Local Perth Team WINS NASA International Space Apps Challenge Global Final!
Out of a pool of 37 global finalists announced earlier this month, Perth Team, Landslide Detection Squad was named the Global Winner of the 2021 NASA International Space Apps Challenge.
Comprised of four Perth-locals, Khan Mohammed Sazzadur Rahman, Rocio Peyronnet, John Duncan and Jared Rolt Landslide Detection Squad, used their collective knowledge and diverse backgrounds to propose and prototype a method of predicting landslide events.
Landslide Detection Sqaud’s winning entry was chosen out of a field of over 28,000 participants from 162 countries who took part in the 2021 NASA International Space Apps Challenge. Created in 2012 to raise awareness of NASA’s trove of open-access data, the NASA International Space Apps Challenge has grown to be the largest global hackathon in the world.
“As a team, we are honored that our project was selected to be one of the Global Winners, in the Local Impact category. We feel it is a great achievement for us as it is the largest hackathon in the world. We hope that our solution can be used in remote landslide-prone areas to create a warning system, preventing human losses.”
The 37 global finalists and their respective projects were judged by some of the worlds leading space agencies including; the Australian Space Agency, Brazilian Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, National Space Activities Commission of Argentina, National Space Science Agency of Bahrain, Paraguayan Space Agency, and South African National Space Agency.
Landslides are considered globally significant events that severely impact the economic development of rural communities. Using data from NASA satellites and ground-based sources, NASA Space Apps Challenge asked teams to develop a tool to determine the risk of landslides in rural communities and share the results with local communities and governments.
Landslide Detection Squad members harnessed their knowledge of forested slopes and the tilting of trees and changes in canopy structure as indicators of soil and rock movement as precursors to critical landslide events. The team then took advantage of new sensors providing high-resolution images and deep learning technologies for tree movement detection, the proposed solution provides an enhancement to existing landslide risk models and is embedded within a system that generates dynamic risk maps, publishes alerts when situations are critical, ultimately providing additional support to government agencies to plan.
This is the second time a Perth team has won the Global Challenge, with Team Loud and Clear winning in 2020. CORE Innovation Hub along with Space Apps Perth has hosted the Perth NASA International Space Apps Challenge for six consecutive years.
“We are proud to support such an exciting event that encourages creative thinking - and the best part of it all is the fact that you are not required to have a background in space, or to work in the space industry to participate. It is also a great initiative that helps to highlight the potential of the space sector, particularly in Western Australia and to continue to build and drive that capability. In Perth, the hackathon has led to start-ups and businesses being established to solve real-world problems.”
About the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2021
Participants worldwide come together in teams during an intense 48-hour hackathon to offer solutions to challenges NASA poses about some of the world’s toughest problems on Earth and in space. Hosted in Perth by CORE Innovation Hub for the 6th consecutive year, participants have access to a wealth of space agency data but bring their own creativity, technical skills, and teamwork to the mix.
About CORE Innovation Hub
CORE Innovation Hub is Australia’s first innovation hub for the resources sector. They have established a national ecosystem for suppliers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry to connect and collaborate on innovative solutions across mining, resources, energy, defence and space sectors.