Pinoy researchers win NASA International Space Apps Challenge award

A team of Filipino researchers bagged an award at the 2019 NASA International Space Apps Challenge for creating an automated tool to help health practitioners identify potential dengue hotspots.

The group, composed of members from data analytics startup Cirrolytix, used satellite spectral data, climate data from DOST-PAGASA, and Google search trends to predict dengue outbreaks.

Called Project AEDES, or Advanced Early Dengue Prediction and Exploration Service, the tool bested 36 other global finalists for the “Best Use of Data” award.

LOOK: Pinoy data scientist Dominic Ligot details his team's award-winning project on using satellite data to prevent dengue outbreaks during a press con at De La Salle University.

The project won the 2019 NASA Int'l Space Apps Challenge award for "Best Use of Data." | @gmanews pic.twitter.com/3LQujaUhTu

— Angelica Y. Yang (@angelicayyang) March 4, 2020

“It was completely mind-blowing," said team leader Dominic Ligot at the press conference on Wednesday. "But now, at least for me now, there is now an implication that you've been recognized, what do you do with that?"

He said that they were now planning to partner with up government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to improve the project.

Ligot also said that before they won the international award, the World Health Organization (WHO) already approached them and expressed interest in their idea.

Project AEDES is free for public use and can be accessed through a prototype website, which also shows the trends between reported dengue cases and deaths.

At present, the tool can be used to predict dengue outbreaks in four areas: Metro Manila, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The team members said that they are looking for funding so that they could fly to the NASA Headquarters in Florida, United States for the next step in developing the project.

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is a three-day international hackathon where teams use NASA’s open data in an effort to solve real problems on Earth and space.

The hackathon for Philippine teams was held in Manila on October 18 to 20 last year. During the event, Project AEDES emerged as one of the two local winners. —MGP, GMA News