We are developing a prototype using different technologies
to integrate
not just the citizens provided information
but their capabilities and abilities
in an emergency management process.
It works from the perspective
that the operator gains from its centre or crisis room
by using a table or display like this one
that overlaps the information
about citizens deployed in the area
and their roles. They have different colours
so that we know the sort of tasks they could do.
From sending further detail
to risk assessment,
needs assessment or even acting.
Plus the operator
or any other people making decisions
can also communicate directly with those citizens.
The main advantage is
being able to integrate information from different sources
within the operator's setting.
-We have also developed several apps
gathering information such as:
geographic location of citizens,
text messages, audio, video, photos
taken by citizens and also Twitter messages.
We have an automatic feature that gathers all messages
from mobile phones and Twitter
and classifies them by using taxonomy
and ontology as if they were a sort of dictionaries.
By using them we can see if a term, a word
is more related to such or such topic.
For instance, the word hurricane is related to
the description of an emergency.
-We aim to improve citizen engagement
by applying gamification
to our prototypes.
You can choose the missions you want to be involved in
the courses you want to attend and earn points.
Then they secure social recognition
within the real world.
Gamification encourages citizens to participate
within the emergency management process.