extending the life of older PC's and providing a building block for a better-educated society

Open-source education software developed for the “$100 laptop” can now be loaded onto a $5 USB stick to extend the life of aging PCs and Macs. Run from the USB stick, the software can grant new life to the millions of decrepit PCs that would otherwise  end up in trash heaps in developing countries.

Equipping PCs with a new interface and custom educational software, the USB stick project is a spinoff of the One Laptop per Child project. The software consists of the following: 

The Sugar interface was custom-designed for children. The new Sugar on a Stick download features 40 software programs, including core applications called Read, Write, Paint, and Etoys. Many other applications are available for download, most of which emphasize creative collaboration among children. The USB software can boot up an aging computer, or a netbook, and save data from any of the programs.

This is a promising development because the developing world is already a dumping ground for ageing PC’s. Anything that could extend the lives of these PCs so they could serve a function educating the youth is promising news.

Alcatel-Lucent and Tatung University have announced the launch of Taiwan’s first WiMAX 16e campus network. The project will foster research and innovation in wireless broadband technologies.

Such deployments are crucial to rolling out commercial services:

“Before deploying WiMAX application services in the commercial market, field testing and evaluation are crucial. Tatung University’s network not only proves WiMAX’s capabilities in real life but also provides a wealth of data as well as an R&D environment for WiMAX developers and research institutes,” said C.Y. Hsu, the leader of Tatung University’s Wireless Broadband Laboratory.

Tatung Infocomm, a local operator, seeks to launch it’s commercial WiMAX offering in the near future. Everyone involved  agree on what is possible over WiMAX:

Tatung University and Alcatel-Lucent are also demonstrating WiMAX technology’s maturity through various innovative, state-of-the-art WiMAX application services, including smart metering, digital video surveillance systems, IPTV, PS3 gaming , IMS, and high-speed video streaming.

The maturing of WiMAX as a technology should mean greater consideration for deployment from operators in the Pacific.

picture courtesy Rutgers University

As part of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, a project to collect and use ocean information continuously covering oceans, coastal waters and the Great Lakes, a 2nd attempt to launch a submarine glider took is about to take place this week.

From the AP story:

Unmanned and without a motor, the glider can rise and dive, seeking out currents that will carry it along without worrying about refueling. Whenever it comes to the surface, it radios its findings back to the scientists.

“The ocean plays such a critical role in the dynamics of the climate system, having a better understanding of what’s happening in real time is invaluable information,” said Lubchenco (LUB-chen-co).

“We’re beginning to be able to infer much about the kinds of plants and animals and microbes that may be present from some of the kinds of data that the glider will be taking,” she added.

Besides providing critical information on forecasting weather and ocean conditions, the glider also serves an educational function:

Glenn said the device will be able to take a daily profile of water conditions and maneuver, directed by radio messages from student researchers. “If we can do it with one, we can do it with 10,” he said, and then with more, and that will make an impact on forecasting ocean conditions.

Possibility to become an essential tool for disaster planning:

“That’s important because the ocean is very important for climate change and it is undersampled,” said Glenn, co-director of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System.

And the robots can be sent into hurricanes and into Arctic and Antarctic conditions.

“If you lose them it’s sad, but its just wires, you can build another one. These are the things that we can take risks with,” he said. “We’re doing some risk taking here that will benefit the entire scientific community.”

People in the Pacific do not need to be reminded of the abundance of the ocean:

In May, eight of the 17 Pacific island members of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission imposed a series of measures aimed at halting overfishing of stocks these nations depend on for food and revenue. Joseph calls them “the most effective measures” in any ocean where tuna is fished.

In December, the remaining nine islands on the commission joined in, imposing a conservation agenda on 20 million square miles.

The Rutgers submarine might be a valuable tool that we hope to see make its way to the S. Pacific.

 Satellite image of Gene:

The recent cyclones in Fiji and subsequent difficulties faced by the authorities in responding to calls for assistance, brings up important questions about disaster planning and management.

On the questions of cost-savings and deployment:

“When we looked at this project, we chose Wi-Max because it meant only having to place three towers over 100 square miles, rather than thousands of access points with Wi-Fi,” Guy said.

The model developed by IBM is projected to save the city more than $1.4 million over the potential 10-year service period compared to other commercial wireless mobility offerings, IBM reported.

Important to note is that a system implemented for disaster management needs of small local government administration can be used to piggy-back the internet connectivity needs for the city. The article also goes on to state that the project will offer wireless internet access for citizens as part of an effort to improve technology availability and increasing the technical skills of citizens.

Wireless communication is not a panacea. It will not cure the cases of diarrhea creating misery for children in the Northern division in the aftermath of Gene. However, the availability of technology and improved education of citizens can only make them take a greater role in planning for their well-being after a disaster strikes.

While it may sound foolish to be talking about wireless networks in light of such critical shortages of things like clean drinking water, we must not lose sight of the longterm need to educate and bring up the awareness level of all citizens in Fiji–so that they may take a more active role in planning for these disasters.