Build this, OpenData Hackers and Datanauts [Updated]

I recently participated in the first meeting of the Open Knowledge Lab Frankfurt. The verdict of the meeting was that local OKLabs should focus on building projects that serve a real need and not just be interesting from a developers perspektive … otherwise it wont get noticed by the public and ultimately by local authorities–which are an important source of open data.

So here is my idea:
find the best place to live given the criteria that are important to me and visualize this on a map.

Let me show you some pictures to illustrate my idea: heat maps help to visualize geologically coded events. The first example from umwelthaus.org is a heat map of the aircraft noise measured during the day:

The second example from crime-radar.com is the number of crimes committed in Frankfurt's city limits:

If you combine those two you'll get a good idea which neighbourhoods to avoid if you were to move into this region.

And those are just two possible datasource. For me I'd like to see visualization for:

  • public transport time to my workplace
  • prices for land and houses
  • availability of fast internet access
  • proximity to bioreserves, hiking trails, lakes
  • population density
  • election results

This would enable me to pan around a map and find places that would fit my preferred living conditions.

Feel free to submit it to the TEDxRheinMain Datanauts Contest, I won't because I'd be forced to comply to their overly one-sided terms and conditions.

Also there is the Open Data Hackathon this Saturday at the best coworking space around: Die Zentrale. A perfect event to getting this started …

Update

One of the 10 winning ideas of the event is settlement spotter–which is exactly what I asked them to build!

Use big data and feedback from various independent sources, leverage federal and public sources, open sources from the industry to create a map that will allow a user to draw a picture. Create an online environment to help an individual decide and plan his move to a place where his living requirements are met perfectly.

I'm looking forward to seeing this project come to life.