Two decades of humanitarian innovation: In conversation with Patrick Meier

Dr Patrick Meier invented the concept of using crisis mapping in humanitarian emergencies. He is currently Lead, Strategy & Engagement at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Institute of Technology). Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa, Special Advisor at ICT4Peace, engaged in a conversation with Meier recently, tracing over two decades of both knowing each other, and the origins, evolution, and philosophical dimensions of digital humanitarianism. Meier, who helped spawn the field of crisis mapping through mass crowd-sourcing after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, explains the importance of volunteer technical communities in early digital response efforts. According to Meier, the accumulation of knowledge and standard operating procedures within these networks helped drive innovation. However, he emphasises the primacy of human values over tools, noting that technologies change but collective action remains constant. As they discuss the transition from manual mapping to AI-enabled data processing, Meier stresses the need for ethical guidelines and codes of conduct around new technologies like drones. He outlines the broader opportunities in robotics, from medical applications to autonomous boats, while underscoring the importance of engaging young engineers on issues of responsible innovation. Offering perspectives from his extensive experience, Meier advocates learning from robotics expertise in the Global South, rather than assuming Western knowledge is most advanced. He argues for focusing first on developing shared human values and ethics to guide technological progress. This wide ranging conversation between Meier and Hattotuwa offers insights into steering future technologies towards justice, with Meier providing wisdom forged on the frontlines of humanitarian technology to champion moral frameworks over profit-seeking motives. Listen by clicking on the embedded player below or by clicking here. The conversation covers a range of issues related to humanitarian technology, ethics, power structures, and the responsible development and application of innovations like AI and robotics for public good. Themes, topics, and issues covered include, The origins and evolution of crisis mapping, digital humanitarianism, and volunteer technical communities. They discuss how these concepts emerged in the 2000s, with a focus on promoting collective action and mobilizing networks of volunteers to map disasters and crises. The role of technologies like AI and machine learning in humanitarian work and crisis response. They talk about how these technologies have developed over time and can help make sense of large data flows, though ensuring responsible and ethical use remains crucial. The progression of Patrick’s work from drones and UAVs to broader robotics applications for social good. They discuss projects using robotics for disaster response, healthcare, and other domains. The importance of decentralisation, local leadership, inclusion, and shifting power dynamics in humanitarian technology. Patrick explains his decision to step down from a global NGO and work more locally. The need to focus on developing shared human values and principles to guide the use of emerging technologies, rather than just developing the technologies themselves. Patrick emphasizes the role of education in promoting more ethical use of tech. Learning lessons and best practices from the Global South in using technologies like drones for public services. Patrick talks about recognising expertise from outside Europe and not assuming Western knowledge is most advanced. Hattotuwa’s questions focus on tracing the evolution of humanitarian technology, philosophical issues around ethics and values in emerging tech, and Meier’s personal learnings and perspectives from his decades of experience in this space. The enquiry delves into the key developments and most significant transformations in crisis mapping and digital humanitarianism since the field’s inception, a period during which Meier was a pioneering figure. Hattotuwa seeks Meier’s insight on whether the current landscape of crisis mapping and digital humanitarianism aligns with his initial vision. Further, the questions also embrace Meier’s transition from drone technology to a broader spectrum of robotics applications, exploring the lessons drawn from early robotics ventures that influence his ongoing work. Philosophical considerations are raised regarding the utilisation of emergent technologies like AI for social good, especially in the face of prevailing profit-driven motives. The conversation also touches upon the ethical deployment of technologies that Patrick has advocated for, amidst concerns about their potential for misuse. Finally, Meier is prompted to share his philosophical stance on guiding the future trajectory of technologies such as robotics and AI towards a positive direction. Meier’s responses emphasise ethical and responsible development of tech for social good, learning from communities globally, and the critical role of human values in guiding technological progress. Meier underscores the significance of collective action and grassroots mobilisation in the nascent stages of digital humanitarianism, highlighting the crucial role played by volunteer networks in these efforts. He reflects on the accumulation of knowledge, experiences, and the development of standard operating procedures over time within the digital humanitarian community. Meier notes the necessity for crisis mapping and digital humanitarian data to incorporate both temporal and spatial dimensions to effectively discern geographic patterns. He observes the evolution from solely manual, crowdsourced mapping to the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence for handling vast datasets. Meier stresses the need for a code of conduct and ethical guidelines, particularly when deploying new technologies like drones or AI in humanitarian contexts. He also points to the expansive possibilities in robotics, extending beyond drones to include medical and agricultural robots, and autonomous boats. Emphasising the importance of educating young engineers and developers about responsible innovation and ethics in emerging technologies, Meier advocates for a global perspective that values learning from the robotics and technological expertise in the Global South, challenging the assumption of Western knowledge supremacy. He concludes by prioritising the development of shared human values and ethics, not just focusing on the advancement of technologies.