Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente is implementing an ESA-funded project on Earth Observation for SDG Targets and Indicators for Informal Settlement Mapping

The primary objective of IDEAtlas, an ESA funded project, is to develop, implement, validate and showcase advanced AI-based methods to automatically map and characterize the spatial extent of slums from Earth Observation (EO) data. This will support national and local governments as well as the civil society to monitor progress on SDG indicator 11.1.1 on the proportion of the urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing.

The project will adopt a user-centered approach where various local, national and international stakeholders will participate in the co-design and co-development of the AI-based solutions. The project builds on previous and partners with ongoing works and available data generated within IDEAMAPS and SLUMAP.

The Living Labs are one of the important elements of the user-centered approach and are interactive workshop hosted by city co-anchors. These highly interactive events will allow participants to provide feedback and shape the scope of the project. The developed algorithms will then be implemented and integrated into a cloud-based end-to-end processing system, and its performance demonstrated in eight test cities.

Urban and Regional Development Institute (URDI) is a co-anchor which will have a central role in organizing Early Adopter activities via their networks in cooperation with the project consortium. Early Adopters will include local and national government actors that are involved in SDG 11.1.1 reporting and monitoring, as well as Stakeholders (e.g., subjects). URDI will co-organize the Jakarta Living labs together with the consortium team.