Sunday, November 13, 2005

Mobile Networks are critical SMS Disaster Alert System In the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami, one of the ideas we discussed here a bit was the creation of a disaster alert system using SMS, the mobile phone text messaging system. Washington DC and New York City have implemented limited versions; now the idea's popped up in Holland. According to CNN, the Dutch government is testing a system called Cell Broadcast to send out regionally-targeted warnings of disaster to mobile phone users. "This is a more instantaneous way of informing people about what is going on right now. It's an extra medium to communicate directly with people during a disaster," [Interior ministry spokesman Frank van Beers ] said. "If something happens in the center of The Hague, for example, we can select communication points from telecom companies and everyone who is within a few 100 meters can get the information." Other scenarios could include terrorist attacks, fires, explosions and leaks of toxic substances. As Taran Rampersad at KnowProSE points out, the main drawback is that this is a one-way system, keeping people in the role of disaster victims rather than participants in disaster response. (Posted by Jamais Cascio in QuickChanges at 01:07 PM)  [WorldChanging: Another World Is Here] Now, with more cell phones including browser and IM capability.... two way is possible. Next step is conferencing on them. 8:10:47 AM    comment []

Informed Consent? Confusion Is Rife About Drug Plan as Sign-Up Nears By ROBERT PEAR, New York Times WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 - Enrollment in the new Medicare drug benefit begins in three days, but even with President Bush hailing the plan on Saturday as "the greatest advance in health care for seniors" in 40 years, large numbers of older Americans appear to be overwhelmed and confused by the choices they will have to make. "I have a Ph.D., and it's too complicated to suit me," said William Q. Beard, 73, a retired chemist in Wichita, Kan., who takes eight prescription drugs, including several heart medicines. "I wonder how the vast majority of beneficiaries will handle this. I fervently wish that members of Congress had to deal with the same health care program we do."... 7:26:39 AM    comment []

Digital Life on the road voluntary or not Remote Vehicle Diagnostics and Personal Portals I subscribe to the OnStar Safe and Sound plan (things like remote door unlocking, vehicle recovery, etc.). I was just notified that OnStar has begin a new service (included in the Safe and Sound plan) that give remote vehicle diagnostics. I think it's pretty cool that I can got to a Web page and be told about the health of significant systems in my car. My car is not online in the sense that it has an IP number, but can anyone doubt that that is somewhere in the future?.... [Windley's Enterprise Computing Weblog] As I recall, another auto manufacturer has ads about their car "calling home" when a repair is needed. One other thing, Windley continues with comments about wanting a personal portal. Which I take as wanting a secure digital Vault to secure his personal records and community connections. The odd thing was that I woke up this morning with a similar thought but from an evacuee perspective. If a personal or community event moved me away from my records and my support community: How would I fill prescriptions? How would I confirm my ownership of properties? How would I find family and friends (well, email, cell phone, etc) The point is, we think about safekeeping physical things and having physical resources to handle events, but we need to think about how the digital age changes our reliance on the physical resources at hand and more on digital resources - independent of location. 6:29:18 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 Russ Savage. Last update: 12/26/05; 12:45:17 PM.