More than 300 teams and individuals used a smart phone application to locate, photograph and map more than 1,400 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout Philadelphia.
The participants were part of a crowdsourcing challenge who received cash prizes for mapping the most AEDs. Crowdsourcing is when the public conducts a task traditionally done by a company.
Researchers say an estimated 1 million AEDs have been sold throughout the country, but they’re not tracked.
The data collected will be used to create a new mobile app to help bystanders find the nearest AED during emergencies and for 9-1-1 operators to direct bystanders to AEDs while paramedics are en route to the scene.
