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Science/Tech See other Science/Tech Articles Title: DARPA's $40K 'quest' tests social media's ability to help in emergency DARPA's $40K 'quest' tests social media's ability to help in emergency By Kevin McCaney Feb 27, 2012 Can social media really spread the word during a crisis and help emergency crews find the resources they need to improve their response to it? The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is putting up $40,000 to find out, and the game is afoot. The agency is running the CLIQR Quest Challenge (the acronym comes from Cash for Locating and Identifying Quick Response codes), asking participants to use their online presence to locate and identify QR codes that represent various assets responders might need. The first person who identifies the QR codes can win up to $40,000. The two-week event, which began Feb. 23 and ends March 8, is set up to contain some of the uncertainties of an emergency situation. Related stories: 5 ways to use social media for better emergency response Japan's earthquake shows strength of social networking in crisis For instance, participants don’t know what kind of emergency they’re up against until they join the game. They also don’t know exactly how many QR codes there are to find. And although they have to play by DARPA’s rules for the challenge, the rules can change at any time, without notice, the agency says. The game is designed around an emergency that requires a humanitarian response and help from the public in identifying assets such as water, food, fuel and other supplies. One example DARPA offers: Is there a company in Detroit with all-terrain cycles it is willing to donate to an area hit by an earthquake? How would the company know the cycles are needed in that area? And if it will donate the vehicles, which organization does it contact? The assets required for the relief efforts are designated by appropriate QR codes that have been distributed around the continental United States, just as real assets would be, DARPA says. But you don’t have to go physically chasing after them. “This quest is not a scavenger hunt, nor is it a geocaching contest or game," DARPA says in its FAQ on the challenge. "It is an opportunity for you to showcase your skills at using social media. You do not have to physically visit any of the locations where the QR codes are publicly displayed — the intent is for you to use your online presence and tools to distribute the code (using the Twitter hashtag #CLIQRquest or keyword CLIQRquest on other platforms) and find others with the codes you need.” Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: purplerose (#0)
I forget for what this is an anacronym. I think it is Defense something or another. "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency
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