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Police Drones Are Starting to Think for Themselves

Cade Metz

December 05, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chula Vista, California

The first Drone as First Responder program in the U.S. expands the use of drone aircraft by the police, sending the aircraft on emergency calls without direct oversight by a human pilot. Using technology similar to self-driving cars, the drones deploy long-distance cameras and other sensors to observe things more quickly, safely, or efficiently than through traditional means. As more police departments adopt the equipment and tactic, privacy advocates warn of surveillance excesses that could harm over-policed populations.

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A System for Sharing Household Heat Is Growing Beneath France

Chad Small

December 04, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

In Paris, about 7,500 buildings are heated using geothermal energy, a cost-saving and carbon neutral energy source. Water is drawn from deep below ground at a central location and heated by the earth, and then sent via underground pipes to individual buildings. The Bagneux and Chatillon district has scaled up the system, providing heat to over 40,000 people. Districts created joint ventures to reduce construction costs and residents do not notice the energy source shift because when the temperature drops to a point where geothermal energy is not viable, gas boilers automatically keeps the heat flowing.

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While mainland America struggles with covid apps, tiny Guam has made them work

Cat Ferguson

November 30, 2020 |

MIT Technology Review |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Guam

To raise awareness and encourage downloads of a contact tracing app, the team of volunteers who were built the app partnered with the Guam Visitors Bureau to collaborate on a grassroots outreach campaign. Using Zoom and WhatsApp groups to create public trust with "organizations, schools, and cultural groups across the island," the effort culminated in "a rate of adoption that outstrips states with far more resources."

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When food becomes scarce – high-tech farms of the future

Hartmut Idzko

November 28, 2020 |

Deutsche Welle (DW) |

Video |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Japan

Vertical farms in Japan grow greens stacked in a building without soil and increase productivity and profitability compared to traditional farming. This format could expand food production as the global demand for food grows and allow for quality growing conditions despite climate change.

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AA to Zoom, substance abuse treatment goes online amid pandemic

Matt Richtel

November 28, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous are turning to Zoom and other telehealth tools to maintain a connection with clients during the coronavirus pandemic. While data are lacking about "the effectiveness of online rehabilitation compared to in-person sessions," many participants have expressed the digital tools to be crucial to their health while the pandemic has closed in-person options, and health professionals expect these tools to extend well-beyond the timeline of the pandemic.

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Charlotte Gaymers Network

Chris Rudisill

November 27, 2020 |

QNotes Carolinas |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

What began as informal online gaming sessions grew into a group of hundreds of LGBTQ gamers, calling themselves Charlotte Gaymers Network, that fostered community and a safe place to gather during the pandemic. Though most of the network's events had to be held virtually, that ended up meeting a need, as more traditional in-person meeting spaces for Charlotte's LBGTQ community had shut down. The group promotes inclusivity in gaming designs and uses events like a tournament to build its following.

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How sunshine can make the railways greener

Richard Kenny

November 24, 2020 |

BBC |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Australia, Byron Bay, New South Wales

As a way to reduce the amount of diesel fuel that powers trains, governments and transit companies around the world are turning to solar panels as a way to utilize renewable energy. In Australia, a solar train launched in 2017 that uses lithium-ion batteries that are charged by solar panels on the roof of the carriages. And a rail line in the United Kingdom uses energy from a solar farm to keep the train running. Scaling solar panels for nation-wide transit systems can be challenging, but many countries are committed to eliminating the use of fossil fuels on their rail networks.

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In Rwanda, Learning Whether a ‘Smart Park' Can Help Both Wildlife and Tourism

Amy Yee

November 24, 2020 |

Atlas Obscura |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Rwanda

Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, once a conservation failure, has been revitalized with fences, patrols, and new technology to become a successful wildlife park. The government partnered with conservation group African Parks to manage the national park, which has led to an increase tourists, patrols, and even lions and black rhinos. Akagera also became the world first “Smart Park” after it installed a telecommunications network called LoRaWAN to securely track, monitor, and communicate between rangers, vehicles, equipment, and animals.

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Can an Algorithm Prevent Suicide?

Benedict Carey

November 23, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Veterans Affairs' Reach Vet program uses an algorithm weighing 61 factors to flag veterans deemed at highest risk of suicide. While its results have not been shown to affect the suicide rate, it has more than doubled high-risk veterans' uses of V.A. services and been associated with a lower overall mortality rate. Built on an analysis of thousands of previous suicides in the V.A.'s system, Reach Vet assesses scores of facts from medical records, including some that are not obvious to humans trying to spot problems. Doctors then intervene and ensure the veteran has a suicide safety plan in place.

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New Orleans actively releases videos of police shootings. Is it paying off with trust?

Christiaan Mader

November 23, 2020 |

The Current (Louisiana) |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

Once viewed as one of the nation's most brutal and corrupt police departments, New Orleans Police Department has earned steadily improving public support with a host of reforms. One reform that it took voluntarily, and in contrast with common practice in Louisiana, is to quickly release body-camera videos of police shootings and other uses of force. Though its effect is hard to untangle from other initiatives, video releases have become routine. In one case, a video prompted an official apology after proving rubber bullets were used against protesters. This helped lead to new restrictions on crowd control.

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