GEOINT Match Strike
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A bonfire begins with a single match strike. The same rings true with novel ideas. Could you design a geospatial intelligence challenge that could light a fire of ideas, concepts, and capabilities that improve military, humanitarian and ecological outcomes? The Wright Brothers Institute in Dayton OH, the T-REX Innovation Center in St. Louis MO, and in conjunction with Riverside Research, we have partnered to bring real-world examples to a series of university challenges. These challenges will highlight what can be done with focused geospatial datasets to shed light on current world problems that can be impacted through humanitarian, supply chain, logistics, military, or ecological solutions.
Challenge criteria include:
1) Start with a problem that has the potential to change the course of humanitarian efforts, logistics, military, ecological information, sensor fusion, space information, etc. The initial problem can include assistance to humanitarian teams, novel uses for GEO data, etc.
2) Identify which geospatial intelligence datasets would be needed to solve the problem.
3) Suggest datasets from public, open source, or commercial sources that could be helpful in solving the problem and how the datasets would be used. This can include synthetic datasets.
4) Develop a scoring mechanism for this challenge that will determine datasets' value in making the biggest impact.
5) Consider how these datasets can combine new technology (i.e. how could AR/VR combined help a rescue team in a natural disaster).
**Challenges cannot be ones that have already been completed (see examples of GEOINT challenges and uses listed below). Challenge submissions may then be used for subsequent challenges in this overall effort or the final Hackathon ( Date TBD).**
Your submission should include:
- A challenge definition
- The hypothetical impact
- Links to the accessible dataset(s)
- A narrative describing the data, structure, fees, licenses and amount of data needed
- Deficiencies/limitations in the data above (e.g. limited by data only collected on white cars, not public releasable, costly)
**Extra Credit**
Propose a scoring mechanism that would be used to judge the challenge winners. T-REX and WBI have access to algorithms that can judge the overlap of large datasets of outcomes to determine completeness of a solution.
For Example:
In the “Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis” challenge highlighted below, datasets of locations of hospitals and relief buildings near border crossings were compared to determine the most complete set from a series of entries with the winner being the one with the most complete set.
GEOINT Challenge Examples:
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy: Track endangered rhinos with an algorithmic visual tracking system
- Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis (downtowntrex.org)
- Maps Show 500 Suspected Camps, Prisons China Uses to Detain Uighurs (businessinsider.com)
Dataset Examples:
- Commercial Innovation Center (CIC) - Riverside Research
- World Bank and Geospatial Data - GIS Lounge
- Census Mapping Files
**NOTE**
The intent of this competition is to advertise how GEOINT can make the world better, enhance their dataset access, and find candidates who have enthusiasm for careers in Geospatial Intelligence. These challenges may be used for the subsequent challenges or for problems for the Hackathon to be held in the T-REX facility and online. (final date to be announced at a later time)
To receive an award, the winner(s) will provide proof of status as “US Persons(s)" as defined federal statue. United States person means United States citizens (including minor children); United States residents; entities, including but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, or limited liability companies created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States; and trusts or estates formed under the laws of the United States.
About T-REX:
T-REX is a non-profit innovation and entrepreneur development center dedicated to strengthening the economic vitality of St. Louis through entrepreneurism, innovation activities and workforce development. T-REX's programs, collaborative community, and flexible startup and conference space are key elements in the St. Louis technology innovation ecosystem. T-REX, located in a historic building in downtown St. Louis, is a founder of the Downtown North Urban Insight District. T-REX boasts a one-of-a-kind 16,000 square foot Geospatial Innovation Center, an Extended Reality and Simulation Lab, and is home to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency’s "Moonshot Labs,” as well as nearly 200 startup and established technology-focused companies and innovation support organizations.
About WBI:
Wright Brothers Institute is a cutting-edge innovation and technology commercialization center for the Air Force Research Laboratory, with facilities located just outside of WPAFB in Dayton, OH. We drive fast, agile innovation that enables successful technology development to solve the Air Force’s most complex challenges by leveraging resident experts, unique facilities, disruptive innovation processes, and extensive networks. We leverage subject matter experts and intellectual property from AFRL and SBIR companies to unlock the right problem, connect to new partners and synchronize transition pathways through our commercialization partners.
About Riverside Research:
Riverside Research is an independent nonprofit focused on our nation’s security. Our nonprofit structure allows us to design solutions that follow where the science leads, and our collaborative innovation model produces accelerated results. Our independent research and development is in the public interest and for the benefit and furtherance of the U.S. government's mission-related work.
Evaluation Criteria
40% for the most novel challenge writeup case
20% for the complexity of the challenge( Challenges that require use of multiple datasets to answer)
10% for completeness of the challenge writeup (e.g. value of the challenge, who could use the outcomes, algorithms for evaluating the outcome)
20% for the most identified databases that could be used for their proposed or other GEOINT challenges
10% for other sources of information that could be used in GEOINT Challenge (i.e. social media, web scrapings, public sources, etc)
Challenge Write-up:
Please describe in detail an important use case for geospatial datasets in any of the following categories(see examples above for inspiration):
- Humanitarian
- Logistics
- Military
- Ecological
- Information
- Sensor Fusion
- Space Information
- Other Novel use
List of Dataset links:
Please suggest databases from public, open source, and commercial sources that will be used for your important use case challenge. Synthetic databases are allowed, links must be included:
- Explain why each of these dataset links will prove valuable to solving your use case challenge. Explain what the database consists of and how it can be used (structure and content). If you are submitting synthetic databases explain the structure and use.
- Provide additional sources of information to strengthen your use case Challenge.(i.e. social media, web scrapings, public sources, etc.)
- Explain deficiencies/limitations on data ( e.g. limited by data only collected on white cars, not public releasable, costly)
**Extra Credit** Proposed Scoring System:
Please propose a scoring mechanism that would be used to judge submissions for your challenge topic:
- T-REX and WBI have access to algorithms that can judge the overlap of large datasets of outcomes to determine completeness of a solution.
- Consider how these datasets can combine new technology (i.e. how could AR/VR combined help a rescue team in a natural disaster, or how could AI help find and document destroyed villages by the Fulani herdsmen or possible prosecution for war crimes or government sanction, etc).