TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents, including any amendments, with US Ignite, Inc., of Washington, D.C., to receive and expend grant funding in the amount of $20,000 to host an Augmented Reality Developer Challenge event, for the period of January 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021; and
Increase appropriations in the General Services Fund Group in the Technology and Innovation Department by $20,000, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
US Ignite, Inc. (US Ignite), is a national effort founded in 2011 by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. It is currently led by the National Science Foundation in partnership with other federal agencies, to promote U.S. leadership in the development and deployment of next-generation applications on ultra-fast, programmable networks with the potential for significant societal impact. US Ignite’s current focus is promoting smart city development through financial investment in emerging technologies among local government organizations, businesses, foundations, and federal agencies.
On October 13, 2020, US Ignite, in partnership with Facebook Reality Labs, announced a new Augmented Reality (AR) Developer Challenge aimed at creating new AR applications and services for smart communities. The AR Developer Challenge will include a series of community-driven competition events focused on solving problems in areas such as healthcare, education, workforce development, and other areas of community services. The City of Long Beach (City) is one of three recipients to be awarded $20,000 to host an AR Developer Challenge.
The Technology and Innovation Department (TI) will use these funds to support a “What Do You See?” Challenge (Challenge), where AR creators will have an opportunity to create alternative realities of the current built environment for Long Beach residents to explore and experience. AR creators will be instructed to focus th...
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