Using Big Data Approaches to Disaster Response

USC’s spatial crowdsourcing platform, MediaQ, collects pictures and videos during disasters.
Credit: Cyrus Shahabi, USC via NSF

The researchers will look at how to capture and process data associated with disasters and improving the resilience and responsiveness of emerging computer systems and networks in the face of disasters to facilitate real-time data analytics in their aftermath. Jim Kurose, head of NSF’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate said: “We’re proud to collaborate with JST to address the global need for Big Data and data analysis for disaster management. Collaborative programs such as this one bring diverse perspectives and expertise to bear in mutually synergistic ways on critical problems that impact all of society. These are challenges that no single country can address in isolation.”

The US-Japan Big Data and Disaster Research projects are:

Human-Centered Situation Awareness Platform for Disaster Response and Recovery

Researchers at the University of Southern California and the National Institute of Informatics in Japan will collaboratively design a computer platform that decision makers can use during disasters to analyze incoming data and coordinate responses.

Data-Driven Critical Information Exchange in Disaster-Affected Public-Private Networks 

Florida International University and University of Tokyo researchers will design context-aware and user-specific information delivery systems that could be deployed during disasters to supply accurate information to citizens.

Efficient and Scalable Collection, Analytics and Processing of Big Data for Disaster Applications

Researchers from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and Osaka University in Japan will collaborate to develop new methods to compress, transmit and query data from sensor networks.

Disaster Preparation and Response via Big Data Analysis and Robust Networking

Working together, researchers from Arizona State University and Japan’s National Institute of Information will explore resilient networks, social media mining and information dissemination during disasters.

A Big Data Computational Laboratory for the Optimization of Olfactory Search Algorithms in Turbulent Environments

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Tokyo will collaborate on the development of new olfactory search algorithms that use sensors to identify sources of pollutants or other agents released in the air or sea.

Dynamic Evolution of Smartphone-Based Emergency Communications Networks

Researchers from Temple University and the University of Aizu in Japan will collaborate to design smartphone-based ad hoc emergency networks that can evolve as a disaster unfolds.