Climate Change and Disaster Mitigation with the Internet Backpack: Embedded Cognitive Systems for Immediate Situation Awareness in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Technological advancements have had positive impacts on societies globally by improving and/or protecting human life. The application of the ‘Internet Backpack’ is an example of a humanitarian or public interest technology, which has been used in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for emergency response and to save lives. Other application use cases for the Internet Backpack include for health information dissemination in Costa Rica during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Ghana for teacher training and professional development activities, and in Liberia for school children to access online learning material. This paper focuses on assessing the Internet Backpack as an innovative Internet connectivity technology, cognitive cloud to edge compute platform and microgrid, or cyber-physical infrastructure, which has contributed to monitoring Mt. Nyiragongo, an active volcano near the city of Goma, Eastern DRC, and to raising awareness among the local population of the potential for eruptions of the volcano. In addition, technology and emergency preparedness training was provided for local schools, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. We discuss the use of the Internet Backpack technology as a core component of a cloud to edge communication and information system for monitoring sensors for early detection of CO
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levels in Goma. We discuss challenges to Internet connectivity in the mountainous terrain and societal benefits derived from the implementation of the Internet Backpack and provision of Internet connectivity at Mt. Nyiragongo.