Emerging Technologies Magazine

Environmental and Societal Roles of Information Technology

November 26th, 2010

Information and Communication Technology has a much greater significance than simply as a productivity enhancing tool for business and industry.

Energy consumption has a major impact on our environment as energy generation using conventional methods adds to the carbon footprint. ICT has for example been used to make power grids smarter and minimize energy losses during transmission and end user points. Minimizing losses means that less energy needs to be generated to meet the same demand, thus reducing the environmental impact.

The ICT industry itself is becoming more energy efficient through campaigns such as the green computing initiative, in addition to helping other industries enhance their energy efficiency.

On the social front, ICT can enhance the effectiveness of social services delivery. For example, it can enable remote delivery of education and healthcare to rural and other areas that has not yet had benefited from economic development. It has already enhanced connectivity among people through social networking and by making mobile telephony available in areas where conventional telephony has not reached.

E-governance initiatives can also make it possible to deliver government services much more widely and even effectively.

Information and Communication Technology can thus benefit businesses, government and the civil society. It is in this context that the Global Information Technology Report (GITR) published by the World Economic Forum assumes significance. The report rates the countries of the world on how they have leveraged the potential of ICT for all round improvement.

The latest GITR should be available at GITR page of NetworkedReadiness website.

Tags: ICT impact, information technology, networked readiness
Posted in business transformation, e-governance, information technology, trends | 1 Comment »

Biotechnology and Developing Countries

November 25th, 2010

In a well presented post, Greg Odogwu from Abuja, Nigeria, looks at the biotechnology scene and its significance for developing countries like Nigeria.

As he says, biotechnology has been around for a long time as in the making of cheese, wine and beer. Its modern applications include production of vaccines, insulin and the currently controversial genetically modified crops. The latter has become controversial owing to such products as the terminator seeds that can make farmers dependent on seeds from the market (instead of using part of the last crop as seeds).

While GM crops have become controversial, it is generally agreed that using existing practices, the world cannot provide food for its growing population. Eradicating hunger would need improved agricultural practices in developing countries. Crops like cassava that are consumed by the poor can benefit from biotechnology.

In addition to agriculture, healthcare is also benefiting from modern biotechnology. In addition to producing substances like human insulin and human growth hormone, it is theoretically possible to treat hereditary diseases through genetic engineering by working with the genes that make one prone to the disease.

The author of the blog wonders whether Nigeria is missing the biotechnology revolution. Read the blog post at the Vanguard News.

Tags: biotechnology, crop science, genetic engineering, GM crops, healthcare
Posted in biotechnology, crop science, diseases, genetic modification | No Comments »

What can Information Technology do for Development?

November 24th, 2010

Information technology has the unique characteristic of being able to reach remote corners where other technology might not have reached. Many of these remote places, such as villages in developing countries of Africa might be quite undeveloped. Even such places can have the convenience of mobile telephony by setting up a few towers for wireless communication.

And countries like India have succeeded in bringing down the costs of cell phones and call charges to an extent that most people even in villages can afford it.

The issue is how to tap this phenomenon to bring development to the undeveloped areas. It should theoretically be possible to deliver education, healthcare, information and government services to every remote corner through wireless communications, supplemented with a minimum of local infrastructure.

For example, a recent news report from Bangladesh speaks of connecting all the 4501 unions – the lowest tier of local government – are now linked to the internet. The Union Information Centres will provide all government forms, public notifications and gazettes, birth and death registration information, passport and visa support, information on public examinations, new jobs, laws, health and agricultural, and disaster management among others.

Read the Coimbra Soft blog on using infotech for development in Africa.

Tags: economic development, information technology
Posted in e-governance, education delivery, healthcare, information delivery, information technology | No Comments »

Cancer Treatment: A new Approach

November 23rd, 2010

Chemotherapy was the original treatment for cancer. In chemotherapy, fast growing cells are targeted and the tumour shrinks as a result. However, the effect is not always permanent; the cells often grow back and even become resistant to the therapy.

To overcome the resistance problem, chemotherapy is typically combined with other treatments that attack the tumour cells in different ways. Arriving at a right combination of treatments to ensure that they do not become too toxic is a task requiring caution and skill. In addition to prolonging life, the treatments should also improve the quality of the patient’s life. Cancer treatment has often made patients wonder whether it is the disease or treatment that is worse.

Now, a new form of treatment seems to be emerging. The treatment, known as oncolytic virotherapeutics, involves using viruses to infect and eliminate diseased cancer cells. The viruses do not affect normal cells.

A number of oncolytic viruses have been developed and are being tried out in clinical trials. These include the adenovirus, which is being tried out in multiple-engineered versions. Another, the Newcastle disease virus seems to minimize side effects when administered through slow infusion rather than injection. Poxviruses and even herpes simplex virus are all being researched.

Read the report at BioMedReports.

Tags: biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, cancer treatment
Posted in biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, cancer treatment, diseases | No Comments »

Google Capitalism Emerging

November 21st, 2010

Google is the top player in an industry that did not exist in the pre-Internet era. Starting out as a search engine, it has come to dominate the online advertising market. In the process it has created several innovations including AdSense that multiplied the ads exposure. Acquisition of Doubleclick enhanced its advertising offers.

Google has been able to mold the consumer mindset in new ways. With acquisitions like YouTube and other companies, it has been able to offer a complete package that includes news, entertainment and search results in the user’s Web browser. The user can enjoy music and movies, read the latest news and gossip, play games and search for information or products without leaving the computer workstation.

Google TV, with a TV and set-top box is another consumer friendly offer from Google.

Google has become much more than a search and online advertising company now with several new products, such as Google Earth, Cloud computing services offered through Google Docs and other channels, News feeds and Social networking. Software as a Service (SaaS) acquired a new meaning in Google’s hands.

SaaS was a natural next step for Google after it managed to attract a large number of business users through Google Mail. Google Docs has become an alternative to Microsoft Office.

Read about a report on the Google phenomenon and its impact on capitalism at Market Publishers..

Tags: Google, information technology, new business model
Posted in business, business transformation, cloud computing, information technology, innovation | No Comments »

Nanotechnology is not Nanoparticles

November 20th, 2010

Nanotechnology is a technology with an ambitious goal, the goal of working at molecular and atomic levels to construct new materials with properties tailored to meet specific needs. For example, we might produce a material for making airplane wings that has the ability and flexibility to respond like birds’ wings to flying conditions. Nanotech can also involve adding new properties to existing materials using the same fundamental processes.

Nanoparticles, on the other hand, are simply chemicals that have been reduced to a size of less than 100 nanometers. These particles might have unique applications not possible when the materials are at normal or even micron size. However, creating nanoparticles is not real nanotechnology; rather it is simply a more sophisticated “grinding” process that reduces the particle size.

Nanoparticles have been used in all kinds of products including sunscreens, paints, surface coatings, clothing, industrial catalysts, cleaning agents, and much more. Their use has given new characteristics to specific products, such as self-cleaning glass and invisible sunscreens. Use of nanoparticles has also given rise to apprehensions, such as those caused by the invisibly small particles in sunscreens permeating the skin and entering internal systems.

Uses of nanoparticles as above are presently the most visible of nano-applications. However, that does not make them true nanotechnology, which has to go a long way before it achieves its potential.

Tags: nanoparticle, nanotech, nanotechnology
Posted in nanomaterials, nanoparticle, nanotechnology | No Comments »

Remote Learning and Broadband Connectivity

November 19th, 2010

WiZiQ is a Web based platform for learning and teaching online, any subject. Virtual classrooms that use images, PowerPoint presentations and documents, full way audio and video sharing and live chat can make education delivery highly effective and also enhances the interaction amongst the participants. What is more, WiZiQ is free to join.

A blogger who used the technology to tutor students remotely reports that both he and his students were thrilled with the experience, and that the students learnt what they were taught. However, there were some audio/video issues that marred the sessions. The audio and video broadcasts were out of sync and the sessions ended up with the teacher using IM and whiteboard.

WiZiQ provided surprisingly prompt support to the feedback about this experience (they could do it because the India-based company has easy access to relatively inexpensive tech support and can provide feedback quickly to its customers.

The support email diagnosed the problem as low bandwidth at the students’ end, and also contained tips on how diagnose it in future sessions. Presenters can access the students’ bandwidth information and tailored the broadcast accordingly.

What this experience highlights is the need for universally available good bandwidth to benefit from the latest online education delivery technologies. These modern technologies can enable anyone anywhere access quality education, provided bandwidth is available.

Read the blog post at ZDNet Education.

Tags: broadband connectivity, education delivery, information technology
Posted in education, education delivery, information technology | No Comments »

Geographic Information System (GIS) Day

November 18th, 2010

November 17, 2010 was the 12th GIS Day, which the city of Las Vegas celebrated with several events. The scheduled events included a visit to an eighth grade geography class where city staff explains the role GIS plays in the city’s efforts with fire response, neighborhood health indicators, park inventory and pavement management. Another is a visit the Desert Pines High School Academy of Information Technology on Wednesday to discuss how datasets can be used to generate helpful 3-D building models.

What is GIS?

According to GIS.com, “geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.” For example, cities can use GIS technology to provide accurate information about buildings, rivers and roads, in 2D or 3D or other models. People can see WHERE a feature is present, and WHAT it is, and the distribution of features can also reveal a PATTERN.

Mapping need not be of physical features alone. For example, you can convert data about healthcare facilities available in different areas into a geographical map for easy comprehension and suitable action. By using color coding, the comprehensibility of the map can be enhanced further.

Governments, businesses and individuals find innumerable uses for GIS information as outlined at this What can you do with GIS page.

Tags: GIS, information technology, mapping data
Posted in GIS, information technology, reference material | No Comments »

Water for Saudi Arabia through Solar Power and Nanotech

November 16th, 2010

Saudi Arabia meets its water requirements through desalination of sea water. The desalination is done using an 80-year old oil-powered technology. The desalinated water is pumped through 4157 kilometers of pipelines and employs 29 pumping stations and 168 reservoirs.

The oil needed to generate the electricity for operating this huge setup is considerable and tends to deplete the country’s oil reserves. To eliminate this problem, Saudi Arabia wants to employ concentrated solar power to replace oil-powered desalination.

Another innovation visualized is the use of nanotech membranes in the desalination process. Researchers at California University in the U.S. have designed nanoparticles to create a membrane that does not clog easily. Using such membranes for water purification can cut energy use significantly.

Saudi Arabia is setting up facilities at the country’s universities for nanotech research. It wants to develop the technology for petrochemical and desalination industries in particular. In fact, the country has already launched its first nanotech company for producing nano-membranes for these industries.

Saudi Arabia hopes to develop skilled nanotech researchers locally so that the country need not depend on foreign technology for its two key requirements, petrochemicals for revenue generation and desalinated water for it survival.

Read about the developments at the Green Prophet Website.

Tags: nano-membrane, saudi universities, solar power
Posted in energy efficiency, environment, nanotechnology | 2 Comments »