To all developers: help to prepare for disasters – answer the Call for Code

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Anyone who has been involved by a natural disaster recognizes the enormous urge to help the people affected. We know from our own experience how powerless you feel when your family or friends are in an affected area. The consequences of Hurricane Irma in Florida and the impact of Katrina in New Orleans were enough reason for us to take action. Personally and as an IBM employee. That’s why we support the Call for Code initiative for all developers.

Of course natural disasters cannot be prevented, but we can handle them much better than currently is the case. Technology can help predict disasters earlier, deliver relief goods and medicines faster, improve overall communication and better localize people and goods in disaster areas. For this purpose, IBM supports the global Call for Code initiative.

Organizations and developers are being called upon to develop open source software, that can be used to mitigate risks in the event of natural disasters and to improve the provision of assistance. Next to IBM, the multi-year Call for Code program is supported by The Linux Foundation, UN Human Rights, American Red Cross and more.

Technology

The contribution of IBM is in delivering and activating people and by providing the required cutting-edge technology for developers. In addition, a community of people with specific expertise in various fields has been set up.

For this year six themes have been chosen, all of which can be addressed with specific technological solutions: financial assistance (transparency based on blockchain), bridging language barriers (machine learning), health care (predictive analysis and personal diagnoses based on vital signs), logistics (aggregation of weather information, traffic and other sources), automation of actions (sensor data, IoT and AI) and identification of people and areas (image analysis recognition).

Prize money

Developers who want to contribute to a better world can register here until September 28th. Call for Code is open to individual developers and to companies. Depending on your skills and experience, you can opt for a role as a team member or captain. You can submit your own ideas or connect with a team.

The winning team receives 200,000 US dollar cash to support their initiative and implement the winning idea. In addition, The Linux Foundation and IBM will provide a longer-term support.

Ultimately, the most important thing is people in disaster areas benefiting from the various initiatives. This makes Call for Code the Nobel Prize for developers worldwide. Anyone who, just like us, has experienced a natural disaster directly or indirectly, and observed how slowly the often inefficient relief work starts, doesn’t think twice. Especially when you have the proper technological skills. There is still time to join the challenge…

Click here for more information and registration