quieter part of the Hub.
Address
Hub Atlanta - 404-745-4960
1375 Spring St.
Atlanta, GA 30309
Map
Saturday, 12/4/10
Eastern Standard Time
9:00am Registration open/continental breakfast 9:45am Welcome remarks and overall scope of event 10:15am Hacking begins/Official kick-off 12:00pm working lunch provided 3:00pm Break + light refreshments 3:15pm Hacking resumes 6:00pm Dinner 7:00pm Evening Wrap-up - Day 1 video highlights 7:45pm Depart for Hub Atlanta (all overnight participants)
Sunday, 12/5/10
Eastern Standard Time
8:00am Continental breakfast 8:30am Day 2 remarks + kick-off 10:30am Refreshment break 12:00pm Working lunch break 2:00pm Afternoon snack break 2:30pm Judges arrive 3:00pm Final group presentations (must be present to win) 4:00pm Conclusion of event, judging begins 5:00pm Awards ceremony + presentation of prizes 6:00pm Thank you for participating in Atlanta's first RHoK
Darrell T. Black Darrell Black is the Chief Information Officer of Dekalb County Georgia. Prior to his current role, Mr. Black served as CIO for Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., where he oversaw the college's information technology systems including online student services, electronic file storage, online courses, and asset security. He also worked for 8 years in the Office of the Chief Information Officer for the State of South Carolina finance, project management, marketing, and governmental affairs.
Mr. Black earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and computer science from Delaware State College and a Master of Science and Management Technology degree from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ray Doyle William R. (Ray) Doyle is a Senior Research Scientist in the Information and Communications Laboratory of the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Mr. Doyle is currently responsible for a number of homeland security projects for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Division of Homeland Security, including those in the areas of strategic planning, training, and exercises.
In addition to the work above, following Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Doyle was part of a GTRI team that traveled to the Gulf Coast on several occasions to provide construction safety training to the influx of unskilled workers who came to the area to take part in rebuilding after the storm. Also, Mr. Doyle has performed research on a dry solar latrine for use in areas unsuited for traditional pit latrines. As a part of this project, he was a member of a GTRI/Emory team that traveled to La Paz, Bolivia, in 2007, where two experimental latrines were built with the assistance of a group of Tech students and a local NGO. Suitability testing for these latrines is still underway.
Prior to his work at GTRI, Mr. Doyle spent more than 20 years as a consultant to the US EPA. In this role, he has managed emergency response and remedial assessment/action contracts in Regions 4, 5, and 10. Through these contracts, his team of scientists and engineers responded to numerous chemical and oil spills associated with transportation and industrial incidents across the country. Outside of routine spills and fires, his teams’ responses on behalf of EPA included events of national importance such as Hurricane Andrew, Tropical Storm Alberto, the anthrax and WTC attacks of September 2001, and the Shuttle Columbia disaster.
Mr. Doyle received his B.A. and M.S. in biology from the University of Louisville, and is a P.O.S.T. certified guest instructor in drug enforcement. He teaches various aspects of clandestine drug laboratory response to law enforcement personnel at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s Police Academy. He has presented papers and workshops on methamphetamine and its hazards to first responders, retailers and teachers in metro Atlanta and elsewhere.
Kevin George Kevin George is the Founder and Managing Director of Progility Partners, an Atlanta-based consulting firm that helps technology-centric companies drive profitable growth in the areas of Sales & Marketing, Operations and Technology.
Mr. George has a proven track record and extensive experience leading companies through periods of rapid growth, business transformations and turnarounds. For more than 20 years as a senior operating executive with top-tier technology-centric firms including Lexis/Nexis, ON Technology, Manhattan Associates, Silverpop, Merkle/Quris, and ClickSquared and through consulting engagements with companies such as Turner Broadcasting, CNN, Sparkfly, Renovo Data, Celenia Software and What’s Up Interactive, he has used his extensive expertise in building high-performance teams to drive increased sales and profitability, optimize business processes and improve overall performance.
Mr. George holds a Bachelors degree from Antioch University’s McGregor School of Management and is very active in the Atlanta technology community. He serves as Chairman of the Southeastern Software Association and is on the Board of Directors for Akrometrix, and on the Advisory Board of Renovo Data, Inc. He is also a member of the Technology Association of Georgia, Atlanta CEO Council, Atlanta Venture Forum, and High Tech Ministries Host Committee.
Ralph Reichert Ralph Reichert is the Director of the Division of Homeland Security for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security agency. He is responsible for state’s overall preparedness for prevention and response to terrorism. His responsibilities include program development for first and secondary response disciplines primarily in planning, training, exercise, equipment acquisition, and technology integration. He oversees agency operational response to terrorist threats and acts, management of critical infrastructure protection programs, interoperable communications capabilities, and the homeland security grants process. Ralph’s leadership and forward-thinking directly contributed to development of states’ robust bomb, hazardous materials, and urban search and rescue capability, and well as Georgia’s strategic plans to combat terrorism.
Ralph enlisted in the United States Army in 1968, served in Viet Nam for 20 months where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He began his career in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff in Illinois in 1975 and relocated to Georgia in 1982 where he continued service in law enforcement as the Northwest Area District Director for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. He joined GEMA/HS in 1997 and has served as the Exercise Training Officer, Atlanta Area Field Coordinator and as the agency’s Consequence Manager when the attacks of September 11th occurred. Ralph has a degree from Southern Illinois University in Sociology and Human Services, and a Masters in Public Administration from Kennesaw State University. He has serves on numerous advisory committees for the Department of Homeland Security, and as an adjunct instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
We are so thankful for our sponsors help to make this happen: