Aquahack: For a water-smart society of the future
Live blog
Welcome to Aquahack.
This is Azerbaijan’s first-ever virtual water-themed hackathon aiming to crowdsource tech solutions to water challenges, launched by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and UNDP in partnership with Hackathon Azerbaijan.
We invited innovators, developers, companies, civil society organizations and all citizens passionate about water issues to come up with tech ideas and solutions that can help pave the way towards a smart water society.
In only 2 weeks, we received 328 applications and over the next 48 hours, teams will be unlocking their creativity to come up with digital solutions to water challenges.
Follow this blog for live updates.
3 July 2020
16:00
Welcome address by Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev
Video address by UNDP Resident Representative Alessandro Fracassetti
17:00
“If you can engage a community, give them education, and bring out the entrepreneurial spirit in them, they will get empowered. I hope you come up with some fantastic solutions during this hackathon that will help make the world a little bit better than it is right now.” — Motivational speech by Hira Wajahat
18:00
Rashad Aliyev from Hackathon Azerbaijan explains the rules of the game to the teams.
19:00
And now it’s time to meet the teams!
Team #1 will work on a device to measure the minimum water needs of different plants to help ensure effective irrigation planning that saves on water.
Team #2 will use sensors and data to measure water quality.
Team #3 will be exploring innovative ways to turn wastewater into drinking water.
Team #4 will build an information website on all water-related issues.
Team #5 will use humidity sensors to introduce water-saving automatic irrigation for plants.
Team #6 will combine sensors with Raspberry Pi chatbots to ensure more rational use of water.
Team #7 will prototype an automated water management irrigation system based on artificial intelligence.
Team #8 will work on predicting monthly water use to maximize the lifetime of water sources.
Team #9 will be working on a web application for flood forecasting.
Team #10 will work on a device that measures soil moisture and provides real-time info on irrigation needs for all plant types to reduce the use of water.
Team #11 will help users track their water bills through a mobile app that also gives advice on how to cut down on bills.
Team #12 will build an open source application that shares real-time info on the status of rivers, lakes and water sources.
Team #13 will work on a smart automated irrigation system that uses data from air-humidity sensors to help inform water-saving irrigation decisions.
Team #14 will focus on ensuring more efficient use of rainwater in residential buildings and farms through water-sensitive sensors.
Team #15 will introduce ‘smart irrigation’ to minimize the consumption of water used in agriculture.
Team #16 will create a web-based app for analysing water consumption throughout the country in real-time.
Team #17 will develop a programme that determines optimal irrigation based on types of plants.
Team #18 will work on an app with a database of plants and a water-consumption calculator, connecting it with Arduino sensors and generating monthly financial reports.
Team #19 is working on a system for automatizing irrigation.
Team #20 is taking a deep dive into machine learning to help optimize water supply infrastructure.
Team 21 is developing an app that will help people track how much water they use in real-time while also providing regular updates on depleted water resources.
Team #22 is working on a novel procedure to extract fresh water from seawater by using alternative energy sources.
Team #23 is developing a monitoring tool for water consumption on a daily basis, tracking bills and debts.
Team #24 is developing a system that will help obtain real-time info on the current status of rivers, lakes, groundwater and reservoirs.
Team #25 is working on an app that will allow each user to enter a code and track use of water on a monthly basis and receive bonuses based on savings.
Team #26 is developing a mobile app and a website that will make irrigation in agriculture more efficient.
Team #27 is working a device designed to irrigate green areas by collecting water released as a result of condensation processes.
Team #28 is working on an AI based mobile app that will help save water used for irrigation purposes.
Team #29 is working on a platform to increase more rational use of water through education.
Team #30 is developing both hardware and software to keep users continuously informed about their water consumption.
Team #31 is working on a tech product that will help farmers make more informed decisions about using water in the fields.
Team #32 is developing a system to help water users keep track of their water bills.
Team #33’s product will provide regular advice to users on how to save water.
Team #34 is working on an IoT-based device, which indicates when and how much water is used.
Team #35 will be prototyping a product that will help inform users how to access water in emergency situations
Team #36 is helping to create a platform that will help register water issues immediately based on users’ reports.
Team #37 is working on a mobile app for farmers with latest information on water news.
Team #38 is working on a device that will help calculate the amount of water required by plants and soil.
It’s time for the pitching session!
And the winners are:
1st place: Team ‘Arducoman’ for a novel procedure to extract fresh water from seawater by using alternative energy sources.
2nd place: Team ‘Aquahackermaks’ for an IoT-based device, which indicates when and how much water is used.
3rd place: Team ‘Satetlite’ for ‘smart irrigation’ to minimize the consumption of water used in agriculture.
Honorable mentions:
4th place: Team ‘Conwat’ for a device designed to irrigate green areas by collecting water released as a result of condensation processes.
5th place: Team ‘Lily’ for ensuring more efficient use of rainwater in residential buildings and farms through water-sensitive sensors.
