The document discusses how big data can potentially save lives through various applications like predicting disease outbreaks, responding to natural disasters more effectively, preventing crime, and managing urban growth. However, it also notes that Google Flu Trends overestimated flu levels in the US 100 out of 108 weeks when compared to CDC data. The document raises questions about whether privacy concerns are preventing healthcare advances and if companies are more interested in individual health data for commercial purposes rather than public good.

1. Can Big Data save lives?
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12th September, 2014
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2. “Right now we don’t data-mine
health care data. If we did we’d
probably save 100,000 lives next year.”
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Larry Page, Evil Genius / Google Co-Founder
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3. Google Flu Trends
Uses searches made to predict the forthcoming
influenza cases in the US.
Unfortunately, Google Flu Trends over estimated flu levels
100 out of 108 weeks when compared with figures from the US
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centres for disease control.
Professor David Lanzer, Northeastern University, Boston.

4. Are concerns over privacy preventing
developments in healthcare?
Or are companies like Google trying to garner
more information around individual health and
fitness via wearables and apps in order to put
this information to use commercially?
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5. Can Big Data save lives?
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In natural disasters?

7. Preventative: Ice Storms, New Orleans
For the first time, federal officials scoured Medicare health insurance
claims to identify potentially vulnerable people and share their names
with local public health authorities for outreach during emergencies
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and disaster drills.
Kidney dialysis patients were advised to seek early treatment because
clinics would be closing. Others who rely on breathing machines at home
were told how to find help if the power went out.

8. Post Disaster: Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines
Within hours of land fall, engineers had integrated data
from satellite imagery, weather data, geospacial data on key
infrastructure, relief resources, reports from news agencies and
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data from mobile devices.
From Singapore, they could make initial damage estimates and
determine the hardest hit areas and deploy resources accordingly.

9. torque
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By preventing crime?
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10. By integrating numerous public safety , open source and
proprietary data systems some cities in the US have
comprehensive views and rich insights into criminal activity.
These insights then inform investigations into past crime and
help form operations to disrupt and dismantle violent networks.
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11. By managing urbanisation?
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12. As millions move into cities, governments are struggling to
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expand sustainably.
NYC has introduced DataBridge, a Data warehouse that links
departments such as buildings, finance, city planning, consumer
affairs and fire and health.
e.g. the Department of Sanitation analyse historical complaints
and response data to improve planning for future events, such as
the upcoming snow season.

13. Are there ways in which we can work
with local or regional government to
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assist in planning against:
Bush fires?
Flooding?
Criminal Activity?
Inadequate City Planning?

14. Thank
You.