IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)
Technology for the Benefit of Humanity // Villanova University, USA / October 23-26, 2024

Tutorials Announced for GHTC 2017

The GHTC 2017 Committee is pleased to announce the Tutorial Program:

  • “Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled Water Quality Testing and Analysis”
  • “High Quality, Low Cost Education with the Raspberry Pi”

Registration for the tutorials is found with GHTC registration at: http://2017.ieeeghtc.org/registration-0

Tutorial: “Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled Water Quality Testing and Analysis”

Abstract:

The U.N. estimates that by 2025, forty-eight nations, with combined populations of 2.8 billion, will face freshwater scarcity. Fifty percent of worldwide groundwater is unsuitable for drinking because of pollution and only about .007% of the water on earth is accessible for human use. Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. Children in polluted environments often carry about 1,000 parasitic worms in their bodies at any time. The recent reports indicate that the diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water are increasing and causing more than 3.4 million deaths each year among human beings worldwide, also the increasing water pollution is becoming a big threat to water habitat. The proposed tutorial provides two parts of the program. The first part covers the basic principles of Internet of Things (IoT), design, infrastructure, connectivity and the core concepts of IoT such as sensing, processing and reporting the data to the cloud. The second part describes the implementation, prototype and few use cases. The attendees will learn various types of IoT hardware such as Intel and ARM mBed family, Sensor connectivity protocols including UART, GPIO and I2C. The instructor will also cover topics on Cloud platform and Analytics. In this workshop, the Cloud technologies explained are AWS IoT, IBM Bluemix, Microsoft Azure and GE Predix. At the end, the audience will have an opportunity to witness few demonstrations on analytics.

Tutorial: “High Quality, Low Cost Education with the Raspberry Pi”

Abstract:

The authors will use experience derived from authoring two tutorial style books on the use of the Raspberry Pi Zero and Raspberry Pi single board computers (SBCs), in helping people learn programming in Python and implement practical projects to present a practical tutorial on using the Pi Zero, a low cost solution designed specifically for educational purposes. Low cost kits are provided, specifically for education, by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in conjunction with Google. These kits and modifications for optimal educational outcomes, and an enriched experience will be briefly discussed. The tutorial will consist of examples of projects and code samples that can be quickly adapted for various learning situations. A hardware list or BOM, populated and optimized for cost and effective learning will be provided. The Raspberry Pi family and Arduino Family can also be used for education, as alternates, or in combination with the Raspberry Pi Zero and the differences will be highlighted and discussed. Numerous, continuously evolving web resources as well as crowdfunded hardware implementations are available, and the method of adapting them into educational settings will be briefly discussed.

 

2017 Global Humanitarian Technology Solutions Challenge

GHTC 2017 will feature the first Global Humanitarian Technology Solutions Challenge.

The United Nations Development Program identified seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global call for action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 2017 Global Humanitarian Technology Solutions Challenge was developed to focus on Goal 12.3.

Goal 12:  End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Section 3:  Decrease by half the per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.

The solution can address any element or issue that relates to Section 3.  That includes, but is not limited to, the food supply and production chain including crop production, processing, post-harvest losses, retail distribution, consumer use and lost product.

The project solution can be developed by individuals or by a Solutions Challenge Team.  To be eligible to enter the GHTC Solutions Challenge, at least one team members must be an IEEE member in good standing at the time that the entry is submitted.

The competition runs from March 1st, 2017 to September 12th, 2017.

For details on the competition and how to participate, see the GHTC 2017 site and the Solutions Challenge page.

 

GHTC 2017 Call for Papers

San Jose, CA  – February 15, 2017 – Today the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) Committee announced the 2017 Call For Papers. The seventh annual GHTC will take place in San Jose, California, USA, October 19– 22, 2017.

Organized by IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society with over 400,000 members in over 160 countries, IEEE GHTC is where multiple disciplines interact to identify, create and advance technology to benefit humanity. It is the perfect venue for those interested in humanitarian projects to join their peers in Silicon Valley.

GHTC invites presenters to showcase innovation and progress in technology and methodology addressing the socio-cultural and socio-economic needs of vulnerable and resource-constrained end-user communities in developing and developed countries, as well as confronting the challenges of both natural and man-made disasters.

Key focus areas that are particularly relevant include (but are not limited to):

  • Poverty Alleviation
  • Healthcare
  • Agriculture & Food Security
  • Quality Education
  • Affordable & Clean Energy
  • Clean Water & Sanitation
  • Connectivity & Communication
  • Humanitarian Challenges & Opportunities
  • Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness, Response & Recovery
  • Other United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Visit the GHTC 2017 website, www.ieeeghtc.org for details on the Call for Papers,  abstract submission and timelines.

 

GHTC 2016 Registration open and preliminary program and keynote speakers

SEATTLE (Washington) (29 August 2016) – The 6th IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) has announced its preliminary program and keynote speakers.

IEEE’s Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) brings together individuals and organizations who want to make a difference by applying technology based solutions to natural disasters and needs of the socioeconomically disadvantaged in developing countries. IEEE GHTC is the place to be whether you have experience to share, are looking for opportunities to contribute and collaborate, or simply want to better understand global development and humanitarian work. Celebrating its 6th anniversary, this year’s conference is dedicated to “Advancing Technology for Humanity”, focusing on key areas including energy, health, disaster management, connectivity, agriculture, and education.

Join us in Seattle, WA, USA October 13-16, 2016 as we discuss how technology can:

  • Enable healthcare delivery and provide power and communications in developing countries
  • Provide clean water, provide sanitation and improve crop yields
  • Improve the timeliness and effectiveness of disaster response
  • Assist with training and build capacity needed to improve the standard of living

Continue reading →

Seeking Applicants for GHTC 2017 Conference Organizing Committee

The GHTC Advisory Board is calling for applications for leadership positions for its Premier Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) 2017. These key positions will be responsible for shaping and guiding the success of the 2017 conference which will be held in October 2017 in Silicon Valley.

This is an amazing and rewarding opportunity to work with a global group of humanitarians to help the undeserved populations of the world.

Familiarity with GHTC or other humanitarian conferences is a plus but not required.  Please see the following descriptions for the qualifications and skills required for each leadership role.

Conference Chair Position Description – Must be Region 6 IEEE Member
Conference Vice Chair Position Description
Program Chair Position Description
Treasurer Position Description – Must be Region 6 IEEE Member

Application submission should be made here:
https://ieeeghtc.org/committee-contacts/committee-positions/

The deadline is 15 June 2016.

NOTE: If you are not interested in one of the leadership roles, but have applicable experience and are interested in one of the other organizing committee roles, you can specify this information on the submission web site.

For more information on the GHTC conference its mission and objectives please go to the conference website www.ieeeghtc.org. You can also email the GHTC Advisory Board for questions or more information at GHTC-Advisors@ieee.org.

Call for Papers Extended

The deadline for the GHTC 2016 Call for Papers Abstracts and Proposals has been extended from April 18 to May 16.

See the CFP page for details and the Author Central for submission instructions.

Note: Abstracts submitted by the April 18 deadline are being reviewed and notification of acceptances will be sent by May 2 or as soon as the individual abstract reviews are completed. Abstracts submitted after April 18 are intended to be reviewed as they come in, with notification made once review is s complete.

 

GHTC 2016 Call for Papers

GHTC 2016 BannerGHTC 2016 Releases Call for Papers

Join your peers in Seattle, WA on October 13-16, 2016

 

Call for Papers (Download CFP PDF here.)
Abstract or Proposal Due: April 18 MAY 16, 2016

Seattle – February 15, 2016 – Today the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) Committee announced the 2016 Call For Papers. The sixth annual GHTC will take place in Seattle, Washington, USA, October 13– 16th 2016.

Organized by IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society with over 400,000 members in over 160 countries, IEEE GHTC is where multiple disciplines interact to identify, create and advance technology to benefit humanity. It is the perfect venue for those interested in humanitarian projects to join their peers in Seattle. The conference will feature interactive sessions where attendees can share best practices and lessons learned that complement the workshops, panels, case studies, keynote speakers, posters, and technical presentations. Refer to the Call for Papers  or visit the GHTC website, www.ieeeghtc.org for details on abstract submission and timelines.

We encourage those from academia, for-profit and non-profit businesses, governmental and non-governmental organizations to submit proposals and papers; to gather together in Seattle; and to discuss how technology can benefit the resource-constrained and vulnerable populations in the world as well as improve disaster response. GHTC’s unique focus on humanitarian technology provides visibility and recognition for humanitarian work and projects. Its interactive nature provides a fertile environment for identifying resources, ideas, collaborators, and potential partners or investors.

Authors may submit the initial abstract for a paper or poster presentation; or a proposal for a case study, panel discussion, and workshop. We especially encourage the inclusion of case studies and topics that are appropriate for interactive sessions. Submission of a full paper is required after initial abstract acceptance. All submissions require an abstract for initial review and acceptance submitted online, and following the author guidelines at www.ieeeghtc.org/author-central.

Submission Schedule:

April 18
May 16
 Abstract or proposal submission deadline
June 30
 Draft paper submission for review
August 15 Final copy-ready paper submission deadline

 

The IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference is sponsored by IEEE Region 6, IEEE Oregon Section, IEEE Seattle Section, IEEE-USA and IEEE Society for Social Implications of Technology; with the following IEEE Technical Society sponsors:  Consumer Electronics (CES), Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBS), Power & Energy (PES), and Microwave Theory and Techniques (MTTS).

Revised 18-April-16

Announcing IEEE Region 6 Humanitarian Engineering Project Award

The annual IEEE Region 6 Humanitarian Engineering Project Award recognizes outstanding humanitarian engineering projects completed within the past 12 months from the deadline of submission.

Entries may be submitted by individual IEEE members or collaborative groups with at least one IEEE member in the team from Region 6. IEEE student branches are especially encouraged to submit award application for their completed projects. Submission deadline for 2016 is July 1, 2016.

The award will be given at GHTC 2016, and the award winner will be invited to participate in one of the conference panel discussions/presentations. The award winner will receive a $500 honorarium, given at GHTC, and some financial assistance to attend GHTC 2016.

For submission format and requirements and judging criteria, see https://ieeeghtc.org/contests-central/annual-humanitarian-engineering-project-award/.

 

GHTC 2015 Proceedings Published – Open Access

The GHTC 2015 Committee is pleased to announce that the GHTC 2015 Conference Proceedings are now available as Open Access from IEEE Xplore.

The portal page for GHTC Conference Proceedings is http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome.jsp?punumber=1800598

The GHTC 2015 Proceedings can be accessed at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=7331577

All GHTC 2015 papers are accessible as Open Access (e.g. no fee/subscription required).