Resources
Resources
Reports, publications and recordings on the humanitarian implications of technology.
Publications
Humanity First
Humanity First is being developed by Australian Red Cross alongside people and communities to support those working with technology on humanitarian problems. It centres communities in the design, development and use of technology in order to maximise its benefits across society and reduce its risk of harm.
Future of Vulnerability
The Future of Vulnerability: Humanity in the Digital Age invites a conversation around the complex questions about the vulnerabilities frontier technologies can introduce or heighten. It also highlights opportunities for collaborative exploration to develop and promote 'humanity first' approaches to data and technology.
Traverse
Traverse is an Australian Red Cross case study of the creation, design, and end of a digital identity platform. Although Traverse was shut down, it provides learnings for Red Cross and the humanitarian sector on blockchain and Web3 technologies and the humanitarian sector’s approach to developing and adopting innovation.
Case Studies
AirSeed: Drone planting takes flight to promote NSW reforestation
AirSeed has developed a unique approach to tackle climate change and restore biodiversity by combining drone technology, machine learning, and seed pod biotechnology. To validate whether this approach could be delivered in partnership with disaster-affected communities to support local regeneration efforts, AirSeed collaborated with landholders impacted by landslides in northern NSW.
Climasens: Using technology to understand and respond to climate change
Climasens offers a location-based climate intelligence platform to identify climate risks on people and planet. Partnering with Red Cross, the organisatoins piloted a project to co-develop a mapping tool to identify exactly where particular people may be most at-risk during heatwaves in South Australia, overlaying climate data with population health and social information.
FloodMapp: Australia’s devastating floods inspire new warning systems
FloodMapp specialises in real-time flood intelligence and uses its technology to provide an increase in effective warning time through location-specific flood forecasting and flood inundation mapping. Learn about how Red Cross has been working with FloodMapp to pilot an approach that enables emergency managers to access scalable and real-time information to prepare and plan for emergency response activities to flooding.
Hold Access: Closing the gap on First Nations Australians digital identity
Hold Access is a First Nations-led company developing a digital wallet, WUNA, to empower First Nations Australians and digitally excluded people to hold, access and share their digital identity with verified capabilities. To validate their platform, they collaborated with education providers to assess its suitability in supporting young people transitioning from school to work or further learning environments.
Kara Tech: Pioneering emergency announcement systems in sign language
Kara Technologies is using cutting-edge motion capture technology to create a sign language program with 'digital humans'. Learn more about their work validating the use of this solution with Australian Deaf communities and emergency management actors to increase access to fast, life-saving emergency information in sign language.
MamaTalk: A smartphone app enabling access to multilingual healthcare
In Australia, research indicates that up to 50% of women and birthing people who require translation and interpreter services have been unable to access them during pregnancy for appointments. MamaTalk aims to use technology to increase access to culturally-informed and culturally-sensitive multilingual health information.
Maya Cares: The chatbot supporting women of colour through racism
Maya Cares is a first-of-its-kind chatbot and wellbeing platform that aims to address racism through reporting, increasing access to wellbeing support, and connecting to mental health resources. Discover the process involved in developing it with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Black and Women of Colour over 18 months.
Performl: Using data to end disadvantage and improve lives
Performl has developed a platform that uses new technology to unmask hidden areas of inequality, such as the location of groups with particular disability support needs, by connecting millions of data points. Learn about their work validating their solution with service providers to improve lives while ensuring it is effective, ethical and safe.
She’s A Crowd: Using storytelling data to end gender-based violence
She’s A Crowd has crowdsourced the biggest location-based set of gender-based violence data in the world to provide insights on survivors’ experiences. She’s A Crowd completed validation with both users and customers to understand how to best present and package data to make the greatest social impact and to scale the organisation’s business model.
Recordings
Humanitech Lab Projects
A video series that shares the insights and impact of projects taking place through the Humanitech Lab, where technology is being designed and developed alongside communities to tackle humanitarian challenges.
Humanitech Summit 2023
The Summit is an Australian Red Cross event exploring how frontier technologies can be used in ways that benefit people and society. Discover the latest innovations at the intersection of technology and humanitarian action.
2022 ADM+S Symposium
The 2022 ADM+S Symposium showcases cross- and multi-disciplinary approaches to responsible, ethical and inclusive automated services with national and international research, policy and practice agendas, and showcase outcomes.