Bowser Administration Announces DCx Semi-Finalists
Three Teams will Continue on to Compete to Win $20,000 in Award Funding for their Next-Generation Solutions
Washington, DC -- The Office of the Chief Technology Office (OCTO) is pleased to announce three semifinalists from the DC area will advance to phase two of DCx, a public innovation challenge, where they will advance their submissions to workable prototypes for a final chance to win or split up to $20,000 in award funds.
“These semi-finalists have submitted thoughtful solutions that address key city challenges.” said Lindsey Parker, Chief Technology Officer. “From addressing Vision Zero to increased safety for first responders to equal access to quality health care, these solutions show the potential of how next-generation tech can help us improve the quality of life for every resident in DC.”
DCx brought together East of the River Services, the DC Police Department, DC Fire and EMS, and DC Health to partner with Verizon’s 5G Lab, US Ignite and Mapbox to work with developers, engineers and innovators to think about how the future of public safety and public health technology will benefit from 5G.
The semi-finalists selected are:
- Haven of Washington, DC, submitted the"Self-Action For Everyone"(S.A.F.E). card which would use 5G to empower all DC residents to access emergency care with a single button. S.A.F.E. is an IoT card that fits in a purse or wallet and allows the owner to trigger emergency care with a single button press. S.A.F.E. offers 3 modes: 1. trigger an emergency request for an ambulance, 2. notify emergency contacts with real-time updates, and 3. request care guidance recommendations on your phone.
- ENGR Dynamics, of Silver Spring, MD, submitted Public Safety Sensor Fusion (PS2F), which increases first responder safety and effectiveness via automated video analytics and sensor fusion. PS2F's mission is to create better situational awareness, delivered through mobile devices, allowing a real-time assessment of vehicular and personnel requirements; this could both shorten response times and improve utilization of reserve vehicles. With 5G, PS2F has the potential to utilize precise indoor positioning to track personnel on-scene and gigabit networking to stream sensor data to mobile devices.
- Daniel Bernstein and Brendan Freehart of Arlington, VA, submitted Safe Lane, a distributed monitoring system that leverages deep learning and existing traffic camera feeds to provide bike lane enforcement officers with real-time notifications of bike lane obstructions as well as historical analysis to arm District public safety agencies with the information they need to prioritize resourcing and staffing to reduce traffic fatalities and accidents on the road.
Semifinalists will also demonstrate their solutions live in front of the judges, District leaders, and the general public at the WeDC Futures Forum on October 2, 2019 at the Eaton Hotel. Members of the public are invited to attend for free.
Launched June 17, 2019, DCx is the second public innovation challenge the Bowser Administration has run in partnership with US Ignite and the Smart Gigabit Communities program and the National Science Foundation. Access and follow the challenge at: herox.com/DCx.
##
About the WeDC Campaign:
The WeDC Campaign, which stands for “we the people of Washington, DC,” was developed by the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) to promote the District as the “Capital of Inclusive Innovation.” The campaign is used for programming, activations and events with a goal of supporting business attraction and retention in the District, and to showcase the city’s dedication to inclusivity, diversity and innovation with a focus on its communities, workforce and residents. For more information visit wedchouse.com.
