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Call for Code® 2019

Answer the Call for Code by building global solutions for disaster preparedness.

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Prometeo wins Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge with their firefighter health monitoring solution

Sep 25, 2019 | Announced the winner of the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, Prometeo helps firefighters who risk their lives to put out fires, which are now on the rise and more common than ever before. Their solution aims to decrease the health risks associated with fighting fires.

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Call for Code 2019 first runner-up: Sparrow Platform provides disaster info and medical help through any app, with or without internet

Sep 25, 2019 | Announced as the first runner-up in the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, the Sparrow Platform is an open-source, AI-enabled platform that serves as a one-stop enabler of medical and psychological well-being during and after disasters.

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Call for Code 2019 second runner-up: Rove enables emergency responders to reach victims in the shortest amount of time

Sep 25, 2019 | Announced as the second runner-up in the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, Rove leverages crowd-sourcing, natural language processing, and real-time satellite imagery to enable emergency responders to reach victims in the shortest amount of time possible.

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Call for Code 2019 Finalist: Healios provides easily accessible and high-quality mental health care

Sep 25, 2019 | A top-five finalist in the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, Healios aims to bring therapy and guidance in an easy, accessible, and affordable way to anyone who experiences a traumatic event, but doesn't have the current means or ways to get the help they most certainly need.

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Call for Code 2019 Finalist: AsTeR prioritizes the severity of emergency calls

Sep 25, 2019 | A top-five finalist in the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge, AsTeR aims to address overwhelmed call centers with a prioritization system versus the first-call, first-served situation.

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Answering the call to promote healthy, resilient communities

Sep 03, 2019 | Judging is now underway for the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge winners, but the top solutions from around the world are recognized for their innovative use of cloud technologies.

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Team CALMH addresses mental health during and after natural disasters

Aug 08, 2019 | A team from Persistent Systems answered the call with their solution to address mental health during and after natural disasters.

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We’ve been everywhere: Developers all over the world are making a difference

Jul 26, 2019 | Developers all over the world are answering the call. We know because we've been everywhere, meeting these developers who are committed to creating tangible solutions for risk reduction after a natural disaster hits.

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Inspiring stories from developers who have answered the Call for Code

Jul 24, 2019 | We've been inspired by all the developers who have answered the call to help mitigate the effects from natural disasters. Read some of the groundbreaking ideas that have come out of this year's challenge.

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Use a Solution Starter to kickstart your Call for Code submission

Jul 19, 2019 | With the deadline fast approaching, why not use a Solution Starter to help you kickstart your idea? It's not too late to answer the call to submit your solution.

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Tips from venture capitalists for getting your idea funded

Jul 17, 2019 | After Call for Code submissions close, some teams decide to make their solution into a full-fledged business. Here are some tips from venture capitalists on best practices to funding your startup.

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Hackathon in Melbourne resulted in innovative response to Australian bushfires

Jul 12, 2019 | Call for Code hosted its first hackathon in Australia. Developers turned up to the event in Melbourne and an interesting team came up with an idea to better respond to bushfires.

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Top tips for making your Call for Code submission stand out

Jul 08, 2019 | With the deadline for the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge rapidly approaching, I'd like to share three last minute tips and a checklist to review before you submit your entry. Best of luck in your quest for the grand prize!

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How Node-RED can help you jumpstart your Call for Code submission: See two teams who used it for their solutions

Jun 26, 2019 | Innovators Rising was the theme for AngelHack’s 12th Global Hackathon Series and is perfectly fitting for Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge.

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What happens in Bikini doesn’t stay in Bikini: A recap of the Call for Code hackathon in Berlin

Jun 21, 2019 | On June 15-16, 2019, we hosted a hackathon in Bikini Berlin. Our core focus was to help participants of the Call for Code 2019 Global Challenge with their submissions.

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How mentors can benefit you and where to find them

Jun 19, 2019 | Project Owl's mentor reflects on the importance of finding a mentor to help guide you and provide advice for your submission.

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Ensuring equal human rights for vulnerable populations

Jun 14, 2019 | Konstantinos Sofikitis summarizes his team's challenge at the Call for Code event in Geneva.

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Building back better: A central intelligence hub

Jun 13, 2019 | Enid Ibrahimovic reflects on his experience at the Call for Code event in Geneva.

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Helping people who don’t have the means or the skill set to be empowered to do anything

Jun 13, 2019 | Rabia Mahmood tells us about her experience at the Call for Code event in Geneva.

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Improve people’s lives by sharing your knowledge for a good cause

Jun 11, 2019 | Julian van Velzen talks about his experience at the inaugural event, Call for Code Geneva.

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Inaugural UN Human Rights and IBM event yields Call for Code Starter Kits for disaster response

Jun 07, 2019 | At this inaugural event, we held a hackathon hosted by the UN Human Rights Office at Call for Code Geneva. Read what happens when some of the world's most talented developers and thought leaders collaborate together for a cause.

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Join the global virtual hackathon on June 20-21

Jun 05, 2019 | Join us on June 20-21 for a worldwide event: a global virtual hackathon. Kickstart your Call for Code submissions with this event and meet potential teammates in the process.

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Meet the Mother of Drones: An interview with Karen Risa Robbins

Jun 03, 2019 | In this blog post, meet the Mother of Drones who helped launch the rise in popularity of drone technology.

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Frontier technologies to protect the environment and tackle disaster response and resilience

May 24, 2019 | At the fourth annual STI Forum, we talked about how cutting-edge and innovative technologies offer vast potential to help prepare for and respond to the impacts of natural disasters.

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Coping with the stress of a natural disaster

May 22, 2019 | Learn how natural disasters exacerbate mental health problems to people with existing issues, cause PTSD in survivors, and burnout among rescue aid workers.

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Building Call for Code apps with data science

May 16, 2019 | We're wrapping up our Call for Code Technology mini-series with a focus on data science and how it can be incorporated into your submission.

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Call for Code 2019: Mitigating disaster risks for vulnerable populations

May 16, 2019 | In honor of this eighth Global Accessibility Awareness Day, it is important to remember that part of this year's Call for Code focuses on vulnerable populations that include individuals with disabilities.

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Live coding event: Using Node-RED and AI to analyze social media

May 10, 2019 | On May 14, watch a video tutorial on how Node-RED and artificial intelligence can analyze social media.

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Building Call for Code apps around traffic and weather technology

May 09, 2019 | In this fifth installment in our Call for Code Technology mini-series, learn how to leverage traffic and weather technologies into your solution.

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Call for Code: The Weather Company and you

May 08, 2019 | Learn how understanding weather conditions can dramatically reduce the number of people impacted before, during, and after an event.

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Create a solution in response to wildfires while keeping sensitive data safe

May 03, 2019 | Wildfires are increasing in both intensity and frequency. How can we use smart technologies to track them and alert people?

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Building Call for Code apps using machine learning

May 02, 2019 | Learn how to build an effective Call for Code solution by using machine learning and deep learning.

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Building Call for Code apps using blockchain

Apr 24, 2019 | Learn how blockchain and the cloud pair together to create an unstoppable Call for Code solution.

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Building Call for Code apps with AI

Apr 12, 2019 | Welcome back to the second publication in our Call for Code Technology mini-series where I identify and talk about one of the six core technology focus areas within Call for Code. You’ll learn about that technology, how to best use it on IBM Cloud™, and where to find the best resources to fuel your innovation.

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Health care challenges during and after a natural disaster

Apr 07, 2019 | Natural disasters evoke scenes of destroyed infrastructure, darkened cities, and long lines for food and water. But what’s less visible are the health issues that are exacerbated in the aftermath of these events. Former U.S. Congressional Delegate Donna Christensen of the US Virgin Islands has seen firsthand the widespread and long-lasting health effects of natural disasters, which go well beyond the initial injuries and traumas.

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Building Call for Code Apps with IoT and Node-RED

Apr 04, 2019 | Welcome to the Call for Code Technology Mini-Series where I’ll identify and talk about one of the six core technology focus areas within Call for Code. You’ll learn about that technology, how to best utilize it on IBM Cloud, and where to find the best resources to fuel your innovation. First things first: If you haven’t already, accept the Call for Code challenge and join our community.

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Keep sensitive data safe and withstand the rigors of natural disasters

Mar 25, 2019 | I recently learned about an IoT device from a Florida-based HealthTech company, Think Anew – a team on the forefront of healthcare innovation. Think Anew’s BOOMBOX device empowers nursing home and long-term care staff to prepare for and recover from floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

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Letter from Call for Code CTO: Answer the call in 2019

Mar 22, 2019 | To my fellow developers... Last year, more than 100,000 software developers, data scientists, and technologists from 156 nations stepped up to answer the Call for Code. These developers selflessly gave their time and talent to build solutions that can help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. We began this global challenge with a hypothesis that developers have the power to change the world and save lives. We had no idea the degree to which they would commit.

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How the Sendai Framework aims to reduce the risk of natural disasters

Mar 19, 2019 | When a natural disaster devastates a community and lives are lost, the collective response tends to be “thoughts and prayers.” The magnitude of these events and the pace at which they occur can result in a feeling of uncertainly about where and how to help. And with extreme weather only getting worse, those feelings are only magnified. Thankfully, the international community has a roadmap aimed at substantially reducing disaster risk and preventing loss of life and economic livelihood. To address the risks from natural disasters, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a 15-year voluntary agreement, was adopted by United Nations Member States in March 2015.

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Developers are impacting industries and the world – will you?

Mar 13, 2019 | “Code is king. Software is eating the world. The best code wins.“ In this age of digital reinvention, it’s not unusual to hear these phrases. But we know that they’re nothing without the most important part of our technologically fueled world: the developer. It’s time the individuals behind the code get some attention – and IBM is determined to make that happen. On March 14, we’re bringing together more than 5,000 developers in India for a day of inspirational talks, certifications, training, and more.

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Extreme weather is here to stay: How developers can help

Feb 21, 2019 | Nearly everyday, news headlines and social feeds are dominated by the deadly impacts of extreme weather, leaving us to wonder if these events are getting worse. The answer is yes, says Kait Parker, meteorologist with The Weather Company and Weather.com, an IBM business. “It’s not our imagination, we are seeing more disasters,” Parker said. “In fact, it feels like we can barely catch our breath from the last one before the next one comes along.”