Drew Cogbill | Thesis Blog

Google invests in Mobile Planet

Mobile telephony is already popular in Africa, and has seen significant growth over the past few years, particularly in countries like Kenya. SMS is clearly a very important technology that provides access to the majority of mobile subscribers. Mobile Planet’s expertise with SMS related technology and mission to “empower the African people with information” make this a very exciting partnership for us. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on how things go!

I’m back in the States, in Arkansas, and spent last weekend at the lake. Apparently there is a demand for ice which was going unmet, hence new automatic, 24 hour ice dispenser machines:

This paper argues that when more people can work to generate and carry out social innovation, they are able to be more effective than individuals working on their own.  Ashoka attempts to facilitate this with Changemakers, an online competition narrowed by ‘the public’, but ultimately decided on by a panel of experts.

In the paper they over-extend the ideas of ‘open-souce’ collaboration and ‘crowd-sourcing’ instead of focusing on what they actually do well, which is create a collaborative environment which encourages innovation through funding and knowledge of similar projects.  If they want to extend an internet term it seems more appropriate to call their approach ’social networking.’  They are creating a site where like-minded people people can connect in a way that they could not in person.

Beyond all of this, the most interesting part of the paper for me in the ‘Mosaic of Solutions’.  An expert from Ashoka has pooled together common obstacles in related innovations giving guidance and provoking thought from new innovators.  They provide precedents and solutions to particular problems which can be extended and changed by new innovators.  This is a very valuable resource for those beginning to create answers to similar problems which have been addressed before.  The more widely available these charts were, the more useful they could be to such people.

“Open Sourcing Social Solutions” from innovations summer 2007

In many places, such India, Bangladesh, and where I am in Belize, there aren’t enough doctors for all of the patients that need care, especially in rural areas.  MobileActive.org talked with Krishnan Ganapathy about telemedicine via mobile phone networks.

Currently, a paramedic or nurse must take the readings, but a device called mDoc, “specialized mobile phone with lots of added features“, is in the works which will allow laypeople to easily and noninvasive take readings which can be transmitted to doctors.

We realized that in India it is possible to transfer an ECG and to listen to heartbeats via a stethoscope with the doctor and the patient several thousand miles away from each other using purely wireless technology on mobile phones. The greatest part of this is that villages in India which still do not have a landline, which still do not have a wired phone, are directly going into the 21st century by using wireless technology.

I would like every single human being on this planet to know within three years from now that it is possible to get health care through a mobile phone…. People will get interested, a business case will develop, and it will become a reality.

The White African on mesh networks.

Street signs in Belize City have a space for a small advertising token.  Belize has what seems to me to have a pretty high saturation of ads, meaning that in most, even small, populated areas there is advertising.

You see lots of  restaurants with Coke, Fanta, or Belikin (the local beer) signs.  One company handles the bottling of these and other available beverages.  I’ve heard that if you will use the signs, they will give it to you for free.

In store in Belize City with a Western Union depot, the largest, attention grabbing sign was in Chinese.  I didn’t have my camera, but thought that it was a significant observation.

Visual Think Map

via Anezka

ICTD 2009 in Qatar

MobileActive08 in South Africa

Indian Telecom company VNL has launched solar powered GSM towers for mobile communication.  Most importantly, the towers can connect areas off of the electricity grid and have a low environmental impact.

via Ethan Zuckerman

This little trash stand is at the house accross the street from where I’m staying in Dangriga.  It’s sturdy and even a better solution for keeping dogs out of the trash as plastic cans are easily knocked over.