PROJECT FOGG
2014 New Challenge Winner
James Frankis, Transdiciplinary Design Graduate (MFA), Parsons
Sean Baker, Transdiciplinary Design Graduate (MFA), Parsons
Project Fogg is a post-disaster visualisation and communication kit intended to help communities respond quickly and effectively in the hours immediately following a disaster by allowing those on the ground to capture and access real time footage. Comprised of a large tethered helium balloon, camera, and long distance Wi-Fi network, the device flies high above an impacted area, broadcasting a live video feed to everyone below. This local, live aerial footage helps communities assess the scale and scope of the incident, providing communities with information they need to identify affected areas and accurately distribute resources.
James and Sean have been building Project Fogg through a process of iterative prototyping and user engagement workshops with input from sources as wide-ranging as FEMA, The Red Cross, UASEM students, and the Office of Emergency Management (NYC), Project Fogg participated in the International Conference of Crisis Mappers, a three-day event in New York featuring some of the world’s most innovative pioneers in disaster response.
Most recently, Project Fogg was exhibited at Wilton Innovation Day to engage potential users. They have recently completed their first fully functioning proof of concept and are launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise the required funds to take the project to the next level.
Sean and Project Fogg were featured in a Metropolis magazine series, New Talent, after being recommended by Fred Dust, Partner at IDEO New York. project Fogg was praised for bringing together a highly diverse team of experts to provide platforms for information in the wake of major natural disasters through their kits and their ability to increase disaster management capabilities and resource allocation, reduce response times and ultimately help bridge the gap between a community’s needs and institutional responses.
Sean has just been hired as a designer for the US Office of Personnel Management’s Innovation Lab in Washington D.C where he is charged with revamping USA Jobs, the fedral hiring platform used by more than two million people, and helping the lab develop design curriculums to be applied across federal agencies.