Comments on: Ideas to Toss: Virtual Community Watch. Preserving Earth

By: Sourabh Nirmal

Sourabh Nirmal — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:34:48 +0000

The ideas we are discussing can see the light of the day only if making the setup makes some economic sense.
We can find volunteers and techies ready to put efforts but when it comes to financials we dont see many takers. I will be posting a business plan for the above discussion and request you guys to see if we can have some potential takers for it.

Sourabh

By: Rahul Rao

Rahul Rao — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:11:31 +0000

Vijay, awesome idea. It immediately struck me as something along the lines of Seti@Home. To successfully use distributed computing- (or in this case, human-) power will definitely yield results. We could start with a small proto-type and decide what would work. Are you and your contacts already discussing something like this?

By: Anil

Anil — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 07:16:16 +0000

It’s quite a challenge for a startup, we can do this when we have one huge space and huge number of trees. I will put this system to test with our first Corporate forest. But i’m not sure if we can try with cams,wifis and specially the pipes. There are thousands of unpunishable thieves around.
Open source should help me with the role play.
The next thing would be keep the people interested. Doing this with animals would be great. But with trees are slow for ones lifetime and with not much change people leave !!!! Need more practical changes to the plan.

By: Vijay

Vijay — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:38:24 +0000

Anil,

Let me know how to take this up, I’d be glad to help in anyway. Got a few others who are interested.

As for the wildlife, well, maybe if all of it is online, maybe we can also keep those foresters accountable – but yep, i am aware that they share the spoils Unfortunate, but happens.

By: Anil

Anil — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:58:03 +0000

Hmm that’s a pretty interesting idea, this will bring more customer interactions. But we have planted in very diverse regions, let me check if we can come up with a solution. Role playing is something that will make our site more impressive. Thanks for the idea !!!

BTW i’m not sure if Poacher can be stopped. I once met one the guys in a village close to western ghats.The forest officials themselves are so close to these villages ( they r usually part of the villages). They themselves go hunting,share the hunt n carry it home !!!! With a such a situation I don’t think any tech can save wild.I fear we will end up making jurassic park 12 with tigers n deers.

By: Vijay

Vijay — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:10:04 +0000

Rohitesh, Drip water irrigation is quite cheap stuff, and a device which turns on and off comes to about Rs. 50 – we have them designed in IIT for controlling the valves of metro drinking water.

You just need a camera and a wifi link (which is the extra cost). Look at it however, and the cost works out cheaper.

By: Rohitesh

Rohitesh — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:07:12 +0000

Vijay,

I think the idea has some mettle. But one of the first things that struck me, was the price! Am sorry for being the Devil’s Advocate here, but wouldn’t it be easier to just pay those people more, who water the plants?

Btw, am a techie with some time on my hands. If you want to try out a proto of that system, and are looking for volunteers, I could pitch in.

Cheers,
R

By: labsji

labsji — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:17:42 +0000

Throw in mixed reality games( Say Geocaching treasure hunts) it adds new dimension to the milieu.

Technology can definitely reduce friction and reduce barriers of participation.

Concept Culling and Concept selling to translate these ideas into sustainable biz/volunteer activity is a challenge. At the moment they are ‘Wikipedia’ like: Ideas whose value is counter-intuitive/not very obvious( for shared vision/goal purpose) at the outset.

As an aside, since you mentioned sensors, I think Sensor integration with web and sensor integration with virtual world will be an interesting niche for startup action.