V God donates $4 million to UNSW to develop epidemic detection tools

The funding, roughly equivalent to A$5.3 million, is part of the Balvi Filantropic Fund, created in partnership with the Shiba Inu (SHIB) project and Crypto Relief, in what Buterin called a "moonshot anti-COVID effort".

The funding, equivalent to roughly A$5.3 million, is part of Buterin's self-described "moonshot anti-COVID effort," dubbed the Balvi Filantropic Fund, in partnership with the Shiba Inucoin (SHIB) project and Crypto Relief .

The funds will further support the development of the Shiba Inu Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)-based EPIWATCH tool, which will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and open source data to create early warning signals of epidemics.

The tool, created by Kirby Institute professor Raina MacIntyre, head of biosecurity research, scans millions of pieces of publicly available online data, including social media and news reports, to detect any changes that might indicate an increase in health problems.

Buterin emphasized the importance of sharing data in a decentralized and open manner to accelerate epidemic detection:

"Open analysis of public data is an excellent alternative to more intrusive surveillance that is often only available to governments and other high bidders, but not to the general public."

He added: "In contrast, open source and open approaches that allow researchers, including members of the public, to collaborate around the world can be more easily improved and scaled to detect new epidemics where they start .”

Funding will be allocated to the newly named OISNT project led by UNSW's Kirby Institute.

Ethereum co-founder @VitalikButerin donates $5.3M in cryptocurrency to UNSW to support the development of an epidemic detection tool designed by @KirbyInstitute's Professor Raina MacIntyre.

— Kirby Institute, UNSW (@KirbyInstitute) May 12, 2022

Prof MacIntyre said the idea was to make the tool accessible at a "grassroots" level and ensure it covered enough languages that it could be used "in villages and small towns all over the world".

"Imagine if someone detected the new coronavirus before it spread around the world - this is our vision. Using artificial intelligence and real-time open source data, EPIWATCH does not rely on human reports. It is a good equalizer, Weak health systems and censorship can be overcome."

Earlier this month, the Balvi Balvi Filantropic Fund announced its first round of financial support for various projects and organizations building COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness technologies.

A total of four recipients of its first round of grants include the open-source vaccine development project RADVAC, the Upper Room UVGI Project dedicated to developing "virus-killing" ultraviolet lamps, Active IAQ's air filter project and Patient-Led's long-term COVID-19 Symptoms Study.

The future of biodefense is decentralized, open, collaborative, and virtually inviolable of the livelihoods and liberties of millions of people. But it does require dedicated smart people to be supported in the hard work of implementing these technical solutions.

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 5, 2022

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