http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=31066
Talk about innovation. Who would have thought to use cell phones as data collectors instead of what they are intended for, talking.
I found this article to be quite interesting. A doctoral student at the UW has found a way for third world countries to use modern technology (one that we take for granted on a daily basis), and use it for bookkeeping purposes, and for authenticating whether or not coffee farms are organic.
Leading countries (like the US), have certainly found innovative ways to help the world! I appreciate that Tapan Parikh took a chance on proposing, and finding funding for his project. He is doing a great service not only for the people of India, but for us as well. He is establishing that innovation is not left to just those at Microsoft, Boeing, Smith Klein Beecham, or any other big name innovator or research facility, but people that have a passion and desire to help those that are definitely less fortunate, and don’t have the luxury or means by which to obtain our technology.
The farmers don’t object to this either. According to the article, they had to schlep journals (paper) with them wherever they went, and god forbid that they would drop their journal in a puddle! The new system affords these people of downloading the information and sending it to a main server, thus preserving the information. It’s a great idea, and my hat goes off to Tapan.
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3 comments:
This is a great idea. It's nice to see people working to try to improve the lives of people instead of creating something like a new ring tone. We don't need any more luxuries when there are people who struggle on a daily basis. This will help farmers record and save important information. It's seems easier than using the now old fashion "pen and paper" method and will be more permanent.
I agree, a great idea. As technology becomes more and more compact, these things become more plausible. We just have to hope that the cell phone doesn;t get dumped in the same pubble the stack of papers fell into....those little things have a way of breaking!
oops, that was puddle*!
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