Early-warning sensor systems that can test and track serious infectious diseases – such as major flu epidemics, MRSA and HIV – using mobile phones and the internet are being developed by a major new Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (IRC) led by UCL.
The new £11 million IRC, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (total investment £16 million), will develop mobile health technologies that allow doctors to diagnose and track diseases much earlier than ever before. (more…)
“WaterWatchers,” a new mobile app, harnesses the power of crowdsourcing
Johannesburg, South Africa – 22 Mar 2013: IBM marks World Water Day with the launch of a crowdsoucing project to help capture, share and analyze information about the water distribution system in South Africa. The project, called “WaterWatchers,” is driven by a new mobile phone application and SMS capability that will enable South African citizens to report water leaks, faulty water pipes and general conditions of water canals. Every update will provide vital data points to an aggregated “WaterWatchers” report to create a single view of the issues challenging South Africa’s water distribution system.
The free app, which is currently available for Android and available for download at www.ibmwaterwatchers.co.za, and the SMS capability* together provide an easy way for anyone to collect and report issues on local waterways and pipes to a centralized portal. After taking a photo and answering three simple questions about the particular water canal or pipe, the data is uploaded in real-time to a central database. After 30 days, the data will be analyzed and aggregated into a meaningful “leak hot spot” map for South Africa. (more…)
Russia Has Europe’s Largest Internet Audience, Whilst Turkey Counts the Youngest Users
Highest Penetration in Europe: 2 in 3 Dutch Internet Users Visited Banking Sites
London, UK, 21st March 2013 – comScore, Inc., a global leader in digital measurement and analytics, today released the 2013 Europe Digital Future in Focus report. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the European market and identifies the prevailing trends in web usage, online video, mobile and search. There is also a special scorecard section, which shows the top sites for all 18 European countries measured by comScore as well as an overview of top news, retail and online banking sites per market.
“European consumers are more digitally-engaged than ever before and their usage of mobile, internet-enabled devices is re-defining the media landscape,” said Paul Goode, Chief Advisor Industry Relations for comScore in Europe. “Advertisers, agencies and media owners need to understand the rising number of multi-platform consumers and the more complex digital ecosystem that has developed over the past years. Insights about key trends and underlying drivers enable clients to manage their digital investments effectively.” (more…)
Twenty years ago, Calvin Hsia created a list of the “Most Verbose People” on a CompuServe forum that became Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional program.
REDMOND, Wash. – It’s 1993, and you need technical support. Who you gonna call?
Most techies at the time would plug in their modems and dial up CompuServe. In the days before Twitter, Facebook and broadband, CompuServe’s forums were a gathering place for geeks to talk shop and get answers to burning questions. (more…)
The stark contrast between America’s “me-first” culture and the “collective-good” mentality in China is reflected in the two countries’ use of social networking sites, according to a new study led by a Michigan State University scholar.
U.S. citizens spend more time on the networking sites, consider them to be more important and have more “friends” on the sites, the research found. The most popular social networking site in the United States is Facebook; in China, two of the most popular sites are RenRen and Qzone. (more…)
ANN ARBOR — Young adults in Generation X are as likely to connect with friends, family and co-workers online as they are in person, according to a University of Michigan study.
In a typical month, adults in their late 30s report that they engaged in about 75 face-to-face contacts or conversations, compared to about 74 electronic contracts through personal emails or social media. (more…)
Analysis of Online Video in Brazil Shows Facebook as the Fastest Growing Top 10 Online Video Destination in Past Year
Sao Paulo, Brazil, February 6, 2013 – comScore , a leader in measuring the digital world, today released an analysis on online video activities in Brazil based on insights from its comScore Video Metrix service. The study found that Google Sites is the largest online video destination in Brazil, while Facebook is the fastest growing among the top ten. The study also showed that Brazil is the seventh largest online video market worldwide with a viewing audience of 43 million people in December.
“Online video is an important part of the internet landscape in Brazil, reaching a large number of people in an engaging context that is attractive to marketers and advertisers,” said Alejandro Fosk, comScore senior vice president for Latin America. “comScore Video Metrix supports this growing market in Latin America by providing accurate and objective insights on online video viewing behavior that publishers, advertisers and agencies can rely on to make smarter digital investments.” (more…)
One in 10 people say February means the end for relationships gone bad — time to give Google the boot?
REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 4, 2013 — Tired of being let down in love on Valentine’s Day? According to a recent survey from Bing and Impulse Research Corp., a surprising one in 10 people have ended a relationship on arguably the most romantic day of the year. This year Bing is challenging people to reconsider their search habit and break up with Google. You wouldn’t keep dating someone who isn’t trustworthy, so why use a search engine known for serving its interests over your own? In fact, a whopping 85 percent of people report that trustworthiness is the most important trait in a mate, beating out good in bed, sense of humor and wealth. (more…)
