The Open Data Challenge is a competitive online event and tender for participating individuals/teams to innovate using open environmental data from Citizen Observatories.
There are seven main challenges areas, which are:
- Ecosystem monitoring: Phenology, biodiversity and land cover
- Public infrastructure management: Soil moisture, water drainage and flood mapping
- Community-Based Disaster Management: Flood, Fire, Drought, Heatwave Services, Landslide
- Regenerative food growing: Yields, sustainable practices and natural pest control
- Pollution monitoring and health: Water quality, air quality
- Engaging young people on open data and climate: Education
- Other: Innovative applications of WeObserve data e.g. COVID19
Find out the details of these challenge areas here.
We suggest that you use the predefined challenge areas, as these have been created with the available datasets in mind. Using the given challenges will also make the best use of your mentors’ support. Challenge 7 also allows contributions for other innovative uses of the open data beyond the established themes. The use of open data which contributes to global pandemic solutions is a timely and welcome topic.
Complete and submit the ODC Registration Form here. The WeObserve team will contact you with a participant pack and further information about how to begin in the ODC.
Yes, we just ask that you use the provided open datasets and it addresses one of the seven given challenges.
You should create your own team and discuss which challenge and datasets you will use with your team members before you register. Individual participants are also welcome to apply (see next question).
You can apply as a team or as an individual. We would like the ODC to be an opportunity for new collaborations to be formed, so we encourage individuals to consider working with others in a team, but teamwork is not an evaluation criterion.
Only one representative from each team will have to register.
You will have access to all the open datasets from the Citizens Observatories involved in WeObserve: SCENT; GROW Observatory; Groundtruth 2.0; LandSense.
Yes, you may use as many WeObserve Citizen Observatory open dataset as you think is necessary for your idea.
We encourage you to use the WeObserve Citizen Observatory open datasets. You will have to use at least one of the open datasets provided and you are welcome to use more than one. You may also use other open datasets in conjunction with these if you wish. The use of close datasets is not compatible with this ODC.
Yes, but please let us know as soon as possible once you have made your decision. We might not be able to change your mentor if you change datasets, this will be decided on a case to case basis.
The datasets are made available under various licenses. Your team owns your idea and are able to use it and develop it as you wish. If you do decide to share or use your idea elsewhere, we ask that you give attribution to the open dataset according to the specific licenses that it is shared with. Please check each dataset or ask your mentor if you need help finding this.
Once you register you will receive an invitation to the ODC Slack channel. This will be the main platform for the ODC and keeping in touch with WeObserve and your mentor.
WeObserve will use Slack to post updates and information regularly. You will also be assigned a specific private slack channel to discuss ideas with your mentor confidentiality.
During the challenge, teams will be able to engage with expert mentors online. Mentors are familiar with specific datasets and can help guide teams with technical and data queries.
The ODC mentors are:
- Inian Moorthy (Research Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
- Joan Masó (Researcher, Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre)
- Valantis Tsiakos (Scientific Project Manager, Institute of Communication and Computer Systems)
- Andy Cobley (Senior Lecturer, School of Science & Engineering at the University of Dundee).
Find out more about the mentors here.
Mentors are assigned according to the dataset you / your team are using. Once you’ve decided and let us know and we will put you in touch with your mentor.
You will upload an online submission that will be made up of:
- A 10 minute (maximum) video introducing your concept and demonstrating the solution.
- Software artefacts, either by file upload or via a github repository.
- Completion of project information (via a supplied webform)
Teams will be notified of the outcome by email by the end of August 2020.
Each submission will be assessed using the following criteria and on a scale of 1-5. The maximum score for each submission is 15. The winning entries must demonstrate:
- Solution and Data: An experimental proof of concept that can be interacted with to demonstrate functionality, with a Technology Readiness Level of 3. It should use one or more WeObserve datasets at the heart of the concept. Datasets can be combined with other data. Uphold FAIR Principles for any resulting datasets or code. The result should be a new, original solution including a service, mobile or web application, visualisation or demonstration of applying data science by linking datasets for the generation of new insights.
- Concept: The idea should address one of the thematic challenge areas provided or outline a new one. The concept must clearly communicate why the solution matters and who it benefits. It needs to have beneficial social impact, such as meaningfully improving the lives of people, the environment or the planet.
- Team and Market: The team should be clearly defined and indicate who will use the product or service and why, including a description of all relevant stakeholders. The team must be available and able to commit to providing a demo and a publication for documentation purposes at the WeObserve conference and other WeObserve communication and dissemination channels.
If your idea has been selected, two members (maximum) from your team will be invited to do a demonstration at the WeObserve Conference in Autumn 2020. This will include participation in the conference and session in which the winning ideas will be featured through a live demos. WeObserve will also share your winning concept on our platforms and through our networks. The exact date and format of this event will be confirmed soon.
Payment is made in two installments. The first installment of €2000 is paid upon signing the tender contract once your idea has been selected. The winning teams are expected to use the funds to develop their concept, to increase its technology readiness level and to fund travel to the WeObserve Conference in Berlin (this event might be celebrated online due to travel restrictions).
A payment of €3000 will be made after the conference in October 2020 once a demo presentation and final documentation has been completed.
Your idea is yours and you may develop and use it outside the ODC. If you do decide that you would like to take in forward, please remember that the open datasets are provided through a specific license and we ask that you attribute the use of the data to that license. You are also free to share your presentation video with other partners. If you do, please attribute the open dataset according to the specific license here too.