HHS issues open source health trend challenge to app developers

Federal officials are challenging developers to design Web-based applications that use Twitter to track health trends in real time. 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. The online challenge runs through June 1, 2012.

To win the challenge, the application must be innovative, scalable, dynamic, and user-friendly. The app 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. The application must be able to send the data to state and local health agencies. These agencies, in turn, can cross-reference the data with traditional biosurveillance systems, build a baseline of trends, determine emerging public health threats, and advise the public on how to protect their health.