FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Samuel Bendett
Center for Technology & National Security Policy
National Defense University
202-433-5235
samuel.bendett@ndu.edu
(Washington DC) Each year, a large number of civilians are killed and injured by unexploded weapons such as artillery shells, land mines, mortars, grenades and bombs. These explosive remnants of war (ERW) regularly disrupt daily civilian life in post-war and conflict zones. To combat the problem, the Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) at the National Defense University (NDU) is challenging developers to come up with a mechanism to keep “eyes on the street” and transform ordinary citizen’s mobile devices into tools that can be used to report ERW and land mines to the appropriate authorities.
The contest encourages developers to develop open-source applications, as well as to leverage existing apps. All submissions must demonstrate how the new or improved application will produce or improve ERW or land mine reporting, and how the solution will be sustained following the completion of the competition.
A $3,000 cash award will be given for first place. Second place will receive $1,500 and third place will receive $500. The top two submissions may see their application rolled out in countries affected by ERW, where their solution could be put to work immediately.
The competition kicks off on 18 March 2014 at 12:00 p.m. EST and submissions will be accepted until 20 June 2014. Complete contest rules and entry requirements can be found at http://erwlandmineapps.challengepost.com/.
CTNSP is a Department of Defense-funded think tank that conducts research and analysis on emerging trends in science and technology, strategic forecasting, and program assessment. The Center divides these efforts into five distinct lines of operation: Advanced Education Initiatives, Civil Military Affairs Integration (CMAI), Emerging Challenges, Life Sciences, Science & Technology. In support of its mission, the Center delivers technical studies, program reviews, senior workshops, electronic data products, inter-agency exercises, expert consultation, and a variety of outreach activities. For more information on the CTNSP Disaster Apps Challenge, contact Samuel Bendett at 202-433-5235 or samuel.bendett@ndu.edu.
NDU is the premier national security institution focused on advanced joint education, leader development, and scholarship. The University provides rigorous Joint Professional Military Education to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and select others in order to develop leaders who have the ability to operate and creatively think in an unpredictable and complex world. For more information about the National Defense University, please contact: Daniel Magalotti, Acting Public Affairs Officer, at 202-685-3140 or daniel.magalotti@ndu.edu; or visit www.ndu.edu.