Brown Grads Win Facebook App Competition
Monday, March 19, 2012
Recent Brown University graduates Evan Donahue and Erik Stayton partnered as Team ALP to win first place with their application, named Lifeline, in a Facebook application challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
The ASPR Facebook Lifeline Application Challenge asked software developers to design new Facebook applications that could enhance individual and community resilience by establishing social connections in advance of an emergency, from personal medical emergencies or car accidents to natural or man-made disasters.
Social media's use during disasters
“The biggest challenge [in designing the app] was mainly that we hadn't worked together on such a project before and so didn't have a good workflow in place," said co-creator Evan Donahue said. "The app itself was pretty simple, which is part of what convinced us that it was a good solution.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"People already use social media in very ad hoc ways during disasters,” he said. “Our approach is basically an attempt to provide people the tools to use the social media technologies they're already using, but in a more focused and principled way.”
Tracking friends via Facebook during a disaster
The app allows Facebook friends to collaborate on tracking the user’s status in a disaster-affected area, and easily contact the user’s lifelines to report on the user’s safety. This networked approach increases the efficiency of finding missing users. Lifeline allows users to print cards with a snapshot of their disaster plan to carry in their wallets. Team ALP’s app also features a news feed and links to credible information sources which make the app useful for large-scale disasters and individual emergencies, such as car accidents and personal medical emergencies.
The role Brown played
“It is great to have won.” Evan’s partner, Erik Stayton said. “I studied English and Physics when I was at Brown and I had been looking for ways to bring science, technology, and the humanities together in some interesting projects…For me, at least, the openness of the curriculum at Brown is something I think plays into the current trajectory of my work. I got the chance to specialize in two disparate fields, and I'm working on ways to bring those experiences together. This application is one of those ways.”
The Las Vegas team, JAMAJIC 360, with David Vinson, Erick Rodriguez, Gregg Orr, and Garth Winckler came in second with an app also named JAMAJIC 360. Third place was awarded to AreYouOk?, developed by TrueTeamEffort, a team of 11 University of Illinois students led by Alex Kirlik.
Although these winning applications differ in how users interface with the app, all allow users to designate three lifelines to reliable Facebook friends: to agree to check on them in an emergency, supply shelter, food, and other necessities, and provide the person’s social network with an update about their wellbeing. Facebook users can also use the apps to create and share disaster readiness plans with their emergency contacts.
Lifeline's potential
“We’re really excited about the potential of the Lifeline app to help people not only to reach out to friends and family for the kinds of assistance they may need in an emergency, but also to help improve their personal health and preparedness,” said Nicole Lurie, M.D., HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response and a rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service. “Since so many people use Facebook to connect with one another, it seemed like a natural way to help people to identify their lifelines.”
The Lifeline app’s launch is anticipated in the coming months, prior to the start of hurricane season. The Brown graduates’ team also receives $10,000 and complimentary passes from Health 2.0 to attend the spring Health 2.0 conference in Boston. JAMAJIC 360 receives $5,000 for second place, and TrueTeamEffort receives $1,000 for third place.
“People who have friends or relatives they can rely on for help are healthier and live longer than those who don’t, which means establishing these social connections can enhance individual and community resilience,” Dr. Lurie also noted.
Donahue and Stayton have several new projects in the works, one of which is an app called CB Grocery that allows you to create and share grocery lists, measure your nutritional needs, and set health goals. “We have also been talking to some other contacts about applications in various health fields, so there may be some other projects starting up in the near future,” Stayton said. Find out more about their upcoming projects here.
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