Users will soon be able to see details on when a heat wave is predicted to start and end on Google Search.
March has given a subtle hint about how excruciatingly hot the upcoming summer of 2023 would possibly be! Taking this into account, American multinational tech giant Google announced a set of initiatives on Wednesday.
To begin with, the tech major plans to roll out new extreme heat alerts in its Search in the coming months. The Sundar Pichai-led company also announced other initiatives like artificial intelligence-powered tools to help communities handle hotter temperatures.
“When people search for information on extreme heat, they’ll see details on when a heat wave is predicted to start and end, tips on staying cool, and related health concerns to be aware of — all prominently displayed in Search results,” Google said in a blog.
Additionally, the company is working with the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) to ensure that the information shared on its Search is relevant and accurate. Another initiative announced by the tech major is the ‘Tree Canopy’ which is a feature that combines AI and aerial imagery so cities can understand their current tree coverage and better plan urban forestry initiatives, the company explained.
Google has now expanded the Tree Canopy feature to nearly 350 cities globally, from 14 cities earlier. These include Atlanta, Baltimore, Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Mexico City, Paris, Sydney, and Toronto, among others. The company plans to expand this feature to more cities this year.
Furthermore, the tech company introduced the Tree Canopy feature and plans to soon begin a pilot of its technology for cool roofs to help cities prevent ‘heat islands.’ Heat islands are urban areas experiencing higher temperatures due to human activities and, also, because of structures like roads and buildings which absorb heat and re-emit it.
At last, the company announced to the first recipient of funding under its $30 million worth initiative Google.org Impact Challenge, an open call for non-profits to submit big ideas for climate action. World Resources Institute (WRI) will receive $5 million under Google’s initiative. The organization will use sensors, satellite imagery, and AI to close data gaps, and model air temperature, humidity, surface reflectivity, tree cover, and heat vulnerability, Google said.
