The U.S. Army's Mad Scientist Initiative is partnering with the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) to explore solutions to problems in the Dense Urban space. Please read the paragraphs below for information on our virtual game, starting 1 May 2020. The solutions and ideas you come up with here might even get you a chance to compete at our in-person hackathon in NYC. This online challenge is open to anyone and everyone, inside and outside of the DoD. Read on!
During this global pandemic, we hope that you're staying safe at home. In light of COVID-19, the world has taken work to the Internet and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) is doing the same by taking some of the best aspects of our in-person hackathons and going online. We need creative problem solvers now as much as ever. Much of the world is focused on countering the spread of COVID-19-and rightfully so-but that doesn't mean other problems cease to need solutions. We need you to help us continue solving real world challenges from the safety of your own home.
Register today to participate in our upcoming online challenge kicking off May 1. Throughout May and June, we will explore novel solutions for sensing, mapping, and understanding interior spaces, both above and below ground, to help first responders and the U.S. military conduct operations in dense urban environments. You'll have the opportunity to engage with military and first responder end users for in-depth customer discovery, interact with technical mentors who can provide advice on designs and engineering, and team up with other creative individuals to conceptualize novel solutions.
When the pandemic is over you will be able to compete with your solution for one of three $15k awards at our NYC hackathon. For teams not local to the NYC area, NSIN will, at the end of the Online Challenge, competitively select and sponsor up to five teams to travel to NYC to compete in the in-person hackathon.
With 68% of the world's population expected to live in urban areas by 2050, emergency responders and U.S. and allied militaries will likely engage in future crisis response and military operations in dense urban environments. These areas present specific challenges for leaders at every level due to their complexity; congestion caused by the number of people, automobiles, buildings, and electronic devices; and the amount of unknown terrain, both horizontal and vertical. This online challenge and subsequent hackathon seek to generate novel concepts and solutions for sensing (e.g. detecting, measuring, mapping, monitoring) interior spaces, transmitting the data, and providing an understanding of the dense urban environment to first responders and operators.
For more details regarding this online challenge, go to:
https://www.nsin.us/events/seeing-into-unknown-online