The “Lifeline Assistance” project was developed by a team of DTU students, and has been awarded first prize in the 2023 Open-Source Software & Maps Hackfest Vietnam (OSM Hackfest) contest. This project utilized spatial data, tools and open services to establish a ranking system to supports people in distress or in need.
The finals of the 2023 OSM Hackfest were held at the University of Mining and Geology, to raise awareness and enhance skills in using open data platforms, maps and open data technologies, for students of IT, computer science and engineering, with a focus on community development.
Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Dong Son, Dean of the IT Faculty of Phenikaa University and Chairman of the Vietnam Free & Open-Source Software Association (VFOSSA) Club, said that teams presented their chosen projects well, resulting in many innovative ideas and products, which all leverage open space data and platforms in order to protect and enable public health, the environment and sustainable development.
Dr. Hong Son, Chairman of VFOSSA
In the finals, 12 IT student teams from four universities, the University of Mining and Geology, Phenikaa University, the University of Transportation and DTU presented, and the “Lifeline Assistance” project, by the DTU-DZ team from the DTU
Faculty of IT, won first prize. The DTU-DZ team consisted of the leader, Le Thanh Truong, Truong Cong Thach, Tran Trung Truc, Nguyen Ngoc Khanh and Phung Van Manh.
The team explained that they chose to develop the “Lifeline Assistance” system in response to the increasing severity of environmental problems, which have serious impacts on people’s lives. Climate change is causing severe natural disasters, seriously affecting lives and economies worldwide. Additionally, wars in several regions have caused huge economic damage and resulted in millions of people losing their jobs and vital necessities.
The victims need help from society and international organizations to overcome these crises. However, although international organizations have such policies, it is difficult to determine which places and people to promptly support first. The DTU-DZ team aimed to develop a program to identify and support certain areas that needed the most help and generated the idea of using spatial data, tools, and open services to build a system identifying and marking the locations requiring assistance. This system enables rescue and relief centers to quickly respond to those facing disaster-related distress and incorporates tools, like Mapbox Studio and Nominatim service, to locate people in need on the map precisely and flexibly.
(Media Center)