- change - Mailing Lists

Smartphones as Helpers During Disasters
by Gaetano Borriello 09 Sep '11

09 Sep '11

Scientists at the Technische Universität Darmstadt have developed software, with which smartphones can automatically and autonomously organize an energy-efficient, ad-hoc network. Rapid organization of such a communications network can be vital in the event of disasters where normal communications infrastructures have been destroyed, since smartphones could then exchange, e.g., environmental-sensor data. http://www.tu-darmstadt.de/vorbeischauen/aktuell/ni_37632.en.jsp

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Job (Contract) Opening @ Inveneo - Help Build Haiti's Rural Broadband Network
by Yaw Anokwa 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

Begin forwarded message: From: Kristin Peterson <kristin(a)inveneo.org> Date: September 7, 2011 10:08:02 AM PDT To: All everyone <all(a)inveneo.org> Subject: Job (Contract) Opening @ Inveneo - Help Build Haiti's Rural Broadband Network Hi All - Inveneo is hiring - please share with anyone who might be interested! Position Summary: Inveneo is seeking a Sr. Technical Project Engineer who will be under contract to lead the continuing technical rollout for Inveneo's Haiti Rural Broadband Program. This position will require strong technical (networking), project management and relationship management skills and the candidate must speak fluent French. The candidate will report to the Program Director and also dotted line report to Inveneo?s CTO, who will lead the network architecture design. Major Responsibilities: Participate in the design of the Haiti backbone in close cooperation with and under the leadership of the CTO * Manage the deployment and stability of the Haiti backbone network based on program goals and key milestones set by the Haiti Program Director o Contract and manage Inveneo in-country Inveneo Certified ICT Partners (ICIPs) to deploy and repair portions of the network backbone o Perform quality checks on the network infrastructure deployed by partners o Provide technical guidance and day-to-day responsibilities to in-country technical volunteers o Quarterly reporting for the Haiti Connected Cities project (for network deployment) o Manage equipment logistics and inventory management with Inveneo staff * Build capacity of local Inveneo ICT Entrepreneurs (the Inveneo BATI Program) o Provide technical training to BATI in classroom (Phase I) o Provide hands-on (Phase II) technical training to install customer links to service provider and Inveneo standards o Train select BATI to perform low-power computing installations o Create training materials and BATI installation documentation in French * Monitor and Maintaining overall health of Haiti Rural Network o Ensure the technical quality of BATI and ICIP projects are to Inveneo standards o Provide in-country second level technical support for the Haiti Connected Cities project. Proactively monitor and maintain the Connected Cities network. o Participate in tool requirements and development (e.g. monitoring dashboard) o Transition monitoring and maintenance to local Inveneo Certified Partners at the end of the program * Local Project Sales o Share service provider connectivity leads and project leads to the responsible party at Inveneo or the appropriate Inveneo Partner in Haiti o Play a technical advisory role for local computing projects Required Job Skills and Experience: * Strong self-starter, able to drive projects to completion in circumstances where little guidance and support is available * Fluency in French * Minimum 2 years Linux systems administration, desktop and server * Minimum 2 years Windows systems administration, desktop and server * Minimum 2 years LAN networking experience, including implementation of gateways, firewalls, NAT, and web proxies * Minimum 2 years script and software development in one or more of the following languages: Python, Shell, Ruby, Java, C/C++, Perl * Ability to administer network systems including but not limited to web servers, routers, firewalls, proxy servers, and mail servers * Familiarity with GPS technology * Ability to communicate highly technical information to a less technical audience * Ability to deliver training in classroom and project settings * Ability to work with people from a wide range of cultural, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds Highly Desirable Job Skills and Experience: * Experience traveling and working in developing regions * Experience working in an ISP environment * Long distance wireless networking experience * RF engineering experience * IP routing experience * AC, DC, and/or solar electrical system experience * VOIP telephony experience Additional Comments: * Position is contract, full-time, based in Haiti for 6 - 8 months * Must be willing to work outside of standard hours as needed to interact with international partners * Must play well with others About Inveneo: Inveneo is a San Francisco based 501(c)(3) non-profit social enterprise whose mission is to connect and empower rural and underserved communities in the developing world with information and communications technologies (ICTs). We work with and serve organizations that deliver vital education, healthcare, economic development and relief services to some of the poorest communities in the world, enabling these organizations -- NGOs, governments and others -- to more effectively serve people in need through technology. We partner with local ICT entrepreneurs though our Inveneo Certified ICT Partner (ICIP) program, now active in 24 countries, to deliver and support these solutions locally. Since 2006, Inveneo and our Inveneo Certified ICT Partners (ICIPs) have delivered innovative solutions reaching more than 1,500,000 people in over 500 communities in 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Haiti. How to Apply: Please send cover letter summarizing qualifications and your resume/CV to haitijobs(a)inveneo.org.

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Fwd: [ICTD2012] ICTD 2012 Call for Demonstrations
by Sunil Garg 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

Begin forwarded message: > From: ICTD 2012 Demos <demos(a)ictd2012.org> > Subject: [ICTD2012] ICTD 2012 Call for Demonstrations > Date: September 7, 2011 2:24:55 PM EDT > To: ictd-announce(a)lists.ictd2012.org > > CALL FOR DEMOS – > > International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD 2012) > > We welcome submissions of demonstrations for ICTD 2012, hosted at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The ICTD 2012 demo session will provide researchers and practitioners with an international audience at a spectacular venue for showcasing demonstrations of their work. A demonstration may span novel hardware or software systems, video footage, or physical artifacts. Research projects, commercial tools, or government initiatives may all be demonstrated. Engaging, interactive demos that demonstrate real world impact are encouraged. > > At least one author of each accepted demo must register for the conference and attend to present the demo. > > Authors of accepted papers and posters are invited to also propose demonstrations of their work. > > Important Dates > > November 7th, 2011 Demo abstracts due > > November 21st, 2011 Demo acceptance notifications > > January 16, 2012 Camera-ready abstracts > > March 12-15, 2012 Conference dates > > > > Submission Instructions > > Demo participants must submit a 1-page abstract that describes the context, novelty, and significance of the demonstration, including a precise description of exactly what is to be demonstrated (hardware, software, etc.) along with the demonstrator’s technical requirements (power, internet, setup, space, etc.). Each submission should include a title; the names, affiliations, and contact emails for all authors; as well as a brief abstract (~100 words). > > Acceptance notifications will be emailed on November 21st, 2011. > > To submit to the demo session, please complete the submission form found at http://www.ictd2012.org/demos. > > For more on the main conference, see our website at: http://www.ictd2012.org or follow us on Twitter: @ICTD2012 and Facebook: ICTD 2012 Atlanta > > Contact us with any questions at: demos(a)ictd2012.org > > Demos Chair > > Robert M. Delano, Georgia Tech Research Institute > > _______________________________________________ > This is the ICTD2012 announcements mailing list at ictd-announce(a)lists.ictd2012.org > To unsubscribe go to https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/ictd-announce or send email to ictd-announce-leave(a)lists.ictd2012.org > Visit us on the web at http://ictd2012.org

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Fwd: Open Data Kit - Aggregate study
by Yaw Anokwa 06 Sep '11

06 Sep '11

we are doing some usability work on odk aggregate and would love your help! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kyle Rector <rectorky(a)cs.washington.edu> Date: Wed, Sep 7, 2011 at 03:15 Subject: Open Data Kit - Aggregate study My name is Kyle Rector and I am a second year PhD student working under the supervision of Dr. Gaetano Borriello in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Washington. I am contacting you with regards to a study for Open Data Kit Aggregate, open source data aggregation software. Participation in this study involves coming in for an about an hour session doing sample fictional tasks in web based data aggregation program. There will be a short beginning and ending survey, and a tutorial to orient you with the software before starting four short tasks. Note that all of the surveys and tasks are optional. We are specifically looking for non computer scientists with basic IT skills or web browsing skills. In appreciation of your time, you will receive a $25 gift card to amazon.com. If you are interested in participating, please contact me at rectorky(a)cs.washington.edu. I will then send a confirmation email to set up a time. You are free to cancel at any time, and if so, please email me at rectorky(a)cs.washington.edu. Thank you and I hope to hear from you! Sincerely, Kyle Rector

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Fwd: Coded in Country Update
by Yaw Anokwa 02 Sep '11

02 Sep '11

nate barthel is doing great work growing the 'coded in country' movement. if you are interested in helping, go to http://www.codedincountry.org/participate/. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Nate Barthel <nate.barthel(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 17:59 Subject: CiC Update To: coded-in-country-launch(a)googlegroups.com Dear Coded in Country Enthusiasts, I’m hoping to start a more regular update to this discussion group and wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of our activities as well as discuss where we might go in the future. CodedinCountry.org’s Goals First, I wanted to briefly state our goals at CodedinCountry.org: 1) To increase donor/prime engagement with local software companies. 2) To increase the capacity of local software companies. or without the developmentese 1) To increase their number of contracts awarded, or subcontracted, to local software companies. 2) To provide services (if needed/desired) aimed at helping local companies win contracts and deliver on them effectively. Activities to Date Most of our activities in the past few months have focused on promoting local software companies through online case studies and corporate profiles, and we will certainly continue with this activity as it is probably one of the more valuable services we can provide. I encourage you to read some of these case studies and profiles (linked below), particularly if they are located in a region that overlaps with your work and interests. Mindflow Consulting <http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/08/mindflow/> - Kenya Axon Information Systems<http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/07/axon-information-systems-dimagi-ews-f…>- Ghana Nyaruka <http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/05/technoserve-nyaruka/>- Rwanda Souktel <http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/05/established-vs-establishing-a-souktel…>- West Bank Esoko <http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/06/esoko-ghana/> - Ghana Afrisis <http://www.codedincountry.org/2011/05/dimagi-afrisis/>- Mozambique Future Activities The work to date has been valuable - but more needs to be done. First, we need to have a more steady flow of case studies/company profiles. I’d be particularly interested in getting representation from other parts of the world (we have been heavy in sub-Saharan Africa), but any and all would be welcome. Please email me (nbarthel(a)codedincountry.org) if you know of any companies or organizations that could be featured. Second, we want to more proactively engage donor organizations and prime contractors to encourage them to use local software development firms. We are already doing this by providing case studies and highlighting companies, but we can do more. I’d love to come up with a way to more effectively demonstrate the potential advantages of local software development - something beyond the anecdotal. Using local companies needs to make business sense, in addition to ‘development’ sense, to donors and primes. Third, we would like to start providing more services to local software companies. First, of course, we’ll need to better understand what the challenges are that exist locally. As I’ve had the opportunity to speak with these companies about CiC, I have also asked them what challenges they face and what we could do to help. The answers have been understandably varied, but some themes are beginning to emerge. I’d love to begin discussion here on this topic. Essentially: What is needed? What can we do to help? A bit further down the road, with a reasonable understanding of the challenges, we can begin to build out and refine services to local companies. I should be careful here to differentiate between Coded in Country as a movement and CodedinCountry.org. Many of you are already, in one way or another, heavily involved in Coded in Country. You’ve started companies, incubation labs, technology hubs, established fellowship programs, etc. There is simply no replacing ‘boots on the ground.’ But I still believe that there are some valuable - centrally accessible - services that we can provide. --- I hope this give you all an idea of what we have been thinking/doing and where we’d like to go. I would also be remiss if I didn’t take this brief opportunity to ask for assistance. Currently codedincountry.org is run as a volunteer organization. If any of you are interested in participating with our activities we’d love to hear from you. http://www.codedincountry.org/participate/ Thanks. -Nate

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Call for Papers - 2nd Workshop on Networked Healthcare Technology (NetHealth 2012)
by Bill Thies 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

CALL FOR PAPERS - NETHEALTH 2012 2nd Workshop on Networked Healthcare Technology (NetHealth 2012) Co-located with COMSNETS 2012 Bangalore, India January 3, 2012 http://www.comsnets.org/nethealth.html Important dates: - Submissions due: October 16, 2011 (11:00pm IST) - Notification of acceptance: November 16, 2011 - Camera-ready: December 2, 2011 The world's pressing healthcare needs may benefit from judicious application of networked information technology. Future networked information systems will support, for example, clinical workflow, remote diagnosis and consultation, e-prescribing, and mobile data collection and surveillance, disease outbreak identification and patient participation in their own well-being and care. Mobile-computing technology may be particularly helpful in improving access to healthcare (geography, monetary and informational), by encouraging personal health management, and by enabling patient and provider mobility. Wearable medical devices are emerging, to measure essential vital signs like pulse, respiration, ECG, blood glucose level, and patient mobility. Handheld devices support clinicians in urban hospitals, and portable diagnostic kits allow remote healthcare teams to more easily reach rural villages. The widespread availability of mobile phones, and recent experiments with low-cost, long-range broadband wireless networks, bring connectivity to all these opportunities. We encourage papers that present novel ideas for networked computing technology in support of healthcare, and which are likely to invoke thoughtful discussion at the workshop. Research papers should focus on all aspects of networked healthcare technologies. Of interest, though not exclusively, are the following topics: remote diagnosis and remote consultation * clinical applications of mobile or networked healthcare * mobile and wearable medical sensing applications * design of wearable and home-care health devices * sensor networks for public health monitoring and surveillance * networked mobile technology for rural healthcare * security and privacy in networked healthcare * experience from technology deployments * usability of mobile health applications and devices * applications to emergency response and disaster response * cost-efficient and energy-efficient networking for remote healthcare * remote access to electronic health records Papers should be limited to 6 pages in IEEE format, not submitted concurrently elsewhere in any form, and present new contributions regarding either technology or experience in deploying technology. Program committee: Bill Thies, Microsoft Research India (Co-chair) Santosh Kumar, University of Memphis (Co-chair) Aaditeshwar Seth, IIT Delhi Amarjeet Singh, IIIT Delhi David Kotz, Dartmouth College Kolin Paul, IIT Delhi Kumar Rajamani, GE Research Shyam Vasudeverao, Philips Healthcare K. Gopinath, Indian Institute of Science Kameswari Chebrolu, IIT Bombay

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UCLA researchers develop handheld lens-less hologram-based $100 microscope
by ashish makani 01 Sep '11

01 Sep '11

Hi Folks Two health related news 1. This is similar to Cellscope <http://cellscope.berkeley.edu/>, but does not use lenses, but holograms(cell-shadowing). http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110830111242.htm This could be huge for doing diagnosis in the field in villages & rural areas. More info: a. Talk by Prof. Aydogan Ozcan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FQUHhdGUII<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FQUHhdGUII&feature=player_embedded> b. Another related article on flow cytometry using cell phones http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/ucla-engineers-create-cell-phone-21098… c. An older 2009 NYT article http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/business/08novel.html?_r=1 2. Some good news on the malaria front a. Scientists may have found a critical weakness in *Plasmodium falciparum*, the parasite that causes malaria which could provide a promising target for new malaria therapies. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/31/140069350/a-remnant-from-algae-i… b. The US Army & Walter Reed spend considerable time & risk to fight malaria & develop vaccines http://www.npr.org/2011/08/15/139641878/at-walter-reed-military-medicine-fi… cheers ashish

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Fwd: ICT Senior Analyst Position at DAI
by Yaw Anokwa 31 Aug '11

31 Aug '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jaclyn Carlsen <jaclyn.carlsen(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 00:21 Subject: ICT Senior Analyst Position at DAI ICT Senior Analyst (T8), Bethesda, MD, United States (5) Information Technology Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 DAI works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS, avian influenza control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments. Job Description: DAI’s Office of Information and Management Technology (OIMT) is looking for an Information Communications Technology (ICT) Senior Analyst who will design and implement innovative ICT solutions for DAI. Reporting to the Senior Manager, ICT Services, the ICT Senior Analyst will support DAI’s information technology and knowledge needs around ICT services, implement technology strategies and solutions in conjunction with DAI’s sectors, and contribute to proposals and new business efforts. This position will be based in Bethesda, Maryland, with potential for periodic overseas travel. The position will focus on providing ICT solutions to DAI’s five sectors: Economic Growth, Governance, Environment and Energy, Stability, and Health and will address ICT needs across the project lifecycle - from proposal development through project implementation and close-out. Responsibilities: • Identify, research, design, and implement ICT solutions that support DAI’s field projects and reflect DAI’s strategic objectives • Work with home office and field staff to manage and implement ICT activities including but not limited to the areas of e-governance, mobile phones, social media, citizen engagement technologies, crowdsourcing, geospatial and visualization tools, websites, m-health, market information systems, data collection, etc. • Support business acquisition by designing ICT solutions and integrating ICT activities into proposals, leading small and medium proposal efforts, developing proposal budgets and documenting corporate capabilities related to ICT • Identify and manage ICT partners and subcontractors as needed • Conduct outreach to and training activities for DAI staff on various aspects of ICT solutions • Collect, document and distribute best practices; document key project information related to DAI’s ICT solutions • Monitor industry trends related to ICT to inform client services and tools • Perform other responsibilities related to the ICT team as assigned Basic Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in information technology, communications, international development or related field, Master’s degree preferred • 3-6 years experience in the delivery of ICT solutions, communications, software development, project management, IT, or a related field • Working knowledge of the international development industry, preferably USAID, the US State Department, or the US Department of Defense • Knowledge of and experience with ICT solutions for development: e-government, mobile phone banking, information distribution and data collection, health care delivery and monitoring, mapping, open source technologies, etc • Knowledge of and experience with software design and development processes preferred • Experience working in and implementing ICT solutions in developing countries • Advanced problem solving skills; must be able to think innovatively and successfully introduce new concepts; • Fluency in written and spoken English; additional language skills preferred • Must be eligible to work in the US

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Medical apps for your smartphone: healthy or hurtful?
by Yaw Anokwa 30 Aug '11

30 Aug '11

"The impact of Dr. Buddy Ratner's latest work, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is hard to describe. “We loosely call it the magic wand,” Dr. Ratner said. It's relatively simple physics. Electricity reacts with a flow of gas to create a glowing, low-temperature plasma. The plasma breaks off a few molecules from a sample of bodily fluid and sends them through a machine that measures the major nutrients on a computer tablet in three minutes. Normally, this process takes a tube and a half of blood and 24 hours of analysis. So, for developing countries, this “plasma pen” truly could be magic. As Dr. Gaetano Boriello explained, “in Tanzania, there’s one doctor for every 50,000 people.” Dr. Boriello studies how technology like Dr. Ratner’s can help in places with few medical resources. He says the plasma pen, which is planned to be an app for a smartphone, will be a powerful tool for social workers who often only get one chance to help someone. “In very poor, rural, even nomadic communities, finding that same patient again can be a hell of a chore sometimes,” Boriello said. “And so having that result right there onsite is really important.”" http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-medicalapps-20110817,0,7443289.story

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handheld android/ipod touch accessory for diagnostics
by Rohit Chaudhri 26 Aug '11

26 Aug '11

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110826112022.htm from the article: "In addition to cancer detection, the Gene-Z device also is being developed to diagnose routine tuberculosis and drug-resistant TB, determine HIV virus levels during treatment and monitor overall antibiotic resistance."

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