HTC Events

Humanitarian Technology Challenge Conference

June 1 - 2, 2009
National Academy of Sciences
Washington, DC

This Conference served as the "official" launch of the Solutions Development Process of the Humanitarian Technology Challenge and was attended by leading humanitarians and technologists invited for their expertise and experience in the three selected challenges. The conference was designed to promote further discussion and finalize each challenge and begin the solutions development process. For more information on the conference, click on the appropriate text below:

• Challenge Descriptions
• Conference Presentations
• Other Documentation

The conference was attended by 153 people and met its objective of having about an equal mix of humanitarian and technology representatives. Forty percent of the attendees were from outside the United States. A diverse mix of organizations were represented including: Academia, Foundations, Government, Consulting Firms, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), R&D Organizations / Laboratories, Undergraduate and Graduate Students, IEEE members and the Trade Press. At least three bloggers attended the conference. An additional 115 people expressed interest in the project and requested access to information on the ongoing progress of the project even though they could not attend the conference.

Participant feedback included:

• "Well-organized"
• "Excellent and relevant speakers"
• "Very unusual opportunity for networking among humanitarians and technologists"
• "A tribute to the IEEE and UNF for putting real energy into solving important problems"
• Over 70% of respondents to a post-conference survey indicated that they were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the Conference and are highly likely to participate in the project going forward

By the conclusion of the conference, working groups were established to collaborate, both in-person and via web collaboration, in developing open-source-like technological solutions -- we call this "collaborative crowdsourcing". We have IEEE members, other technologists, humanitarians, corporation representatives, philanthropic foundations, academicians, and students participating in the solution process, and we encourage involvement of more. Work will continue through the use of an on-line collaboration tool, Spigit, and periodic conference calls and workshops.

The solutions development process will continue into 2010, with product development and piloting expected in 2011 and 2012.

Solution Coordinators were elected for each challenge area.

• Reliable Electricity
  Butch Shadwell
• Data Connectivity
  Peter Spring
• Individual ID
  Rex Gantenbein

Solution Leaders were also named for specific solution categories within each Challenge areas.

For Reliable Electricity, the identified solution areas are:

• Generation
• Loads
• Controls: Battery Management
• Storage
• Broad or Conceptual Solution Ideas
• Module Interoperability Specs
• Community Based Solutions

For Data Connectivity, the identified solution areas are:

• Baseline Case Study Example (see detailed Challenge Definition)
• Baseline with GPRS
• Extreme Remote
• Upscale Clinic: Telemedicine
• Business Case, Stakeholders, Value Proposition
• Education and Training
• Special Environment and Context: Political Disaster Recovery, Fast Deployment
• Broad or Conceptual Solution Ideas

For Individual ID, the identified solution areas are:

• Individual ID
• Health Records
• Broad or Conceptual Solution Ideas

The schedule for Solution Development results is as follows:

• October, 2009: Multi-day solution workshop
• November, 2009: Draft Phase I Solution descriptions
• Jan-Feb, 2010: Second solution workshop
• February, 2010: Draft Phase II Solution Set descriptions
• April, 2010: Completed Phase II Solution Set descriptions

HTC Workshops are forums for sharing project milestones, presenting new ideas, and working collaboratively to develop solutions. The first Workshop is scheduled for October, 2009.