The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged ambulance services like never before. First RESPonse was created to help professionals respond to emergency calls more rapidly through enhanced technology. With support by ESA Space Solutions, the system developed in a Demonstration Project streamlined communication and information sharing throughout the chain of response and reduced call-to-hospital times for patients by up to 17%. 

During the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency call centres experienced extremely high rates of urgent medical calls. Coordination of the ambulance response was challenging and made more complex by the changing landscape of medical resources; hospitals were filling up, and temporary emergency facilities were opening.

The First RESPonse (First Rapid Emergency System against Pandemic) project launched in Italy in July 2020, with the aim to improve coordination of the entire process of a medical emergency request: from a patient’s distress call to the point of hospitalisation. 

The project brought together two major players in European emergency service software and telecommunications: GINA Software and Beta 80. Forming a new consortium, the companies achieved complete integration of their products and – supported by ESA – incorporated space technology for enhanced geolocation accuracy and communication coverage. 

Digital links for a faster chain

First RESPonse digitally connects each link in the emergency chain of response. It begins with an app on a citizen’s smartphone, through which they can call for help, see when help has been dispatched and when it is due to arrive. Ambulance dispatchers in the call centre have a constant digital connection to their crews via a workstation. They can keep them updated on the scene and patient’s condition, and the status of the nearest hospital facilities. First responders have a tablet through which they receive up-to-date information about the patient, automatic SatNav to their location and can video consult with a doctor from the field. They can also scan the patient’s ID card so that receiving hospitals know who is coming in, as well as seeing when they are expected. 

The system was piloted by selected ambulance services in Italy and the Czech Republic and used in almost 9,000 incidents. In this pilot project, First RESPonse accelerated the pre-hospital chain by between 12 and 17%. 

Arnaud Runge, Medical Engineer at ESA said: “In a medical emergency every minute counts. Cutting the time it takes an ambulance to reach a critically ill patient, and to get them to hospital, can make a life-saving difference. We’re proud to have enhanced First RESPonse with space technology.”

From pandemic to systemic

Following the successful completion of the pilot, First RESPonse is being promoted to emergency services more widely in Italy and the Czech Republic – where GINA and Beta 80 have most of their customers – and beyond.

The system has been gaining interest at the major international events for emergency services: the European Emergency Number Association Conference and INTERSCHUTZ 2022. 

Martin Ingr from GINA said: “The products and services that were created during the project are aimed to remain sustainable also after the pandemic is overcome. Our goal is that the problems solved through the First RESPonse project become part of the standard operation procedure. The system can be used again against this or other pandemics, during the response to disasters such as earthquakes, as well as improving daily operations of emergency services.”

Being a smart cyclist is far easier when you know somewhere well enough to pick a route that suits you. But once you leave an area you are familiar with, choosing the ideal route can be difficult. Beeline aims to tackle that, making bike journeys safer and more enjoyable with its new Velo 2 device, which uses a combination of space data and crowd-sourced information to provide a selection of route options for each trip.

The best journey in any vehicle is not always the fastest. It may not be the most direct either. Instead, what you consider the ‘best’ route on any given day will depend on a range of parameters, such as your vehicle, your confidence, your familiarity with the area and how urgently you need to get somewhere. This is especially true for cyclists, who not only have access to routes which are inaccessible to motorised vehicles, but who may also prefer to avoid larger roads, even if they are more direct. 

London-based Beeline set out to solve this dilemma by combining satellite Earth observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) location data with feedback from cyclists in a mobile phone app (iOS and Android) as part of an ESA Demonstration Project. The app is linked via Bluetooth to a small device attached to the bike’s handlebars, which provides directions. Beeline has now launched a new enhanced version of its Velo device and app as it expands into new territories. 

Smart cycling with GNSS and EO data

The Velo 2 uses the GNSS data from the user’s phone to ensure that it supplies the correct guidance on when to turn, according to the route chosen by the cyclist from the ones provided on the app at the outset of their journey. Directions are provided via an LCD display on the top of the Velo 2.

Among the EO data sources used for the app are digital elevation models from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) which, along with other EO data, are initially used to predict road characteristics. This function is enhanced over time as more and more Velo users travel along each road, as the device also features buttons where users can rate segments of the route they deem to be positive or negative for cycling, based on their individual judgement. This Velo data is then analysed together with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to further characterise the quality of the road and improve the overall mapping. This means that every Beeliner around the world plays a part in building better routes.

The Beeline Cycle Routing ESA Demonstration Project started in November 2018 and finished in July 2021. As part of this phase, the team measured journey satisfaction using its app against those proposed by Google and found that Beeline sent users on 67% fewer ‘bad’ roads, with an average journey duration increase of only 6%. Beeline routes were clearly skewed towards cycleways and minor roads.

“The support provided by ESA during the Demonstration Project was vital in order to enable us to develop and test the service, and incorporate the space-derived data, without which our routing system simply wouldn’t work,” said Tom Putnam, Co-Founder of Beeline. “We could have tried to make this work just by using feedback from cyclists. However, we’d need an enormous amount of road rating data to cover every street in all the geographies we aim to cover which would be unattainable. By applying AI to the GNSS based road rating alongside existing Earth observation data we can achieve the coverage we need.”

Supported by an ESA Kick-Start activity, LiveEO has developed a satellite data-based service to monitor ground deformation. The project will support environmental and operational safety across the supply chain for the oil and gas industry, from production to distribution and storage.

Oil and gas supplies are dependent on multiple factors, including the stability of the ground wherever oil or gas is being stored or transported. In March 2021, LiveEO started assessment and development of an end-to-end solution for monitoring ground deformation for the entire value chain of the industry, based on interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) satellite data combined with artificial intelligence (AI). The aim was to help the industry ensure safety across its assets by providing an early warning system that could inform maintenance or safety actions.  

Providing actionable insights

Founded in 2017, LiveEO has a background in using Earth observation (EO) data to provide a range of services to operators of large-scale infrastructure, such as railways, electricity grids and pipelines. It combines data analysis with risk analysis to create actionable insights on aspects such as vegetation management, detection of construction activity and ground deformation monitoring —  all of which present challenges for reasons that include climate change and environmental factors.

With this Kick-Start activity, co-funded by ESA, LiveEO’s team used its experience in servicing pipeline customers to explore the feasibility of a holistic, end-to-end solution for ground deformation monitoring. The investigation included risk models that quantify the risk to specific assets resulting from ground deformation and how the insights could be delivered to customers and integrated into their processes to create automatic triggers. 

The LiveEO team analysed the opportunities through surveys of more than 50 companies and countries, including existing clients in the pipeline industry, as well as researching the broader landscape. Initial data came from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, which will be enriched by higher resolution StripMap and SpotLight SAR imagery from Capella Space or ICEYE satellites to investigate any anomalies that have been detected.

Sven Przywarra, the Co-CEO and co-founder of LiveEO said: “The Kick-Start activity enabled LiveEO to validate a business case in a unique setting, and also created an environment that allowed our business development team to take the right steps from a business idea to product development. The combination of guidance, support and clear goal setting from ESA was greatly appreciated, because it gave us the entrepreneurial freedom necessary for the exploration of new ideas paired with acquiring a depth of knowledge similar to a classic research project."

The increasing need for ground deformation insights

The requirement for such insights results from an increasing number of oil wells, pipelines, storage facilities and other oil and gas related infrastructure exceeding their original lifespans. This is leading to more complex maintenance for operators and increased risks that impact both the industry itself and the surrounding environment and communities. One of the major sources of risk is ground deformation due to industrial operations or natural seismic activity. Where infrastructure and assets span large areas, these risks can be very difficult to measure and dangerous trends can go undetected. 

Traditional monitoring methods, such as land surveying or sensors and drones, can only give a partial picture. Satellites enable monitoring of deformation trends across entire countries with weekly update intervals —  something that would be prohibitively expensive or even impossible via other means. InSAR data delivers deformation values at individual pixel levels, allowing the identification of trends over long periods of time; this can be supplemented with historical data.

The company is currently developing the AI side of the project, with the aim of completing development by the end of 2022. The plan is then to undertake a demonstration project and have a marketable subscription service ready by the end of the following year. 

ASPIRE with ESA has revealed the latest five companies who will receive funding for new and innovative projects. All five are committed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework, and all are supported by ESA’s Initial Support for Innovation, a new ESA contractual scheme providing funds for projects run independently by companies or institutes themselves in a much faster way than traditional procurement.

The third cohort of companies to receive backing from ASPIRE with ESA has been announced. Selected from a highly competitive shortlist of 11, all five – Geomatys, LiveGreen, Monava, AgreedEarth and CarbonFarm – will now receive funding through ESA’s Initial Support for Innovation (EISI).

EISI is described as a “more agile and responsive way for companies and institutes to access ESA programmes”. Effectively companies are awarded a grant allowing them the freedom to spend the funding as they see fit. Companies do not have to undergo a formal reporting process although an ESA official will loosely oversee the project as it develops. This autonomy allows for a greater degree of innovation.

One current requirement that ASPIRE with ESA stipulates, however, is that all projects comply with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Framework, an extensive list of objectives including sustainable cities and communities, reduced inequalities, climate action, quality education and gender equality.

“All five companies selected are committed to achieving these goals,” says Gonzalo Martin de Mercado, Business Development Officer at ESA. “ASPIRE with ESA carefully curated the applications and are pleased to offer all the successful candidates direct access to our technology and business expertise. We are looking forward to working with all of them.”

The first of the five, Geomatys, is a French geospatial intelligence and IT development company. Its analytics technology provides a forecasting and alert system for infectious diseases, especially those prompted by changes in the environment. It aims to bring together industry and governmental health authorities using its decision-making platform so they can work closer together to prepare for when outbreaks occur. The SDGs the project is linked to are good health and wellbeing, and climate action.

LiveGreen is based in Sardinia, Italy. It was founded in 2017 with the intention of becoming a market leader in microalgae production. It produces spirulina algae, the protein of which can be used to create a powdered substitute for meat, soybean, and pea flour. Its Breathing Buildings for Sustainability pitch to ESA aims to reduce the impact of buildings in urban areas. It uses carbon dioxide produced in the building to grow microalgae for various environmental applications. The SDGs addressed are affordable and clean energy, and sustainable cities and communities.

Swedish company Monava specialises in sound and vibration, specifically used in early warning systems. Its pitch suggested using this expertise for monitoring avalanches and landslides in mountainous regions. Sensors collect data and when key information is received local authorities can be notified of the impending threat, closing roads, railways and alerting people at risk. The SDGs covered are decent work and economic growth, and sustainable cities and communities.

AgreedEarth is a UK startup using satellite data to promote sustainable farming practices. The company intends to use its EISI funding to help farmers reduce their reliance on nitrogen fertilisers which release nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Satellite data identifies areas where levels are high and provides this information to agronomists. Like Monava, the SDGs addressed are decent work and economic growth, and sustainable cities and communities.

The last of the five, France-based CarbonFarm, is committed to decarbonisation. Agriculture represents 20% of greenhouse gas emissions with rice-growing alone accounting for 1.5% of emissions and 10% of all methane produced. Using satellite data, CarbonFarm hopes to cut emissions from rice by half, also reducing the need for manual inspections of crops. Its SDGs target zero hunger, and clean water and sanitation.

“All the companies chosen have clear targets and all tackle the UN’s SDGs,” added Felipe Villalobos, ASPIRE WITH ESA cohort manager. “Congratulations to all five and we look forward to the societal and environmental benefits that all will offer over the coming years.”

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Coast Guard (ITCG) have today signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) with the objective to cooperate on the utilisation of space applications to support maritime systems and services. The agreement was signed today by Commander General Admiral Chief Inspector Nicola Carlone of the ITCG and Elodie Viau, ESA Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications (TIA).

The ITCG is mandated by the Italian Government to develop and implement national and international regulations and standards for ensuring the appropriate level of safety in vessel operations for protection of human life at sea and marine environment. This includes maritime safety, maritime vessel traffic management, ship, and port security; maritime monitoring and surveillance; maritime search and rescue and maritime assistance service.

The MoI with ITCG has been signed after several months of continuous conversations with representatives and it is an important milestone for the collaboration between both entities. From the experimentation of advanced digital technology systems in maritime scenarios and in ports, to the advanced use of satellite image processing with artificial intelligence technologies for object recognition, to the use of satellite navigation and 5G communication networks, the agreement defines the areas of collaboration for the experimentation of space applications in the maritime sector.

Cooperation between the two entities will enable long-term sustainable socio-economic development, the improvement of the safety of navigation, the decarbonisation of the shipping sector, encouraging the creation of sustainable infrastructure and helping to mitigate polluting emissions.

"Using innovative technologies and applications is essential to rethink the maritime sector, reduce the environmental impact and ensure an adequate level of safety in ship operations for the protection of human life at sea and of Marine environment,” said Admiral Carlone. “These are issues on which the Port Authority Corps has already been involved for years and which will be at the center of the digital transition already underway."

"Space applications offer a unique opportunity to support maritime systems and services while enabling long-term sustainable socio-economic development,” said Dr Viau. “For this reason, our agreement with the General Command is important, which aims to use space applications to promote sustainable innovative connectivity in the maritime sector, safety and monitoring of maritime transport and ports.”

To achieve these results, the General Command and the European Space Agency will undertake to share knowledge, ideas and experiences, jointly planning and managing activities in these sectors. These activities could be seeds for the ESA accelerators, particularly the Rapid and Resilient Crisis Response (R3) for the activities related to maritime safety and security, and Space for a Green Future (S4GF) for the activities related to maritime sustainability and decarbonisation of maritime transport.

This story is part of our story series: Meet the Ambassador. In this series, we introduce you to the great teams across our Network that are using space to develop business applied in daily life. Curious about their highlights and advice? Read on.

1.    WHO IS THE ESA BUSINESS APPLICATIONS AMBASSADOR IN AUSTRIA?

Science Park Graz hosts the ESA Business Applications Ambassador Platform in Austria, providing companies and communities powerful tools to fully exploit space assets for the benefit of the economy and everyday life. At the heart of these activities, the Ambassador promotes the utilisation of space-based products and services such as Earth observation data, satellite navigation, telecommunication services and technologies derived from human spaceflight for innovative applications in terrestrial applications and services.

2.    TELL US ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR TEAM

Martin Mössler is the Managing Director of Science Park Graz and General Manager of the ESA Space Solutions Centre in Austria, the umbrella initiative that hosts ESA Business Applications. Martin has been ESA’s Ambassador for Business Applications in Austria since 2016 and is passionate about technology, internationalisation and, of course, space. Martin’s network spans across large parts of Austria, Europe and beyond, contributing to vast activities in South-Eastern Europe.

Inês Plácido is ESA’s Ambassador for Business Applications in Austria and is the go-to-person for funding and support opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs using space technology and data. Inês additionally supports innovators in their growth and impact in the world by connecting people and exploring synergies between programmes and networks.

Simone Carli runs the ESA Spark Funding Austria call which is part of the ESA Business Applications activities in Austria. Simone also manages the participation of Science Park Graz in international projects, connecting innovation ecosystems and facilitating cross-border collaborations of space start-ups.

The diversity of our nationalities and the complementarity of our profiles are the magic ingredients to our professional, highly achievement-oriented, and team-based approach to work!

3.    WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY? 

It is the visionary character of all interacting partners who work in the space industry that is most uplifting. Furthermore, the large picture required by space sciences and in the view of our planet from above generates a very special mindset within a person. Finally, our future depends on whether we manage or not to address challenges on Earth. To a large degree, these will be solved through space technology and space sciences as such.

4.    DO YOU HAVE COMPANIES WORKING TO SOLVE BIG WORLD PROBLEMS? 

As a question of principle, we require all the companies we support to contribute to a better and more sustainable planet. The times when business models could be based on the mere exhaustion of resources are about to finish, given the socio-economic and environmental challenges we witness today.

5.    EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES (CURRENT SPARK PROJECTS)

Perigee (Founders: Markus Enenkel, Emanuel Rudas) Using a combination of satellite-based emergency services and social analytics, enhanced with state-of-the-art machine learning, Perigees’s PIPA - Public Interest Prediction Algorithms allow NGOs/NPOs and their fundraisers to inform their whole communication strategy based on predictive data. This allows them to reduce costs for campaigns and optimise workforce capacities.

REFARMO (Founder: Tomaž Ščavničar) Regenerative Origin is a commercial digital platform by REFARMO to enable the delivery of regenerative farming certification with carbon verification and climate impact standards.

Sentinel Hub (Founder: Grega Milcinski) Sentinel Hub uses time series satellite imagery in the mapping of floodplains to improve accuracy and automatise currently manual and time-consuming tasks, contributing to a more frequent update of these maps.

Aeroficial Intelligence (Founders: Julian Jank, Markus Stadlmair, Johannes Schuster) Using space-based ADS-B and Artificial Intelligence, Aeroficial Intelligence provides airports and air navigation service providers accurate and real time predictions of the gate arrival time for incoming flights to a specific airport. This enables better resource allocation as well as pre-tactical and tactical planning.

6.    WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS? 

To always be cautious if the solution one is pursuing addresses a real and sizeable problem or opportunity. While being an entrepreneur requires a lot of vision, ideas and stamina, wishful thinking rarely makes companies flourish. Finally, the most important element of a good entrepreneur is to empower a strong team. Powerful teams are as important as strong leadership, as only in this constellation mutual success is possible.

7.    USING ONE WORD, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ESA SPACE SOLUTIONS COMMUNITY?  

It is not possible to answer in one word, but it is a visionary and empowering community of space enthusiasts, which ranges from businesses professionals to engineers and techies. The role of space is to unite disciplines, nations, and technologies. All mentioned players have their distinct job when it comes to enriching our daily lives through space.

8.    HOW WOULD YOU SOLVE PROBLEMS IF YOU WERE FROM MARS? 

We would take an unbiased meta-view from above and exclude political as well as economic pre-conditions for a short moment, to enable us to look at the bottom of problems and find open-minded solutions which centre around humans’ and our planet’s ecosystem.

9.    WHAT IS YOUR WEBSITE LINK WHERE THE READERS CAN FIND MORE ABOUT YOU? 

The activities of the ESA Space Solutions Centre in Austria are published on our website.