Connected Technology for Social Good Magazine

The objective of DECODE (DEcentralised Citizen-Owned Data Ecosystems) is to create tools which will give people ownership of their data. These tools will combine distributed ledger technology and attribute-based cryptography to give the data owner control of how their data is accessed and used. With these tools, data can be shared, on an…[Read more]

In CAPTOR citizens, scientists and environmental organisations collaborate closely to monitor and address ozone pollution in Europe. We aim to establish a monitoring network using low-cost sensors to measure ozone pollution in affected, mostly rural, areas. A collaborative process, mediated by online tools, will stimulate public discussion and…[Read more]

The ASSET project is simplifying how consumers can take care about their attitude while shopping. By giving a purchasing assistant to the consumers in the retail store, consumers are increasingly empowered to buy according to their attitude. The first prototype has just been launched.

Road infrastructure is one of the most valuable assets of a country: its management and maintenance impacts the environment, private and public citizen mobility, development opportunities, and quality of life in several ways. The CROWD4ROADS project tackles the sustainability issues of passenger transportation on roads by raising their awareness…[Read more]

Making Sense has developed and deployed various open source sensors, including Waag Society’s BORA sensor and the Smart Citizen Kit version 1.5 by the Institute of Advanced Architecture in Catalonia. These sensors enable citizens to capture data to better understand their living environments, have informed discussions about environmental issues…[Read more]

Combining community wireless networks with FLOSS software allows for citizens to build their own hybrid, digital and physical, spaces and design them together to foster collective awareness, social cohesion, and conviviality. Because of the complexity of the task and the unfair competition with global platforms like Google and Facebook, toolkits…[Read more]

Treating network infrastructure as a commons provides the means, and a key opportunity, for citizens to claim ownership, governance and design of the digital technology that mediates their everyday life. The netCommons CAPS project draws lessons and best practices from established Community Networks, develops tools and guidelines to enhance their…[Read more]

Air pollution is an interesting issue: it is complex and (mostly) invisible, yet it is the environmental problem Europeans worry about the most. Up to recently, information about current air pollution was only available through the respective environmental agencies. As they are opening their data, better air quality information platforms are…[Read more]

Conventional approaches to online trust often rely on reputation scores derived from user ratings and feedback. But when a digital space is intended to promote a commonfare approach to developing the social good and improving the lives of the new precariat, such systems may be at odds with the underlying moral and philosophical principles, as well…[Read more]