TLDR; What happened to CogniCity? It grew up — got a passport, learned new languages, and thrived under the care of Disaster Map Foundation. So to reflect its development and maturity over the last 8 years, it’s getting a new name: Siti OSS.
Disaster Map Foundation [Yayasan Peta Bencana] proudly introduces Situational Intelligence Open Source Software (Siti OSS) as the new identity of our open source software that has been in continuous development since 2017. This renaming highlights the evolution of the software into an advanced, specialized, and uniquely equipped system that goes far beyond its origins to address today’s most urgent challenges.
Initially developed through academic research at the Smart Infrastructure Facility at the University of Wollongong (2013-2016) and MIT Urban Risk Lab (2016-2017), the software —formerly known as CogniCity OSS— has undergone radical transformation since MIT formally transferred the software and code to Disaster Map Foundation in 2017. In 2019, a pivotal development partnership with CivicDataLab further propelled the evolution of the software.
Together, Disaster Map Foundation and CivicDataLab have completely re-engineered the code into an enterprise-level disaster response coordination system built to meet the needs of users and partners. Since 2017, Siti OSS has been shaped by the real-world needs of frontline communities and the expertise of teams embedded in disaster-prone regions. Through years of active engagement with first responders, local governments, and at-risk populations, the platform has been continuously refined to meet the complexities of on-the-ground disaster coordination.
Through iterative development, the code base has been re-engineered to include expanded hazard and geographic coverage, automated notification systems, logistics coordination tools, expanded feature sets, and refined parameters that enable localization across different geographies and scales. A complete system architecture overhaul ensures the platform can handle event-driven usage spikes while maintaining top-tier energy efficiency. This code powers the award-winning platforms PetaBencana.id in Indonesia, MapaKalamidad.ph in the Philippines, as well as pilot platforms AafatInfo.pk in Pakistan and Mapeatudesastre.com in Panama. With its expanded capabilities and renewed identity, Siti OSS continues to set new standards in disaster coordination and climate adaptation technology.
Why the Name Change?
As our software has grown and diverged from its initial foundation, we recognize the need for a name that reflects its current state and future direction. Over 95% of the code has been completely reengineered, making Siti OSS fundamentally distinct in both structure and functionality, with only minimal elements of the original code (CogniCity OSS) remaining. This update ensures clarity for our users, collaborators, and the broader open-source community, preventing any confusion between our work and the legacy codebase from which it was forked.
Contributors
Since 2017, the development of Siti OSS has been led and stewarded by Disaster Map Foundation [Yayasan Peta Bencana], under the leadership of Nashin Mahtani and, since 2019, in partnership with Deepthi Chand and CivicDataLab. The software’s evolution into its current form is the direct result of these collaborations and the sustained efforts of teams embedded in disaster-prone regions.
All contributors are publicly and transparently recognized on our GitHub repository. This ensures a clear and accessible record of the community of developers and partners who continue to shape Siti OSS.
What’s Next for Siti OSS?
With this rebranding, we reaffirm our commitment to the continued development of Siti OSS as a powerful tool for situational intelligence and community-led information sharing. We invite the global open-source community to join us in shaping its future.
Siti OSS is evolving to cover broader aspects of crowd intelligence including crowd logistics, volunteer coordination, accessibility, scalability to multiple geographic locations. Siti OSS is also generalizing for domains outside disasters, applicable to a range of issues that would benefit from crowd intelligence. To explore the latest developments or contribute to the project, visit our GitHub repository: https://github.com/petabencana.
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