U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is challenging web developers to design an app that uses Twitter to follow health trends in real time. The challenge is called Now Trending - #Health in My Community and runs until June 1, 2012. To win, developers must create an app that is dynamic, user friendly, innovative and scalable, and it must use "open-source Twitter data to deliver a list automatically of the top five trending illnesses over a 24-hour period in a specified geographic region.Winners will receive $21,000 and another $1,000 travel stipend to attend the event that will announce the winner.
According to DHHS, "Health officials may be able to use knowledge of these trends as an
early indicator of emerging health issues and a warning of public health
emergencies in a community." For complete information or to register, visit the challenge website.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers
