[OSM-talk] We need your help to thwart this pandemic!

[Pietro Michelucci]

Hi All,


We have an unconventional, but well-vetted idea for tackling this pandemic
that needs your help!


Imagine if people could compare the virus exposure risks associated with
different daily travel destinations? Would you drive an extra mile for beer
if it meant going to a store with a lower coronavirus infection risk?


The single greatest determinant of a pandemic’s toll is human behavior, not
how contagious or deadly a virus is. We think there's a  way to reduce
global risks while increasing individual autonomy, avoiding compulsory
lockdowns and other extreme measures with questionable effectiveness.


For example, if a person intends to shop for groceries and is provided with
alternative destinations that have lower exposure risks, they might be
sufficiently motivated to drive further so they can shop at a location
where they are less likely to become infected. So one implementation of
this approach involves extending a navigation app to display the estimated
transmission risks associated with a set of similar destinations.


This is where we need your help.  We (including an epidemiologist,
virologist, and population flow scientist) are developing an open source
destination risk estimator that relies on a virus model, venue model
(grocery store, movie theater, etc), and real-time population flow data.
We’d like to embed that in navigation apps so people can make informed
decisions about where (and when) to go places to reduce their virus
exposure risks.


Here's an example of what this might look like:



If there is anyone interested in this idea, perhaps you could help us
identify an OSM-based platform that could be used to pilot this? And, of
course, we'd welcome any other feedback.


Ultimately, we would like this capability to be deployed in as many
navigation apps as possible. Microsoft is supporting the development of our
risk model without any strings attached, and through that relationship, we
may be able to provide access to realtime population data via a traffic
flow API.


I realize some may view corporate involvement as antithetical to the open
source movement, but we envision an inclusive future for data science that
derives successes from synergies between the cathedral *and* the bazaar.
Read more about our approach at civium.io.


If you are on board, we'd love to have you involved to help pioneer this
pandemic intervention. As they say, "it takes a village".


Best wishes,

Pietro

[image: Human Computation Institute] <http://hcinst.org/>

Pietro Michelucci, PhD / Director
pem at humancomputation.org / 571.235.3288

Human Computation Institute
http://humancomputation.org

[image: Facebook]  <https://about.me/pmichelu>[image: Twitter]
<https://twitter.com/pmichelu>[image: Linkedin]
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelucci>
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