Tag: Spatial Collective
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Why Urban Planning Needs AI and AR
Using Technology to Build More Inclusive, Smart, and Resilient Cities Urban planning shapes how we live, work, and move within cities. At its best, it creates economic opportunities, promotes social connections, and ensures that infrastructure, housing, and public spaces serve everyone. But as cities grow at unprecedented rates, urban planning struggles to keep up. Population…
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Sitting Around the Fire
The Power of Participatory Approaches in Documenting Pastoralist Communities Pastoral societies are among the most dynamic and adaptable populations in the world. With an estimated 240 million people living in these communities across sub-Saharan Africa, their experiences are far removed from those of others. Not many can relate to a lifestyle that includes moving across vast, semi-arid,…
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The Essence of Community Mapping
Beyond Buildings and Roads Community mapping initiatives are often considered tools for empowerment. Also known as participatory mapping, community mapping is a process where communities gather data and create maps representing their local knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. This approach includes social, cultural, and environmental information, and goes beyond traditional mapping. However, in recent years, many…
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From Aerial Imagery to Machine Learning
Innovating Land Mapping and Accessibility for Sustainable Development Spatial Collective, Radiant Earth, the Kenyan Space Agency (KSA), and PLACE collaborated on a pilot project to collect and curate labeling high-resolution agricultural data for open access and public benefit in Kenya. This post describes the practical steps taken by Spatial Collective during the project implementation, encompassing…
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The Impact of Location-Based Applications
This blog post is the latest installment in our ongoing series, exploring how technology-driven location-based services can revolutionize community engagement. Demystifying Location-Based Technology The digital tools have the power to change the way we engage with our communities, offering customized experiences and enhancing our understanding of the world around us. Location-based applications, or LBAs, utilize…
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Transforming Data Accessibility Through Location-Based Engagement
In this piece, I will mostly discuss the topic of data accessibility in informal settlements, however, accessing relevant data to make informed decisions about one’s life is a brother issue and touches on most aspects of everyday life. In today’s digital era, data has become a vital asset in driving informed decision-making. From healthcare and…
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A mixed-method approach to solid waste mapping in Mogadishu
Last year, we collaborated with Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and OSM Somalia to generate high-quality geographic data aimed at comprehending the extent and dispersion of solid waste sites in Mogadishu. Managing solid waste is a multifaceted and intricate problem that necessitates a thorough comprehension of the ecosystem, involving various actors and factors such as social, economic,…
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Secure Tenure on Zanzibar
Using cutting-edge technologies to simplify the process of obtaining proof of property ownership in Zanzibar Our solution is designed to simplify and modernize the outdated, paper-based data collection and parcel mapping processes, all while tackling the challenges of limited professional capacity and high costs of land data collection. By teaming up with the Commission for…
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Consensus in Documenting Land Rights
The importance of consensus in determining land rights has gained a lot of attention in recent years, especially when it comes to collecting data on land properties and demarcating boundaries. Consensus in land rights refers to the process of ensuring that all parties involved – landowners, community members, and relevant authorities – agree on the…
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Consensus in Mapping
In this piece, I will specifically talk about community-led field mapping and how terrestrial imagery and consensus can be used to improve the accuracy of data. I explain mapping as a method to determine where things are located in space and time. For example, a house is located somewhere in space and time and so…