In May 2006, Intel Corporation committed to investing $1 billion over five years for the Intel World Ahead Initiative, a program focusing on accessibility, connectivity, and education in the developing world. Intel World Ahead focuses not just on increasing access to PCs but also to addressing basic connectivity issues and needs. Intel has focused largely on WiMAX availability for low-cost broadband Internet access, with more than 200 WiMAX trials currently.
If you don’t mind reading white papers and case studies, check out Intel’s white paper on the
Turkish Ministry of Health’s computer literacy program and the case study on Nigeria’s digital divide.
Intel and Innovation: Intel is currently running a challenge called “INSPIRE-EMPOWER” that seeks innovative solutions in the areas of education, healthcare, economic development or the environment. The purse is $100,000 USD, with one prize awarded for each of the four global issue categories (to be used toward funding the idea). The registration and submission deadline is January 31, 2009 and winners will be announced April 8, 2009. Learn more and check out the eligibility deadlines at intelchallenge.com.
Intel’s Classroom PC: Intel recently released a new generation of the Classroom laptop. Check out the specs at CNET.com
Intel’s World Ahead program also encompasses healthcare. Intel launched an e-health program with the government of India in 2007…
"Applying technology in pioneering ways can help increase access to healthcare and improve quality of care for people everywhere," said Barrett, who also chairs the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development. "We've seen how technology has enhanced people's lives in Baramati, and look forward to seeing this replicated on a larger scale across Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country."
"Digital health solutions are the most appropriate tools for achieving our objective of providing health care to the poorest citizens living in the remote areas of our country," Ramadoss said. "We are confident that these solutions that we're implementing here can be a model for developing communities worldwide, and will also help us to reduce disease burden on our healthy citizens — poor or rich."
During his visit to Tindivanam, a town in Tamil Nadu, Barrett participated in the inauguration of a telehealth pilot project at Tindivanam Taluk Hospital, a 100-plus bed facility serving a taluk of more than 210,000 people. The pilot is being driven by Bangalore's Narayana Hrudayalaya hospital and Chennai' Sankara Nethralaya hospital, as well as Indian-based companies Microsense, SN Informatics and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
The web-based Health Referral System aims to provide improved and cost-effective access to high-quality healthcare and is hosted on TCS' WebHealthCentral portal. The project will bring community residents the benefits of health screening and remote diagnostics by specialists, beginning with ophthalmology and cardiology. It will also enable doctors to view patient records and diagnostic images such as retinal scans over a secure computer network. Through videoconferences, specialists across India can also examine patients remotely.” --- read the entire article at The British Journal of Healthcare Computing & Information Management
“Podtech.net -- ICT Access for Africa: Intel, UN and ITU Efforts to Globalize: Broadband Broadband, connectivity, Wi-Fi, accessibility and education efforts are all priorities for the ongoing efforts in developing nations and regions around the globe. Intel, along with the United Nations and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), among others, is participating this month in the Connect Africa Summit, which aims to bring together human, technical and financial resources to speed development and improvement of Africa’s Information and Communication Technology, or ICT infrastructure. Expanding broadband, wireless and mobile access technologies is the current push, after indications that Africa’s general ICT development is lagging behind its unprecedented adoption of mobile phone technology (400 percent in just a few years - well ahead of projections).
Dr. Hamadoun Touré is secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union. His call for what he refers to as a “Marshall Plan for ICT infrastructure development in Africa,” has been heard by the United Nations, and particularly by Intel Chairman Craig Barrett who, leading the UN’s Global Alliance for ICT and Development, or UN GAID, is working to bring the leading ICT companies in Silicon Valley and around the world to the challenges in Africa.” -- read more at podtech.net
