Posts Tagged ucberkeley
Designing Appropriate Computing Technologies for the Rural D
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in Mobile Computing on August 29th, 2010
Designing Appropriate Computing Technologies for the Rural Developing World Tapan Parikh [Assistant Professor, School of Information, UC Berkeley] Abstract: People living in the rural developing world have many information needs that could, but are not, being met by information technology. Technologies for this context must be low-cost, accessible to diverse populations and appropriate for the local infrastructure, including conditions of intermittent power and connectivity. In this talk, drawing from the results of an extended design study conducted with microfinance group members in rural India (many of whom were semi-literate or illiterate), I outline a set of user interface design guidelines for accessibility to such users. The results are used to motivate the design of CAM, a mobile phone application toolkit including support for paper-based interaction; multimedia input and output; and disconnected operation. Through ekgaon technologies, a company that I co-founded, over 10000 microfinance group members in India are using CAM to maintain their monthly records. In Mexico, we are conducting a pilot where over 1000 small coffee farmers will use CAM to document their compliance with organic certification requirements. I will also discuss some of the more recent directions I have been pursuing with my students – including building mobile tools to improve the standard of health care delivery in sub-Saharan Africa, and designing information systems linking farmers to …
We’re Just Getting Started The Mobile Revolution Yet to Come
Posted by 0845 Telephone Numbers in Mobile Computing on May 31st, 2010
We’re Just Getting Started – The Mobile Revolution Yet to Come Abstract: Mobile devices have long since moved beyond being mere phones and now match the computing power of desktop systems from just a few years ago. Bob Iannucci, Nokia’s worldwide Chief Technology Officer now based in Palo Alto, California, will offer a glimpse into this next wave of mobility. How these devices, sensors and information will mesh, and the amazing society-transforming capabilities that they will usher in, are nothing short of astounding. Challenges around security, privacy and scalability will abound, but the global scope of the opportunity makes this an incredibly exciting area for those with the imagination and drive to develop it. Bio: Since joining Nokia in 2004, Dr. Bob Iannucci has played a defining role in the company’s R&D strategy. Challenging traditional management thinking, he has built a research environment suited to Internet ways of working, while emphasizing more exploratory systems research that focuses on opportunities and competencies new to Nokia. Throughout his career, he has shown an ability to balance scientific and technological understanding with business insight. With three decades in the IT industry — first at IBM during the mainframe days, then at Digital with its minis, and next at Compaq in the 1990s — he knows full well the importance of transitioning from a profitable business to a growth business. Bob Iannucci holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer …