COVID-19 Custom Script Contest
Let us collect ideas on how EO data can help society mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and predict its mid- and long-term impacts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in our lives. Even when we hopefully manage to halt the spread of this disease, we still do not know how long it will take for the world to go back to ‘normal’. We have been thinking for quite a while how an Earth Observation company like ours can contribute to the situation, apart from staying at home and ensuring that the virus does not spread. Looking at the super-human efforts of medical staff worldwide was inspiring and our motivation grew even stronger. Then, one week ago, we were contacted by the European Space Agency (ESA) who got their heads together with the European Commission, and they suggested we try to crowd-source ideas using our Custom Script Contest format, which has proved beneficial two times in the past. That was it, we jumped on-board without hesitation!
In cooperation with our Euro Data Cube partners we designed a Contest focused on the COVID-19 crisis. Following a similar concept, but rather than looking for new algorithms, we are in the quest for ideas on how satellite data could help with the situation, at this moment as well as in the upcoming months, when the world will try to get back to business as usual. We are calling for remote sensing experts, machine learning scientists as well as the interested public. Anyone can contribute their ideas.
Three focus categories have been selected:
- observation of changes in economic operators
- changes in human activity distribution
- changes in agricultural activity
If, however, you have an idea falling out of this scope, please provide it as well. Any and all ideas are welcome!
In order to support monitoring within cities, we are adding two new data sources to our mix — PlanetScope and Airbus Pleiades data over several locations. If needed, we can add more.
There is also a plethora of tools ready to be used for this purpose — starting from EO Browser, Sentinel Hub and xcube services, eo-learn, Jupyter Notebooks, EOxHub hosted JupyterLab and more. Something for every skill level and with many analysis options.
The contest will run until the end of May. However, due to the importance of the matter we would like to see results as quickly as possible. This is why we will be selecting the best ideas end of week, every month, and the grand prize at the end of the challenge. It’s not just about prizes — good ideas will be presented to the European Commission and they might become an important tool to improve the situation in the EU.
How can one contribute? Here are a few rough examples:
- If you are a self-taught remote sensing enthusiast, check the data, play with it, come up with an idea, compile a presentation, and send it in. Note that there does not necessarily need to be a script itself. A simple description of the idea supported by slides and exported images is sufficient.
- Earth Observation experts can perform a detailed analysis, using various tools, demonstrating the patterns.
- Machine learning experts can model agriculture activities and identify potentially abandoned areas, resulting in reduced yields in the harvest seasons.
- Satellite data providers should contribute additional data, so that people can perform even more interesting analyses. Planet, the largest earth observation satellite network, has already stepped in, contributing tens of thousands of km² of their almost daily PlanetScope imagery.
One way or another, do participate! While there are prizes, it is really not so much a contest as a platform for collecting ideas which may end up helping the situation.
The challenge starts today and lasts until May 31st 2020. Submit your idea as soon as possible.
Stay home, stay healthy and contribute to this humankind challenge!
