What Is It?
The Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) Tools, Maps and Models Program investigates novel modes of data collection (e.g., crowd sourcing), modeling, smart maps and information tools for humanitarian assistance and crisis relief operations.
How Does It Work?
Data collection methods provide rapid assessments of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs. These tools, smart maps and techniques for information visualization can be shared with the public and other governments and nongovernment organizations to improve collaboration and enhance human security. Through “look ahead” models, these tools assist in developing improved interventions in crisis, improving civil affairs and humanitarian operations abroad and at home.
What Will It Accomplish?
This program will create next-generation information management systems in modular forms for HA/DR; enable the creation of multilayered smart maps and mash-ups that can leverage and display information from models; incorporate the outputs for relevant HA/DR models; develop systems of trust management to enable all parties to work together while preserving their own information security; and improve humanitarian assistance/disaster relief logistics across the services and the agencies.