Two Philippine teams are finalists in global space data competition for COVID-19

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Two teams from the Philippines, GiveSight and World MAQI, are selected by the United States space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as global finalists for the all-virtual, Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon held last June 23-29. With 4,300+ participants from 132 countries and territories, the week-long event featured 233 projects to solve challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic using data from the Earth Observing (EO) Dashboard, an interactive data resource giving policymakers and the public a unique tool to probe the impacts of pandemic-related restrictions implemented around the world through the lens of Earth observation satellites.


GiveSight


The Geo-Intelligent Visualization of Earth Systems in Graphical and Historical Timelines (GiveSIGHT) seeks to improve the current EO dashboard by highlighting significant changes of the COVID-19 pandemic through visualizations and guided insight for prospect users. The proposed dashboard is intended to visualize economic proxies through night lights, economic activities, and lock-down timeline in the Philippines.

The team is led by Gabriel Kristopher "Cricket" Soong, an electrical engineer and emerging technologies consultant, and members include software engineer Mark Barretto and Adamson University computer engineering students Angelica Mhay Salazar, Karl Adrian de Guzman, and Joshua Bungcaras.



Mobility over Air Quality Index

The Mobility over Air Quality Index (MAQI) is derived from the fusion of mobility statistics provided by Google with air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from Earth observations. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially led to decreased mobility and improved air quality, countries around the world have begun to lift their quarantine restrictions, triggering air pollution once again. Through MAQI, areas and communities with improved mobility and air quality may be identified and recognized.

The team is composed of space data researchers and hackathon veterans. Data analyst Dominic Vincent "Doc" Ligot and data engineer Mark Neil Pascual led the conceptualization and prototype development, while Michael Lance M. Domagas, a computer science Master’s student, reunited with his undergraduate thesis adviser, Arturo "Art" Caronongan III, an assistant professorial lecturer from De La Salle University, to do research and concept validation for MAQI.


Pinoy pride and ingenuity

In 2020, Art Caronongan’s team placed as global finalist in the NASA Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge for Snail Space, an app giving a "safe space" by providing mental care and comfort during times of social isolation brought by COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, Doc’s team developed Advanced Early Dengue Prediction and Exploration Service (Project AEDES) which used Earth observations for data-driven dengue detection and nowcasting, bagging the global award for the best use of data in the prestigious NASA International Space Apps Challenge. Since then, the initiative has garnered more accolades: recognized in 2020 by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) for applying Earth observations towards the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and more recently last May 2021, vetted and approved by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as a Digital Public Good (DPG), putting the Philippines on the map as a DPG pathfinding pilot country.

A team from CirroLytix Research Services, a Philippine-based startup leading the charge in using big data for social impact founded by Doc, developed Global Impact Detection from Emitted Light, Onset of COVID-19, and Nitrogen Dioxide (GIDEON), a data portal that used satellite data and news feeds to measure economic and social impacts of lockdowns and pandemic interventions. In 2020, GIDEON also won the best use of data global award in the NASA Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge.

Cricket Soong and Mark Pascual are also from CirroLytix, and in late 2020 were Space Apps global nominees for Global Hazard Exposure and Resiliency Trends by Earth observation and Analysis Tools (Global HEARTBEAT), an interactive tool providing geo-located information on natural and human hazards surrounding communities within the Philippines and Canada.

Winners of both space hackathons are invited to visit NASA and partner agencies’ facilities but are responsible for covering their own costs. Although travel has been on hold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, invitations shall resume once travel is deemed safe.

Michael Lance, a lead local organizer of Space Apps, appeals for support in recognizing these global winners and finalists, "Having both led and participated in these hackathons, I can attest to the world-class quality of our local innovators but sadly support for these innovators has been minimal. In the same way we Filipinos love to cheer our athletes and beauty queens who represent our country, I hope we can find value in supporting our Philippine technologists, who also bring our country pride through their innovation.”

EO dashboard hackathon winners shall be announced in early August 2021.

Lawyers To The Rescue When Dealing With Youth Crime

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It is not uncommon for police stations to have to deal with youth criminals. Every month there are several youth crimes reported and these need to be dealt with by the authorities. The law is different for the youth and they tend to get off easy. There are several laws in place protecting young children, one such law being that children under the age of 10 cannot be held criminally responsible for a legal offence. The law is also lenient for those under the age of 14. In fact, it is not uncommon for those between the age of 10-14 to have to undergo a mental evaluation of their ability to commit the crime. This article goes on to explain how the law deals with youth criminals and the benefits of contacting the best criminal lawyers in Sydney.



How does the Law treat the Youth?

The law pertaining to child crime is quite clear in Australia. It goes like this, those below the age of 10 cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions. However, those between the age of 10 to 14 can be dealt with by the Children's Court of Australia. It is possible to convict a child between the age of 10 to 14 of a crime they commit. However, to do so one would need to have a strong case and prove beyond doubt that the child was fully aware of their actions and knew it was wrong. This is likely to involve a mental assessment as well.

At the same time, the children are given all the protection they can get in a children's court in terms of privacy and legal protection. Those below the age of 18 are usually considered minors in Australia. Thus, they receive special treatment and are only taken into custody if it is absolutely necessary. They will usually never be handcuffed with the exception of them having committed a violent crime. The added benefit being is that they cannot be questioned or drilled for information by the police in the absence of a support person or guardian.



Important Statistics and Facts

● Children between the age of 10 and 17 account for 8% of all the criminal offences in South Australia in 2019-2020. This amounted to 2782 offenders.

● 21% of all youth offenders were guilty of intending to cause injury in Tasmania (2019-2020).

● The number of offenders in 2018-19 in the Northern Territory between the ages of 10-17 was 693.

● In the ACT, 46949 youths between the age of 10 to 17 committed crimes in the year 2019-20.

● There were 17, 7170 youth offenders between 2019-2020 that amounted to 15% of the total offences in New South Wales. The most common offence was fare evasion and assault.



Benefits of contacting a criminal lawyer in Parramatta

It is necessary for the authorities to take appropriate action in the case where a crime has been committed. However, a good defence lawyer can come to your rescue and ensure the child has appropriate legal representation. At times like this, it might not be sufficient to just have the child’s guardians by their side. The smart criminal lawyers in Sydney have the expertise to get your child out of a sticky situation and avoid paying a hefty fine or being charged with a crime. Contact one of the best criminal law firms in Sydney to benefit from their extensive legal knowledge and effective legal help.

More information about legal procedures you can find at dubai.lawyer, a reliable online resource.

12 Best User-Friendly Online Video Editors

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With the world stuck in lockdown for most of the past year, online is the new area where all the action takes place. Businesses and content creators know that the key to success is to get popularity online and attract customers and fans. The essential tool for the growth of any business's online presence is making attractive videos that show the products and services offered by the business. In this online age, only those businesses are successful that can capture the attention of potential customers and drive traffic to their websites and apps.

A good video advertisement can get a lot of traffic to your website and boost sales greatly. Not every business has the capital to hire professional video marketing teams. Therefore, an online video editor can be a lifesaver. Using an online video editor, even small businesses and independent businesses can make videos that show off their products. Let us look at some of the best online video editor apps and platforms out there that can help make your job easier.

1. InVideo: This platform is extremely diverse because it is web-based. This online video editor can be used on Windows and Mac, though it is best optimized for Google Chrome. There are multiple templates to choose from, and the best part about this platform is the AI used. It can detect small mistakes and make your video look professional. Another benefit is that every feature on this platform is free. The user interface is easy and smooth, and beginners and professionals can make the best out of this platform. The con is that it isn’t the best available option.

2. Adobe Premiere Rush: This is one of the best online video editor apps out there. It can be used on your desktop and mobile. You can easily create and edit videos on this app and share them online. This is one of the fastest and best ways to create videos on the go. It combines ease and quality, as Adobe is known for its excellent software.

3. Apple iMovie: If you are using an iPhone, then you have this app pre-installed. iMovie can be used on iPhones, iPads, and Mac PCs. You can create videos that look like movie trailers with 4K-high resolution quality. You can even switch across devices while editing the same video. The con is that it is available only on iOS.

4. Movavi video editor: Movavi has to be purchased and used on Windows and Mac. The intuitive online video editor is perfect for adding special effects and changing the backgrounds of videos. The processing is lightning fast and is very well worth the price. Despite the professional quality, the interface is very easy to use. Movavi is paid and quite expensive, and that might serve as a deterrent. However, it offers the best selection of filters and effects.

5. VideoStudio by Corel: The full version of this online video editor costs around 5800 INR. This can be a con for many. It offers a 30-day free trial. There are several creative effects and smart features available that will help you make professional-quality videos for any purpose. Corel offers tutorials, too, which can help people who are new to editing.

6. VideoProc: It is accelerated by the GPU, resulting in buttery smooth video editing with no lag or performance issues. You can easily edit 4K and 8K videos without compromising on the quality. Use it to merge and resize 4K and HDR videos at accelerated speeds. This is one of the best options on the list because of its powerful capabilities.

7. Kinemaster: Kinemaster is an easy app to use for editing videos on your phone. Pictures, videos, music all can be blended with effects to create stunning videos. This is the best app if you constantly post videos on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. Kinemaster is easy and free to use but isn’t very professional.

8. Wondershare Filmora: Wondershare claims that they are the best alternative to Windows Movie Maker and Apple’s iMovie. The drag and drop interface is extremely easy to use. There are over 800 effects to discover. There is motion tracking available to make editing easier. However, it is paid, and this can be a con.

9. Instasize: Instasize is a simple app that can be used for editing photos and videos fast. With over 130 filters, you can create whatever you like and go where your creativity takes you. The premium version costs around $5 a month. This is reasonable and perfect for everyone.

10. Wevideo: Wevideo is used widely by people who post on social media. It is great for creating marketing campaigns and increasing brand awareness on social media accounts. Small businesses can thrive if they get social media attention, and making catchy videos is the best way to do it.

11. Cyberlink: Cyberlink is among the top online video editor services. It can also be used to play videos and movies. There are stunning and complex video effects that look like something out of a science fiction film. If you aim to add a fantasy element to your videos, this is the video editor to choose. However, it is quite expensive, and this can be unsuitable for many people.

12. iMyFone Filme Video Editor: This simple yet powerful application can be used on Windows and macOS. The fast video mode lets you create easy slideshows. There are tons of free templates, effects, and tools to make your videos look professional and high quality.

There are many online video editor apps available on the internet, but you have to choose one that suits your needs. You have to know the purpose of your editing, and you can choose an application that specializes in that. The same app will not be helpful for editing reels and marketing campaign videos. Therefore, choosing the app that best suits your purposes Is the way to go about this.

Video editing is a skill that almost everyone needs to be well-versed in because everything is based online nowadays. Whether you are trying to promote your business online or a content creator, or a social media manager, editing videos is one of the things you have to do daily. These apps make it very easy for everyone to edit videos, even people who have no prior experience.