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Mark Capron

Jun 30, 2013
06:52

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Might you have a PhD in big data management?

2013frackingjudges 2013frackingjudges

Jul 1, 2013
04:43

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The chief strengths of the proposal are that it is an innovate idea for data gathering, which is an important goal of the contest, and that it would potentially be able to gather very large and rich datasets. It would be useful to hear more details about the types of sensors that would be used and also to know whether the datasets gathered in this project could be integrated with other large datasets on emissions of greenhouse gases gathered by organizations like NOAA. An additional question is what the incentives would be for companies to have their workers wear the sensors.

Robert Rattle

Jul 2, 2013
04:56

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The specific sensors that would be used would need to be determined (optical?, infrared?, multi-functional?), likely through a collaborative design process. To incorporate them into an egg or similar technology, citizen science and distributed design techniques would also need to be applied. These would be both relatively fluid and rapid processes. The data sets gathered could be readily designed and constructed to be integrated with other large data sets, however, not all existing data sets are easily integrated already (or open for that matter!), and the role of machine readable data sets and open data access is a crucial component of this project proposal. A sufficiently robust and flexible machine readable data set should enable relatively seamless integration with other large data sets, especially where open data and distributed citizen science plays a role, and where existing data sets are provided as free use and access open sets. As such, the captured data may also prove valuable to future climate modelling, helping forecast and adaptability planning. The answer to incentives for companies to have their workers wear the sensors would be: "if they meet safety and privacy protocols, why not?" First, this requires a note on privacy. In order to maintain privacy and meet security concerns, the data collection must be done in an anonymous manner. There is little doubt neither citizens nor employees (with few exceptions) want their movements tracked and analysed. Since the data will be collected and plotted using GPS tracking, the data incorporated will need to be stripped of any personal identifiers. This is not a proposal for companies to track their workers. As for incentives, there are three key areas: 1) markets, investors and profits; 2) industry cooperation and regulatory development; and 3) operational efficiencies. 1) It would be of immense interest, one would think, that any company would want to ensure corporate social responsibility in as efficient and transparent a manner as possible. Moreover, if citizens were supplied to wear or install these in the vicinity of fracking activities, the information would already be in the public domain. When we detect a regulatory, safety or social or environmental infraction, we have markets and laws to manage the associated risks. Just because we can't see, hear or smell fugitive emissions does not mean they do not occur. Now that we have the technology to sense them, our natural senses can be extended in a collective awareness of the environmental, social, safety and other risks to identify and correct regulatory and environmental shortcomings. From a companies perspective, having this crucial data would help reduce financial risks associated with any future carbon credit strategy, carbon markets or carbon taxes. Data would also demonstrate, not only the poorest performers, but also the best performers. Any investor would like to know who is performing best, and why they are performing well. This knowledge can translate into a cooperative industry standard setting process. Markets reward good performers; industry groups and governments assist industry players by helping coordinate and manage risk, and that includes important business and technical information. 2) Understanding performance helps governments establish effective regulations, and industry partners identify best practices. Not only would having workers wear these sensors contribute to company financial strength, it would also contribute to industry and open-sourced opportunities to use that information in a productive manner to increase company profitability, identify best practices and important industry advances, and help establish regulations and practices that benefit both the industry and the environment. In that sense, it is not so much the need, in the context of this contest, to reduce methane leaks, but to avoid methane leaks to the environment. Were it possible, for example, to employ some simple technology or practice to capture methane from specific leak areas, or process activities, then the use of that methane might become a valuable economic incentive and future income stream. Alternatively reducing methane leaks from simple changes to operational or technological practices might serve to both decrease contributions to GHG emissions as well as improve process efficiencies. Industry cooperation, identification of best practices and regulatory development would benefit from companies sharing sensor information that could be used on open platforms. The data rich shared open systems that emerge would prove invaluable to future impact assessment, project development, and related activities, as well as other related sustainability planning activities and, through its potential for scalability, future health and environmental studies. That would serve well individual companies in future proposed projects. 3) In terms of operational efficiencies, workers wearing real-time sensors would have the added health benefit of safety, and company participation could be used to simplify any related accounting processes and improve accuracy and transparency. What better way to achieve this than to have distributed citizen science based cooperative crowdsourced open data analysed and used to find solutions at little to no cost to a company?

Robert Rattle

Jul 2, 2013
04:19

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Mark - no

2013frackingjudges 2013frackingjudges

Jul 29, 2013
02:39

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Interesting data collection idea, what will compel company to comply, how will it be more successful than fracfocus? Only from fracking sites?What about distribution system and end use? The revisions do not seem to have added much.

Mark Capron

Aug 4, 2013
10:36

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Robert, I was asking about the PhD because the Oceanography Society Judges for the Paul G. Allen Ocean Challenge would be impressed. Too late for that. However, are you good at implementing the big data of which you speak? We hope to need more than the one "computers and software" PhD we have. Here's an excerpt from our PGA entry at - http://www.pgafamilyfoundation.org/oceanchallenge/TemplateComments.aspx?suid=24 Interdisciplinary nature – The “stone soup” analogy is akin to the Paul G. Allen Foundation desire for interdisciplinary efforts. The Foundation would fund (stones and kettle) promising pH mitigations. The science and engineering team would share their potential grant-winning concepts (carrots, potatoes, parsley, etc.) to make managed seaweed forests (soup). These forest ecosystems can only be successful and sustainable as a “soup” of interdisciplinary effort. We expect to need more than the team’s current 24 scientists and engineers. Also, our two Climate Colab proposals are nearly the same. Collectives' is "Employ big data and someone will provide the sensors." Ocean Foresters' is "These kinds of sensors are available to input to big data. Legislation using the sensors for regulation would be helpful."

Mark Roest

Aug 26, 2013
03:49

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I am forwarding this page to a pioneer in remote sensing and big data. He may be able to help the team surmount any technical hurdles they may face, and get value from receiving the results of the project. I plan a global knowledgebase using GIS and digital earth imaging later, and I know this data would be valuable for that effort.