Filipino scientists developed a mobile application that aims to provide fishermen with scientific data gets the nod of their app from the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Filipinos called this as the ISDApp, where isda means fish in Filipino, garnered the "Galactic Impact" award in the NASA Space Apps Challenge for providing a "solution with the most potential to improve life on Earth or in the universe."
Team iNON ("It's Now or Never" bested 1,395 teams all over the globe in the said category.
US Ambassador Sung Kim said, "I am deeply impressed by team iNON's fantastic achievement in defeating teams from around the world to win first place in the Galactic Impact category of the NASA Space Apps Challenge. They can inspire other Filipino youth to develop innovative solutions to problems in their own communities."
Team iNON Members conceptualized the said during the event sponsored by the US embassy last October 2018. These are Revbrain Martin, Marie Jeddah Legaspi, Julius Czar Torreda, Matthew Concubierta and Leandro de Guzman.
ISDApp provides significant information to fisherfolk regarding sea conditions and real-time weather. This app also caters to those who also do not possess smartphones.
Fishing and safety data will be relayed will be sent through SMS (short messaging service) to fishermen via analog phones through an app installed from the official smartphone of the town. Some information includes wind speed, weather and cloud coverage, and sunrise and sunset schedule.
Special features include emergency alerts such as SOS signal and storm alerts.
The team said, "ISDApp is a technology with the most potential to solve a galactic problem by empowering millions of less privileged fishermen with the information they need to have a better life. May the fish be with us."
The team aims to integrate NASA data such as water temperature and aid. They also intend to team up with a telecom company to give more benefits.
