SMALL PRINT:IT'S THE app that could put local politicians out of business. Street Bump is a new smartphone application currently being tested in Boston.
The app works by using a phone’s accelerometer sensor (which works out the movement and speed of a device) to detect a pothole while a user is driving. The phone’s GPS would then send data pinpointing the location of the hole to a city council source who would collate the data and figure out where they have to fix potholes. The city of Boston spends more than $2 million a year filling potholes.
Now Bostonians are being encouraged to come forward with ways to improve the app and develop algorithms to make it work properly (with a $25,000 reward for their troubles). Boston is aiming to use groundbreaking yet simple technology to improve the lives of it residents, although it’s unclear as yet how much useful data Street Bump will yield. The idea came from New Urban Mechanics, a team of software engineers that works with the city of Boston to develop civic innovation through apps and software. They hope that a greater pool of more accurate data will make it easier for city officials to cover up cracks and holes in the streets fast and in amore cost-efficient way.
New Urban Mechanics previously developed an app for Boston called Citizens Connect which allowed citizens to take photos of antisocial behaviour and graffiti and send it on to a central source to be addressed. So far, the Street Bump app has been downloaded 1,000 times on Android phones for testing.
