As people around the world continue to face challenges brought about by unstable socio-economic and climate conditions, there are groups of people quietly working behind the scenes to deliver aid and support to communities.
Humanitarian organizations may not get enough media coverage, but without them, millions of people wouldn’t get the relief they need. Have you ever wondered how these organizations function? In this piece, we will explore the technology that helps drive humanitarian efforts.
High-Speed Modems
Many relief aid workers often find themselves stationed in remote areas with limited infrastructure. A high-speed, robust LTE modem that can withstand the elements is crucial to the workings of these groups. Many of them, such as modems from Cradlepoint can be installed in vehicles. Teams can rely on them to deliver seamless connectivity.
When communication may be coming in from remote headquarters and being delivered to workers scattered across a region, having uninterrupted access to the internet and communication is integral to coordination and accuracy.
Artificial Intelligence
While artificial intelligence is still a growing field, its usefulness in humanitarian efforts cannot be overstated. One of the most common ways that artificial intelligence can help organizations deliver aid is by analyzing vast amounts of data, projecting possible situations, and providing information that can be used to develop long-term policies.
Importantly, by deploying artificial intelligence where possible, humanitarian organizations have the ability to free up a workforce that could be doing more important work.
Drones
Relief organizations often find themselves working in areas that are prone to natural disasters or man made violence. It is no surprise then that many organizations are deploying drones to deliver aid to people on the ground. While drones haven’t yet replaced bigger vehicles, they can be viewed as a supporting accessory.
Teams around the world are using drones for mapping and monitoring areas, especially after natural calamities. In addition, drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, are also used to deliver aid in the form of life-saving medication.
Virtual Reality
While it is easy to think of “aid” and immediately imagine essentials like food, water, and medicines, the impact of instability on the mental health of people cannot be overstated. Several children, for example, grow up surrounded by violence.
Virtual reality can help these children experience things like parks and playgrounds, which are as integral to development as nourishing food is.
In fact, virtual reality has the potential to encourage people in more stable countries to develop empathy for those in unstable environments. The United Nations has been using virtual reality to help spread the word about the immediate and important needs of people living in trying conditions around the world. It has done this by showing films based on true events around the world that are delivered through virtual reality.
3D Printing
There is immense potential that 3D printing delivers to communities fractured by violence and limited infrastructure. From building schools to developing wheelchairs, organizations around the world are using 3D printing as a way to quickly deliver important services to communities.
Almost all situations that humanitarian organizations work in demand quick solutions. One of the ways that doctors are using 3D technology on the field is to develop artificial limbs and conduct life-saving procedures on people injured in wars or natural disasters.
There are several other pieces of technology that are at work alongside relief aid organizations. In fact, these organizations do not shy away from being some of the first to experiment with evolving technology.
From now commonly used technology such as chatbots and social media to still-being-developed technology like artificial intelligence, humanitarian organizations are at the forefront of putting these systems to good use.