Writing

Essays on humanitarian technology

Connectivity, data, and digital tools in disaster response, from Haiti and Ebola to the infrastructure the humanitarian system still lacks.

Humanitarian Technology9 minute read

Digital Humanitarians

The landscape of humanitarian response has undergone a significant transformation in recent years due to the emergence of digital volunteers, often called digital humanitarians (Meier, 2015). These digital humanitarians are part of a volunteer-based...

Humanitarian Technology7 minute read

Use of Open Data in the Humanitarian Sector

Open data refers to information that is freely available, accessible, and reusable by anyone (Open Knowledge Foundation, 2016). Open data has revolutionized information dissemination across various sectors, including humanitarian response (Smith et al., 2023).

Humanitarian Technology6 minute read

Humanitarian Data Collection Methods and Tools

Rapid information collection and dissemination are crucial in emergency responses, as responders often operate under immense time pressures and without a comprehensive understanding of the situation (Van de Walle & Comes, 2014). However, the desire for...

Humanitarian Technology6 minute read

Data-Driven Response

Historically, humanitarian responses were guided by humanitarians' experience, intuition, and on-the-ground assessments (IFRC, 2013). While effective to some extent, these approaches often faced challenges regarding timeliness, accuracy, and scalability...

Humanitarian Technology7 minute read

Coordination of Emergency Telecommunications

The coordination of emergency telecommunications efforts plays a critical role in ensuring the continuity of communication when conventional systems fail (Lund, 2011; Olafsson, 2011; Steckler, 2013). The integration of emergency telecommunications into...

Humanitarian Technology6 minute read

Humanitarian Point-to-Point Networks

Point-to-point (P2P) networks, which leverage off-the-shelf wireless technologies to connect two locations in direct line of sight, have become a critical infrastructure component in disaster-stricken areas. They enable the establishment of effective...