by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 18, 2020 | Art and Science
A Filipino startup is recognized globally for developing a dengue hotspot prediction system using satellite and climate data in the 2020 Group on Earth Observations Sustainable Development Goals (GEO SDG) Awards for the Sectoral category, For-Profit. The GEO SDG Awards recognize the productivity, ingenuity, proficiency, novelty, and exemplary communications of results and experiences in the use of Earth observations to support sustainable development.
CirroLytix Research Services was formed to create social impact through big data. Through the application of machine learning, data engineering, remote sensing, and social listening, the Philippines-based data analytics firm hope to help governments, researchers, non-government organizations (NGO), and social enterprises achieve positive change.
The Advanced Early Dengue Prediction and Exploration Service (Project AEDES) is one of CirroLytix’s flagship projects developed during the 2019 National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) International Space Apps Challenge. It combines digital, climate, and remote sensing to nowcast dengue trends and detects mosquito habitats to help pre-empt cases of dengue. Project AEDES process leverages normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), Fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR), and normalized difference water index (NDWI) readings from Landsat and Sentinel-2 to estimate still water areas on the ground, which is correlated with dengue case counts from national health centers.
Dominic Vincent “Doc” Ligot
Dominic Vincent “Doc” Ligot, co-founder and chief technology officer of CirroLytix, describes Project AEDES as an “early detection of panics from online searches, anticipating case counts from environment readings, but most importantly pinpointing hotspots from mosquito habitat detection.”
The Pinoy-made dengue mapper tool won the annual international hackathon of NASA globally in the best use of data, the solution that best makes space data accessible, or leverages it to a unique application.
Aside from winning last year, CirroLytix also developed an integrated public policy information portal measuring the impact of the coronavirus pandemic using Earth observation, in-country economic and human mobility data, and global infection case counts, thus winning again in the Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge for the same category in the best use of data. Named G.I.D.E.O.N. (Global Impact Detection from Emitted Light, Onset of COVID-19, and Nitrogen Dioxide), this dashboard for policymakers and economic planners shows the impact of COVID-19 on various countries and its effects on the economy and environment.
With these achievements, Cirrolytix is recognized for its remarkable efforts to utilize Earth observation data to predict dengue fever cases in the Philippines in order to improve public health.
Dr. Argyro Kavvada
“I am glad that the GEO SDG Awards Panel has selected CirroLytix for an award, recognizing the importance of this work in developing an EO-integrated dengue case predictor mapping system,” according to Dr. Argyro Kavvada, lead for Sustainable Development Goals of the Earth Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and executive secretary of the international Earth Observations for the Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG).
Lawrence Friedl
“These awards really could stand as an inspiration to all of us about what can be done, and what needs to be done to ensure that Earth-observations contribute to make our world a better, and more sustainable place,” said Lawrence Friedl director of the Applied Sciences Program of the Earth Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and co-chair of EO4SDG.
Rafaeilita Aldaba
The Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Dr. Rafaelita “Fita” M. Aldaba heartfeltly congratulates CirroLytix. “It’s indeed a blessing amid this pandemic and economic crisis that we are currently faced with,” she said.
The award-winning startup continues to update the AEDES framework to include socio-economic risk mapping to turn it into a health and environmental policy tool. Aside from dengue, the company also supports COVID-19 modeling and response initiatives with the public health sector. CirroLytix’s current involvements include public health, human rights, fighting misinformation, education, and food security.
The Space Apps lead organizer in the Philippines Michael Lance M. Domagas appeals support for these Filipino winners. “How many times should these Filipino innovators and achievers need to win before being recognized and appreciated by our own country? To be recognized by not just one, but five space agencies are something that has not yet been achieved by Filipinos, how much more of a multitude of countries and nations supporting the sustainable development goals of the United Nations?”
He added that “The dengue epidemic and the COVID-19 is a real threat to the Philippine society right now, endangering health, well-being, livelihood, and most especially businesses and the national economy. If we could only learn how to give value to science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM), the possibilities are endless.
Our Filipino winners of Space Apps and GEO SDG Awards have taught us how these space technologies greatly help in addressing epidemics and the economic impact of COVID-19, its time to give them recognition and respect because they are Filipinos like us.”
Winners shall be invited to visit NASA once travel is deemed safe, but unfortunately, travel, meals and incidental expenses, and accommodation expenses are not provided.
On the other hand, Cirrolytix encourages the use of data in addressing social problems and issues surrounding the Bangsamoro region. Together with the Asia Foundation and Data Ethics PH, the online Bangsamoro Data Challenge invites ages 15 years old and above to develop data-driven solutions in helping the region. The deadline for registration is on Saturday 11:59 pm, November 21, 2020, at https://barmm.opendata.org.ph/
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a partnership of more than 100 national governments and in excess of 100 participating organizations that envisions a future where decisions and actions for the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations.
About 2020 GEO SDG Awards
The 2020 Group on Earth Observations Sustainable Development Goals (GEO SDG) awards program, in its second year, is led by the international Earth Observations for the Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG) initiative and recognizes excellence in sustainable development practices, analysis, and reporting through the use of Earth observations.
The awards honor productivity, ingenuity, proficiency, novelty, and exemplary communications of results and experiences in the use of Earth observations for the Sustainable Development Goals.
About Group on Earth Observations
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a partnership of more than 100 national governments and in excess of 100 participating organizations that envisions a future where decisions and actions for the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations.
About Space Apps
Now in its 9th year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) International Space Apps Challenge is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others around the world, where teams engage with NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.
Space Apps 2019 included over 29,000 participants in 71 countries. In May 2020, the virtual-only Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge concluded with over 15,000 participants from 150 countries. Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program.
About CirroLytix
CirroLytix Research Services is a social impact data analytics company. Their mission is to help governments, non-profits, researchers, international and local organizations succeed at addressing collective social problems around the world by harnessing the full power of their data. The ultimate contribution to society is in enabling social impact professionals and entities to make positive data-driven changes on the lives they seek to uplift.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 2, 2020 | Events
MANILA, Philippines — Last October 2-4, 2020, Filipino developers, engineers, technologists, designers, scientists, coders, storytellers, makers, builders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao came together to address real-world problems on Earth and space by engaging with the United States space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) free and open data, together with partner agencies like Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) of France, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA) in a virtual hackathon. Some of the projects developed include road hazard detection, data visualization tools, and machine learning for satellite image monitoring, and a lot more.
This year’s edition of NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic situation worldwide. The theme of this year “Take Action” — is a critical reminder that anyone can make a difference, even from the comfort and safety of home. In this unprecedented time, the Space Apps community exists as a reminder that there the tools and talents to tackle challenges facing the planet, as well as the ability to unite across boundaries and borders of all kinds.
VP Leni Robredo
Vice President Leni Robredo lauded this event as “our ability to gather ourselves, organize, and come together has opened the doors to technology and progress. We have done great things, cure diseases, find ways to connect with each another across the oceans, and even walked on the Moon… all thanks to mutual cooperation.”
The first Director-General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr. stressed the importance of space science in helping society.
Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr., the Director-General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)
“Space infrastructure, space data, and space-enabled services, therefore, help inform policies and decision-support systems that can lead us to better plan and decongest our cities, improve our transportation systems, monitor the state of infrastructure, enable better connectivity, enhance our agricultural and fisheries production, and protect our natural environment,” he said.
Since the start of Space Apps in the Philippines in 2016, the country witnessed how the community grew from a group of volunteers to forging partnerships with collaborators and stakeholders. For many years, Filipinos collaborate and work with one another in developing projects to solve problems using space technologies.
NASA and partner agencies recognized the hard work done by Filipinos, and thus being recognized and awarded globally as winners and finalists consecutively in the past three years. Software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas is optimistic that in these momentous and trying times, the country would still choose to prioritize and give value to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), especially in emerging fields like space science where innovators can contribute and solve the most pressing problems prevailing in the society and environment today.
Technology and developer community leaders and STAMINA4Space engineers as mentors helping participants during the hackathon
Michael Lance Domagas
“How could someone imagine that Earth-observation data coming from space could give us valuable and unique insights about the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic in various countries, and to pinpoint possible mosquito habitats which cause another epidemic called dengue?
Why can’t we support our own modern-day heroes specializing in new and emerging technologies to address issues and help others in our country? NASA and partner agencies from other countries have already recognized the ingenuity of Filipinos for the past three years. Now is the proper time for our own country to recognize their achievements too,” Michael Lance said.
Together with technology and developer community leader Tzar C. Umang from Pangasinan and U.S. cultural affairs officer Matt T. Keener, Michael Lance looks forward to having more Filipino winners and finalists being recognized, and to a more meaningful and impactful Space Apps challenge in the future years to come.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary for competitiveness and innovation Dr. Rafaelita “Fita” M. Aldaba, Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP) president Colin Christie, former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) undersecretary and University of the Philippines System Information Technology Foundation president Monchito B. Ibrahim, assistant professor and assistant chairman for administration, Department of Geodetic Engineering at the University of the Philippines and Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) GRASPED project staff Dr. Czar Jakiri S. Sarmiento, part-time lecturer and technopreneurship/program manager at the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) Nitro Erwin A. Lizarondo, senior consultant for data analytics for social impact at CirroLytix, Data Ethics PH, and COVID-19 challenge winner for the best use of data Nick Tobia, and Africa University chair educational technologies and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Space4Women mentor Ms. Basuti Gerty Bolo from Zimbabwe served as local judges in Manila.
Community partners include STAMINA4Space, PhilSA, the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD), DTI-Design Center of the Philippines, AAP, Data Ethics PH, CirroLytix, PWA Pilipinas, TMDC IT Solutions, Pampanga Developers Group, Koodi, Web and Mobile Developers PH, UXPH, DevCon, Alaga Health, Philippine Information Technology Organization (Phil IT Org), TIP Nitro, De La Salle University, Google Developers Group (GDG) Cloud Manila, 98 labs, United Pangasinan ICT Council, Code UX, DesignMNL Studio, Talino Labs, Impact Hub Manila, Elinnov Technologies, Drupal Pilipinas, Pantheon, Wadwhani Foundation, Youth for Women in Technology (WiTech), Kallisto, Wavefarers, Stock Knowledge, MVN Photostudio, and the U.S. embassy.
“The Global Organizing Team is inspired by the journey the Philippines has with the Space Apps program. In particular, we appreciate the development of STEM in the Philippines and elsewhere, because one goal of Space Apps is to foster interest and learning in these fields worldwide,” said Matt Scott, the Global Community Director and Storyteller.
The recent COVID-19 challenge winners and finalists discussed how their space-based solutions address the coronavirus pandemic during the Data Brew 4: Space and Ground Data for the Betterment of the Human Condition on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, by the Remote Sensing and Data Science (DATOS) Help Desk of the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute with PhilSA and STAMINA4Space.
In the Philippines, Space Apps is part of the World Space Week and celebrates the Design Week Philippines with DTI-Design Center of the Philippines.
Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program.
About Space Apps
Now in its 9th year, Space Apps is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others around the world, where teams engage with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space. Space Apps 2019 included over 29,000 participants in 71 countries.
In May 2020, the virtual-only Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge concluded with over 15,000 participants from 150 countries. Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Sep 11, 2020 | Events
MANILA, Philippines. On October 2-4, The United States space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) invites coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists to come together in a global, virtual hackathon. During a period of 48 hours, participants from around the world will come together to create virtual teams and solve challenges using NASA’s open-source data.
Designed for those interested in space science and exploration, this hackathon allows the next generation of scientists, technologists, designers, and engineers to showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills through inspired collaboration and critical thinking.
As part of Space Apps, everyone belongs to a global hackathon community that embraces collaboration across borders, sectors, and cultures to bring about paradigm-shifting innovation.
take action from home
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of the global community’s health and safety, this year’s hackathon will be an all-virtual event. In other words, all events shall be moved online.
In this unprecedented time, the Space Apps community exists as a reminder that everyone has the tools and talents to tackle the challenges facing the planet, as well as the ability to unite across boundaries and borders of all kinds.
The theme for this year — “Take Action” — is a critical reminder that anyone can make a difference, even from the comfort and safety of home.
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) of France, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will be partnering again with NASA for this hackathon.
Since Space Apps is brought to the Philippines by developer and technology community leader Tzar C. Umang from Pangasinan last 2016, the country witnessed how the community grew from a group of volunteers to forging partnerships with collaborators and stakeholders.
The Philippines produced global winners like the dengue hotspot predictor Project AEDES and information portal G.I.D.E.O.N. measuring COVID-19 impact, both developed by CirroLytix. The country also has global finalists like Celestial Snails from De La Salle University addressing social isolation and Sentinellium, an epidemic predictor using population density data, both addressing problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Space Apps Throughout the Years in the Philippines
While recognition and honor were given to the Philippines by NASA and partner agencies, lead organizer Michael Lance M. Domagas hopes that the country would soon realize the importance and value of giving support and assistance in the development of these winning projects, so that fellow Filipinos would benefit from these technologies coming from outer space in times of emergencies like COVID-19 and dengue epidemic.
Michael Lance Domagas
“Space Apps is a perfect venue that can arouse curiosity and interest of Filipinos to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including space and Earth sciences. Our own country’s support should have been a way to inspire more Filipinos and further develop winning projects,” he said. Space Apps can be a program in developing “space education and promote public awareness” stated in Section 8 of the Republic Act 11363 otherwise known as the “Philippine Space Act.”
“The Global Organizing Team is inspired by the journey the Philippines has with the Space Apps program. In particular, we appreciate the development of STEM in the Philippines and elsewhere, because one goal of Space Apps is to foster interest and learning in these fields worldwide,” according to Matt Scott, the Global Community Director and Storyteller.
Register now on these sites:
Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program.
About Space Apps
Now in its 9th year, Space Apps is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others around the world, where teams engage with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.
Space Apps 2019 included over 29,000 participants in 71 countries. In May 2020, the virtual-only Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge concluded with over 15,000 participants from 150 countries. Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, SecondMuse, and the NASA Open Innovation Applied Sciences Program.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 9, 2020 | Events
The U.S. space agency National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are inviting coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists to participate in a virtual hackathon on May 30-31 dedicated to putting open data to work in developing solutions to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the global Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge, participants from around the world will create virtual teams that – during a 48-hour period – will use Earth observation data to propose solutions to COVID-19-related challenges ranging from studying the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and its spread to the impact the disease is having on the Earth system. Registration for this challenge opens in mid-May.
“There’s a tremendous need for our collective ingenuity right now,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “I can’t imagine a more worthy focus than COVID-19 on which to direct the energy and enthusiasm from around the world with the Space Apps Challenge that always generates such amazing solutions.”
The unique capabilities of NASA and its partner space agencies in the areas of science and technology enable them to lend a hand during this global crisis. Since the start of the global outbreak, Earth science specialists from each agency have been exploring ways to use unique Earth observation data to aid understanding of the interplay of the Earth system – on global to local scales – with aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak, including, potentially, our ability to combat it. The hackathon will also examine the human and economic response to the virus.
ESA will contribute data from the Sentinel missions (Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-5P) in the context of the European Copernicus program, led by the European Commission, along with data from Third Party contributing Missions, with a focus on assessing the impact on climate change and greenhouse gases, as well as impacts on the economic sector. ESA also is contributing Earth observation experts for the selection of the competition winners and the artificial-intelligence-powered EuroDataCube.
“EuroDatacube will enable the best ideas to be scaled up to a global level,” said Josef Aschbacher, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA. “The pandemic crisis has a worldwide impact, therefore international cooperation and sharing of data and expertise with partners like NASA and JAXA seem the most suitable approach.”
JAXA is making Earth-observing data available from its satellite missions, including ALOS-2, GOSAT, GOSAT-2, GCOM-C, GCOM-W, and GPM/DPR.
“JAXA welcomes the opportunity to be part of the hackathon,” said JAXA Vice President Terada Koji. “I believe the trilateral cooperation among ESA, NASA, and JAXA is important to demonstrate how Earth observation can support global efforts in combating this unprecedented challenge.”
Space Apps is an international hackathon that takes place in cities around the world. Since 2012, teams have engaged with NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space. The COVID-19 Challenge will be the program’s first global virtual hackathon. Space Apps 2019 included more than 29,000 participants at 225 events in 71 countries, developing more than 2,000 hackathon solutions over the course of one weekend.
Pinoy developers used NASA’s free and open data to solve real-world problems on Earth and space.
Many Filipinos participated in this annual hackathon since 2016. Recently, a dengue mapping forecasting system was developed by data scientists from CirroLytix using satellite and climate data with the goal of addressing the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.
This web application, called Project AEDES won globally for the best use of data. “Earth observation data has the potential to be used in fighting epidemics and outbreaks threatening humanity nowadays, as well as to analyze its socio-economic impact,” according to software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas, who led the Philippine hackathon in collaboration with De La Salle University, PLDT, Department of Science and Technology, United Nations Development Programme, and the U.S. embassy. The very first Philippine winner used citizen science and environmental data to develop a smartphone application informing fishermen the right time to catch fish. ISDApp is currently being incubated at Animo Labs.
Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized globally in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. The next annual Space Apps Challenge is scheduled for October 2-4.
Registration opens on May 12. https://covid19.spaceappschallenge.org/
#SpaceApps #SpaceAppsPH
The 2020 Group on Earth Observations Sustainable Development Goals (GEO SDG) awards program, in its second year, is led by the international Earth Observations for the Sustainable Development Goals (EO4SDG) initiative and recognizes excellence in sustainable development practices, analysis, and reporting through the use of Earth observations.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a partnership of more than 100 national governments and in excess of 100 participating organizations that envisions a future where decisions and actions for the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive, and sustained Earth observations.
Now in its 9th year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) International Space Apps Challenge is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others around the world, where teams engage with NASA’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.
CirroLytix Research Services is a social impact data analytics company. Their mission is to help governments, non-profits, researchers, international and local organizations succeed at addressing collective social problems around the world by harnessing the full power of their data. The ultimate contribution to society is in enabling social impact professionals and entities to make positive data-driven changes on the lives they seek to uplift.
Now in its 9th year, Space Apps is an international hackathon for coders, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, technologists, and others around the world, where teams engage with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s free and open data to address real-world problems on Earth and in space.
The U.S. space agency 
“There’s a tremendous need for our collective ingenuity right now,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “I can’t imagine a more worthy focus than COVID-19 on which to direct the energy and enthusiasm from around the world with the Space Apps Challenge that always generates such amazing solutions.”
“EuroDatacube will enable the best ideas to be scaled up to a global level,” said Josef Aschbacher, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA. “The pandemic crisis has a worldwide impact, therefore international cooperation and sharing of data and expertise with partners like NASA and JAXA seem the most suitable approach.”
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