Big data analytics is the practice of using advanced analytical thinking and techniques against enormous and varied datasets. In a nutshell, Fleetyr is a big data analytics business. We collect big fleet-based datasets, push these various datasets together, and then give fleet managers analytical-based dashboards to make decisions.
Big Data Analytics is an area of technology that can be shaped and optimised into different solutions for almost any necessity. Unfortunately, we only tend to hear about the worst of data analytics (Facebook’s machines are probably trying to work out what to send me and you right now based on this article). In general, big data analytics is used for good. The whole purpose is to find ways to optimise your business, association, government, product, or yourself through the efficiencies found in those humungous and diverse datasets.
We have found several big data projects going one step further to the usual optimisation, by adding an extra column of warm and fuzzy goodness.
Saving Tigers from illegal poaching
In 2014, India’s Tiger population had dwindled to 1200. A significant contribution to this was the illegal poaching industry. It turns out in some cultures, there is a high demand for tiger bones in traditional medicine. In 2015, some brilliant ecological warriors published a study in Biological Conservation, outlining the data behind poaching tigers over the last 4 decades in India. The team analysed over 25,000 data points across 40years and 605 locations. The analysis identified poaching hotspots that were unknown by authorities and found that poachers preferred to use rail systems to travel to these hotspots. This gave authorities a much better understanding of how and where to concentrate their efforts. As of 2019, the population of Tigers in India has more than doubles to 1923.
According to the World Economic Forum, Wildlife trafficking is the fourth most lucrative illegal business globally (generates somewhere between $AUS 10-35 Billion every year). Let’s hope we see more extensive data analysis like the above shortly.
Google helping to fight Malaria epidemics in Africa
Despite your thoughts on the biggest search engine in the world, this was one where they actually followed their old motto of “Do the right thing.” This motto was removed in 2018, so I am unsure if this big data analytics project is still run by Google. Still, the organisation Malaria No More is going from strength to strength with it estimated they will eliminate Malaria from 11 countries by 2021.
The cash google donated to Malaria No More (MNM) used to partner with Sproxil. This Nigerian business provides a consumer product verification service to help consumers avoid purchasing counterfeit products. This was a super-intelligent play as Sproxil would know from their userbase were in Nigeria, Malaria is occurring and how it is being treated. Some careful analysis gave the MNM Team the ability to find locations of outbreaks or where they can increase or start education programs.
Access to safe drinking water
The Global Water Challenge (GWC) is a community of organisations that, since 2006, have been committed to universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The GWC set up the Water Point Data Exchange to help them hit their ambitious goals by offering a global platform for sharing water point data. As of 2021, 54 countries have shared over 577803 datasets, of which anyone can access and help GWC analyse the data. The data available has enabled GWC to create advanced analytical tools that help countries and organisations measure, predict, and find their priorities for building a safer and more effective water and sanitation program.
Data For Good
The majority of these projects came from the Data for Good Movement. Data for good projects use data and data science to help Non-profits better reach their mission. As much as we would like to think about it, Data analytics cannot save the world. It can certainly help direct those that can make a change, though. Organisations like DataKind, Community Technology Alliance, and Data for Good are uniting communities, causes, data analysts and scientists for the greater good. At Fleetyr, we know the power fleet and automotive data has to find ways to improve the world, not just operations.
Give us a buzz if you have any ideas or projects – We would love to be a part of it.
