Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713702
Pritpal Singh, R. McDermott-Levy, Elizabeth Keech, Bette Mariani, James Klingler, M. V. Moncada
Two years ago, at the first IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference, we presented a paper on the development of a tele-health project to provide a communication link to health care providers for the rural communities surrounding Waslala, a town located in the North Atlantic Autonomous region of Nicaragua. The system employed volunteer community health workers (CHWs) to transmit vital signs of their community members to a computer server using low-cost SMS telecommunications technology. At that time the project was still under development and four CHWs started to work on the project. Since then considerable progress has been made with many challenges overcome along the way. We now have fifty of the 92 communities covered by the program and expect to provide full coverage to this region by next year. We are also starting to consider other rural locations in Nicaragua to expand the project. This paper elaborates on the many challenges that have been faced and overcome on this project, the key partnerships that have been established to support the program, the impact of the project to date, and the plans for project expansion over the next year.
{"title":"Challenges and successes in making health care more accessible to rural communities in Waslala, Nicaragua using low-cost telecommunications","authors":"Pritpal Singh, R. McDermott-Levy, Elizabeth Keech, Bette Mariani, James Klingler, M. V. Moncada","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713702","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713702","url":null,"abstract":"Two years ago, at the first IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference, we presented a paper on the development of a tele-health project to provide a communication link to health care providers for the rural communities surrounding Waslala, a town located in the North Atlantic Autonomous region of Nicaragua. The system employed volunteer community health workers (CHWs) to transmit vital signs of their community members to a computer server using low-cost SMS telecommunications technology. At that time the project was still under development and four CHWs started to work on the project. Since then considerable progress has been made with many challenges overcome along the way. We now have fifty of the 92 communities covered by the program and expect to provide full coverage to this region by next year. We are also starting to consider other rural locations in Nicaragua to expand the project. This paper elaborates on the many challenges that have been faced and overcome on this project, the key partnerships that have been established to support the program, the impact of the project to date, and the plans for project expansion over the next year.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"114 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133900863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713703
J. Johnstone, Brian Bacik, Shannon Burke, R. Dzombak, Khanjan Mehta, Peter Butler
Skin diseases in developing countries receive little attention when compared with well-known killers such as HIV/AIDS, pneumonia and tuberculosis. In communities with few doctors and even fewer dermatological specialists (if any), Community Health Workers (CHWs) are charged with meeting the needs of these at-risk populations. However, skin diseases can be difficult to assess by CHWs and often signify larger underlying problems. Teledermatology is being increasingly employed as a means of remotely assessing and diagnosing skin ailments. Typical commercially-available dermascopes cannot withstand the harsh conditions of developing countries and there is a need for inexpensive and ruggedized dermascopes for resource-constrained settings. This paper presents the design and field-testing results for a dermascope intended for use in rural Kenya as a part of an operational telemedicine system. Though the design faced challenges with ambient light, material availability, and camera mobility, the final prototype produced images deemed acceptable for diagnosis by Kenyan clinicians.
{"title":"Affordable dermascope for resource-poor settings","authors":"J. Johnstone, Brian Bacik, Shannon Burke, R. Dzombak, Khanjan Mehta, Peter Butler","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713703","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713703","url":null,"abstract":"Skin diseases in developing countries receive little attention when compared with well-known killers such as HIV/AIDS, pneumonia and tuberculosis. In communities with few doctors and even fewer dermatological specialists (if any), Community Health Workers (CHWs) are charged with meeting the needs of these at-risk populations. However, skin diseases can be difficult to assess by CHWs and often signify larger underlying problems. Teledermatology is being increasingly employed as a means of remotely assessing and diagnosing skin ailments. Typical commercially-available dermascopes cannot withstand the harsh conditions of developing countries and there is a need for inexpensive and ruggedized dermascopes for resource-constrained settings. This paper presents the design and field-testing results for a dermascope intended for use in rural Kenya as a part of an operational telemedicine system. Though the design faced challenges with ambient light, material availability, and camera mobility, the final prototype produced images deemed acceptable for diagnosis by Kenyan clinicians.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132398135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713645
Darick W. LaSelle, R. Liechty, Hassan Alzamzam, R. Foster, Jasmin Dzabic, N. Clark
Developing economies currently show more potential benefit from renewable and off-grid technologies when compared to first world countries like the United States. Basic humanitarian needs like water pumping, water purification, refrigeration for inoculations, cooking and heating without depleting local resources can have a major impact on quality of living. Once basic hygienic needs are accounted for, villages and even small towns will have a more legitimate foothold to develop out of an impoverished state. Unfortunately, the majority of renewable solutions are complicated, and once installed can easily fall into disrepair, with little or no local knowledge base available to maintain complicated photovoltaic (PV) or wind turbine systems. Additionally, the majority of renewable energy systems require extensive manufacturing that are not environmentally friendly. Once these systems are manufactured, they are bulky and costly to ship. The system described in this paper will have the ability to produce low cost solar thermal energy, with a minimal of capital investment. The system allows for the option to have the solar thermal collector be built on site, requiring only a minimum of equipment to be manufactured remotely and shipped. The proposed system will allow for a much wider spread of renewable energy in developing economies.
{"title":"Low cost solar thermal energy generation for developing economies","authors":"Darick W. LaSelle, R. Liechty, Hassan Alzamzam, R. Foster, Jasmin Dzabic, N. Clark","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713645","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713645","url":null,"abstract":"Developing economies currently show more potential benefit from renewable and off-grid technologies when compared to first world countries like the United States. Basic humanitarian needs like water pumping, water purification, refrigeration for inoculations, cooking and heating without depleting local resources can have a major impact on quality of living. Once basic hygienic needs are accounted for, villages and even small towns will have a more legitimate foothold to develop out of an impoverished state. Unfortunately, the majority of renewable solutions are complicated, and once installed can easily fall into disrepair, with little or no local knowledge base available to maintain complicated photovoltaic (PV) or wind turbine systems. Additionally, the majority of renewable energy systems require extensive manufacturing that are not environmentally friendly. Once these systems are manufactured, they are bulky and costly to ship. The system described in this paper will have the ability to produce low cost solar thermal energy, with a minimal of capital investment. The system allows for the option to have the solar thermal collector be built on site, requiring only a minimum of equipment to be manufactured remotely and shipped. The proposed system will allow for a much wider spread of renewable energy in developing economies.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132567306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713726
R. Dzombak, C. Mehta, Khanjan Mehta, S. Bilén
Systems thinking is a holistic approach to solving complex problems by considering every issue as part of a complex web of interconnected and interacting systems rather than independent issues with unrelated consequences. Such an approach forces attention on the bigger picture and wider processes of change rather than concentrating on discrete outputs at the individual task level. Systems thinking can be especially helpful in navigating the complexity and chaos inherent in technology-based social ventures in developing communities. Lack of clarity in the roles, responsibilities, and returns for the various stakeholders epitomizes this chaos and is a major contributor to the failure of such projects. The E-Spot canvas is a design space and business strategy exploration tool that facilitates group-thinking amongst stakeholders to match project resource requirements with money, time, sweat, and other equities that can be expended by them to sustain their project socially, economically, and environmentally. The canvas serves three roles: an educational tool for studying and practicing systems thinking; an entrepreneurial tool for developing equitable business and implementation strategies; and an ethical reflection tool for understanding motivations and incentives of various stakeholders and for making decisions that optimize short-term and long-term benefit and minimize the risk for everyone involved. This paper discusses the relevance of eight tenets of systems thinking-namely interdependence, holism, multifinality, equifinality, differentiation, regulation, abstraction, and leverage points-to technology-based social ventures from conceptual and practical perspectives. With the help of several examples, the paper describes how the E-Spot canvas operationalizes systems thinking to help identify appropriate stakeholders and determine the forms of equity they might offer towards fulfilling the overarching objectives of the venture while meeting their own needs.
{"title":"The praxis of systems thinking for concurrent design space and business strategy exploration","authors":"R. Dzombak, C. Mehta, Khanjan Mehta, S. Bilén","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713726","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713726","url":null,"abstract":"Systems thinking is a holistic approach to solving complex problems by considering every issue as part of a complex web of interconnected and interacting systems rather than independent issues with unrelated consequences. Such an approach forces attention on the bigger picture and wider processes of change rather than concentrating on discrete outputs at the individual task level. Systems thinking can be especially helpful in navigating the complexity and chaos inherent in technology-based social ventures in developing communities. Lack of clarity in the roles, responsibilities, and returns for the various stakeholders epitomizes this chaos and is a major contributor to the failure of such projects. The E-Spot canvas is a design space and business strategy exploration tool that facilitates group-thinking amongst stakeholders to match project resource requirements with money, time, sweat, and other equities that can be expended by them to sustain their project socially, economically, and environmentally. The canvas serves three roles: an educational tool for studying and practicing systems thinking; an entrepreneurial tool for developing equitable business and implementation strategies; and an ethical reflection tool for understanding motivations and incentives of various stakeholders and for making decisions that optimize short-term and long-term benefit and minimize the risk for everyone involved. This paper discusses the relevance of eight tenets of systems thinking-namely interdependence, holism, multifinality, equifinality, differentiation, regulation, abstraction, and leverage points-to technology-based social ventures from conceptual and practical perspectives. With the help of several examples, the paper describes how the E-Spot canvas operationalizes systems thinking to help identify appropriate stakeholders and determine the forms of equity they might offer towards fulfilling the overarching objectives of the venture while meeting their own needs.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"23 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124483465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713716
R. Meyer
A novel communication system for use by all first responders in a given disaster response activity is described. The system is based primarily on SMS messaging technologies and either indigenous mobile phone service providers or mobile phone service brought in via cellular-on-wheels (COWs), UAVs, rapidly deployed towers, etc. End users use either their own cell phones, running a native SMS application, or low-cost phones that are distributed by a large non-governmental organization, such as UN OCHA. If a proprietary network is set up, SIM cards are distributed to end users to allow access to the network, or administrators will explicitly allow access via a phone's IMEI number or other access control methods.
{"title":"Simple messaging and collaboration system for disaster environments","authors":"R. Meyer","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713716","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713716","url":null,"abstract":"A novel communication system for use by all first responders in a given disaster response activity is described. The system is based primarily on SMS messaging technologies and either indigenous mobile phone service providers or mobile phone service brought in via cellular-on-wheels (COWs), UAVs, rapidly deployed towers, etc. End users use either their own cell phones, running a native SMS application, or low-cost phones that are distributed by a large non-governmental organization, such as UN OCHA. If a proprietary network is set up, SIM cards are distributed to end users to allow access to the network, or administrators will explicitly allow access via a phone's IMEI number or other access control methods.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130034931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713696
K. Suhasini, Bindiya Patil, P. P. Kumar, Adil Usman
In some traditional occupations where skills are handed down from one generation to the other, children tend to follow the footsteps of the parents right from their childhood. Illiteracy among parents and ignorance of the intrinsic value of education also facilitated the growth of child labor. The most important factor contributing to child exploitation problem is poverty. The low income of the parents which is not adequate to meet the basic needs of the family, force the children to work and supplement the family income. The abject poverty and unemployment forces children to take up un-remunerative or low-remuneration work, which results into many social evils. Such a pathetic situation has been observed in and around our own college which is under construction for near completion and lot of laborers is at work full day and night leaving their children at home. Children are idle and have nothing to do than to either play with stones or run behind their parents finding interest in lifting bricks or rotating the crushers. In this context the paper studies in detail about the surrounding children exploitation and discusses about the actual survey been done with them where their demand of English education and Technical advancement is of utmost necessity. The paper explores about how technology can play a vital role in solving such common social problems. It tries to bring out the fact that social problems when coupled with technology can solve many existing issues in our country. Focusing on this issue, a community service has been started in the premises of campus where education to children of laborers is provided which is financially supported with the concept of micro-donation from each individual of college campus, rupees five per semester (six months). Thereby bringing awareness and uplifting weaker sections of society with technology as a methodology.
{"title":"Micro donation preventing child exploitation and envisaging the plan to save humanity","authors":"K. Suhasini, Bindiya Patil, P. P. Kumar, Adil Usman","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713696","url":null,"abstract":"In some traditional occupations where skills are handed down from one generation to the other, children tend to follow the footsteps of the parents right from their childhood. Illiteracy among parents and ignorance of the intrinsic value of education also facilitated the growth of child labor. The most important factor contributing to child exploitation problem is poverty. The low income of the parents which is not adequate to meet the basic needs of the family, force the children to work and supplement the family income. The abject poverty and unemployment forces children to take up un-remunerative or low-remuneration work, which results into many social evils. Such a pathetic situation has been observed in and around our own college which is under construction for near completion and lot of laborers is at work full day and night leaving their children at home. Children are idle and have nothing to do than to either play with stones or run behind their parents finding interest in lifting bricks or rotating the crushers. In this context the paper studies in detail about the surrounding children exploitation and discusses about the actual survey been done with them where their demand of English education and Technical advancement is of utmost necessity. The paper explores about how technology can play a vital role in solving such common social problems. It tries to bring out the fact that social problems when coupled with technology can solve many existing issues in our country. Focusing on this issue, a community service has been started in the premises of campus where education to children of laborers is provided which is financially supported with the concept of micro-donation from each individual of college campus, rupees five per semester (six months). Thereby bringing awareness and uplifting weaker sections of society with technology as a methodology.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116615598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713692
Chandykunju Alex, Kevin Martin Jose, A. Joseph
This paper proposes a novel method to tackle complete hearing loss by visualizing sound frequency and estimating its direction of arrival. The `Visualization device', as we may call it, essentially consists of a particle velocity sensor, a microphone, a digital signal processor and a transparent display module. Information regarding the nature (frequency/pitch) and direction of arrival of sound is displayed in a transparent display module mounted in front of the user's eyes. Sound is represented as color by mapping its frequency to an RGB color value. With proper training, an individual without the gift of hearing can use the device to identify different sound sources in the environment.
{"title":"Sound localization and Visualization device","authors":"Chandykunju Alex, Kevin Martin Jose, A. Joseph","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713692","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713692","url":null,"abstract":"This paper proposes a novel method to tackle complete hearing loss by visualizing sound frequency and estimating its direction of arrival. The `Visualization device', as we may call it, essentially consists of a particle velocity sensor, a microphone, a digital signal processor and a transparent display module. Information regarding the nature (frequency/pitch) and direction of arrival of sound is displayed in a transparent display module mounted in front of the user's eyes. Sound is represented as color by mapping its frequency to an RGB color value. With proper training, an individual without the gift of hearing can use the device to identify different sound sources in the environment.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"148 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121713871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713653
C. Shepherd, Nadelon Alpert
Technological devices and virtual worlds are the new pathway to online learning and student retention. For the past several years there has been much activity and research involving the use of technology in education. This is especially true for diverse learners, who have difficulty learning with the traditional pedagogies used in teaching. Even though many of the anecdotes and suggested methods in this research study are focused on applications for students with autism, these same strategies can be effectively applied to a variety of diverse learners. The specific information regarding students with autism not only enables students to learn the content in a variety of formats, but also helps to prepare them to have fruitful, productive lives after their schooling and for the rest of their days. Results of studies have indicated that students become more interested and actively engaged in their classes, and have a higher level of retention than students in traditional online and onsite classes. It is important to empower students to become active, involved learners, and provide them with the incentives to achieve academic success. This is a work in progress, and future renditions will include not only anecdotes dealing with youngsters with autism, but also with those diagnosed with deafness and those who are severely mentally challenged with down's syndrome and other disorders.
{"title":"Engaging diverse learners through new technologies","authors":"C. Shepherd, Nadelon Alpert","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713653","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713653","url":null,"abstract":"Technological devices and virtual worlds are the new pathway to online learning and student retention. For the past several years there has been much activity and research involving the use of technology in education. This is especially true for diverse learners, who have difficulty learning with the traditional pedagogies used in teaching. Even though many of the anecdotes and suggested methods in this research study are focused on applications for students with autism, these same strategies can be effectively applied to a variety of diverse learners. The specific information regarding students with autism not only enables students to learn the content in a variety of formats, but also helps to prepare them to have fruitful, productive lives after their schooling and for the rest of their days. Results of studies have indicated that students become more interested and actively engaged in their classes, and have a higher level of retention than students in traditional online and onsite classes. It is important to empower students to become active, involved learners, and provide them with the incentives to achieve academic success. This is a work in progress, and future renditions will include not only anecdotes dealing with youngsters with autism, but also with those diagnosed with deafness and those who are severely mentally challenged with down's syndrome and other disorders.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116552409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713724
Gim Soon Wan, D. Chong
World Bank conducted an analysis to study the extent of extreme poverty around the world. In 2013, the World Bank published the report, and the study found that there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty despite recent progress. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than one-third of the world's extreme poor [1]. United Nations, in their investigation, found that about 850 million people, nearly 15 percent of the global population are estimated to be undernourished. Despite some progress, nearly one in five children under age five in the developing world is underweight.
{"title":"Creating opportunities for young humanitarian entrepreneurs to use technology to change the world and reduce poverty in developing communities","authors":"Gim Soon Wan, D. Chong","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713724","url":null,"abstract":"World Bank conducted an analysis to study the extent of extreme poverty around the world. In 2013, the World Bank published the report, and the study found that there are still 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty despite recent progress. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than one-third of the world's extreme poor [1]. United Nations, in their investigation, found that about 850 million people, nearly 15 percent of the global population are estimated to be undernourished. Despite some progress, nearly one in five children under age five in the developing world is underweight.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132588742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-10-01DOI: 10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713693
M. Zennaro, E. Pietrosemoli, J. Mlatho, M. Thodi, C. Mikeka
For rural areas, wireless is the only viable alternative for providing affordable telecommunications services. One limiting factor to the growth of wireless broadband penetration is the lack of available spectrum. White Spaces broadband uses gaps in spectrum bands that have been reserved for TV broadcasts. These frequencies offer significant capacity to help alleviate pressures on existing wireless networks and allow connectivity in remote areas due to their good propagation capabilities. This paper describes an assessment study on TV White Spaces availability in Malawi using affordable tools. The conclusion of the study is that 1) it is possible to assess the spectrum usage using low cost equipment 2) ample spectrum for TV White Spaces deployment is available in Malawi.
{"title":"An assessment study on white spaces in Malawi using affordable tools","authors":"M. Zennaro, E. Pietrosemoli, J. Mlatho, M. Thodi, C. Mikeka","doi":"10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713693","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC.2013.6713693","url":null,"abstract":"For rural areas, wireless is the only viable alternative for providing affordable telecommunications services. One limiting factor to the growth of wireless broadband penetration is the lack of available spectrum. White Spaces broadband uses gaps in spectrum bands that have been reserved for TV broadcasts. These frequencies offer significant capacity to help alleviate pressures on existing wireless networks and allow connectivity in remote areas due to their good propagation capabilities. This paper describes an assessment study on TV White Spaces availability in Malawi using affordable tools. The conclusion of the study is that 1) it is possible to assess the spectrum usage using low cost equipment 2) ample spectrum for TV White Spaces deployment is available in Malawi.","PeriodicalId":168082,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)","volume":"15 6","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113935844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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