Technology for Change: Rhiza Labs

Rhiza Labs is a Pittsburgh-based company focused on developing web-based software to help customers organize, decipher and publish data. This business prides itself in serving a variety of customers- from governmental agencies to non-profit organizations- in ways that encourage better understanding of information, and subsequently lead to better decision-making. Singlebrook has elected Rhiza Labs as part of our “Technology for Change” campaign; more specifically, we would like to highlight the company’s use of Rhiza Insight tools to preserve the rainforest and save the Surui territory of Brazil. The article below was originally posted here.

The Amazon Conservation Team and Rhiza Insight: Saving the Rainforest and Protecting the Surui Territory

Illegal logging threatens the lands of Brazil’s Surui people. Using Rhiza Insight, the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) and the Surui people are launching a response. The Surui Carbon Project aims to calculate the amount of carbon stored in the Surui’s rainforest lands. Once this number is ascertained, the Surui can trade in the global carbon market. Since most Surui live in poverty, this will bring the tribe much-needed income. Furthermore, it will conserve the Surui homeland by giving the Surui a financial incentive to thwart illegal loggers. The Surui Carbon Project is a radical new model for international development and environmental protection, based on Rhiza technology.

Using rugged handheld devices, scientists and Surui document trees, clearings, plant density, and more. The devices guide non-technical users to create high-quality data. When Internet access is available, the devices sync with the ACT’s instance of Rhiza Insight. Scientists then review the data for accuracy and evaluate it to measure stored carbon. The Surui use this data to tell the story of their tribe and the issues it faces. They then make visualizations in Rhiza Insight to share with others, and export them to Google Earth tours to create striking 3-D presentations. These presentations inform government officials seeking to curb illegal logging. They also help scientists to evaluate the Surui’s role in the global carbon market. Finally, they give the Surui a voice in telling their own story.

How do they do it?

1. Capture data

Surui, ACT researchers, and conservation scientists take to the field with rugged handheld devices. These devices guide user sto photohraph field conditions and document key information. The devices feature intuitive user interfaces, designed by Rhiza’s team of human-computer interaction specialists. These interfaces guide non-technical users to create high-quality data.

2. Visualize and Analyze

When Internet access is available, the phones sync with Rhiza Insight. The high-quality structured data collected on the ground automatically appends to previously collected data. Conservation scientists and Surui advocates then examine the data. They use Rhiza Insight to quickly and easily create intuitive visualizations. They compare these visualizations with satellite imagery to identify illegal logging and evaluate the Surui people’s role in the global carbon market.

3. Share

The visualizations create an irrefutable depiction of current forest conditions and their implications for the Surui people. These depictions motivate government officials to take action. They also help scientists to evaluate the impact of Surui lands on the global environment. The Surui use these visualizations to communicate their story to the world.

Conclusion

With Rhiza Insight, the Surui can better protect their land by documenting and communicating their story. As part of the Surui Carbon Project, Insight supports scientific research, cultural resource documentation, and enforcement of logging restrictions. The Surui Carbon Project is another example of Rhiza leading the charge toward making mobile data collection, analysis and visualization accessible to anyone, regardless of training.


Please continue to follow Singlebrook's Technology for Change (T4C) campaign here on our blog, and also on Twitter under #SinglebrookT4C. We encourage you to use this hashtag to share any instances of T4C you've discovered as well!