This is a past event
The questions which I would like to address in this talk are: What is the reason for such inequality? Why are these technologies not reaching the poorest of the poor, the most disadvantaged communities? Or in other words why are these technologies not being used efficiently to save lives of millions?
Abstract: Sensors have now become all-pervasive and are more and more seen as a solution to large-scale tracking and monitoring applications in particular health monitoring applications. Affordable devices that enable remote health monitoring of patients are available. Using sensors and mobile devices within communities, researchers can now understand the social structure of these communities creating social networks and using these networks to predict epidemic spread within communities. Such technological advances would facilitate better monitoring of health and with the advancement of medical science the average life expectancy is expected to grow. Infectious diseases are now the world's biggest killer of children and adults. They account for more than 13 million deaths a year for e.g. Influenza alone causes 250,000-500,000 deaths annually. Most deaths from infectious diseases occur in developing countries - where about one third of the population - 1.3 billion people - live on incomes of less than $1 a day. The poorest countries are paying a heavy price for the world's complacency and neglect. Through this talk, I try to break the current mould of thinking that connectivity to all should be governed by law of economics. The disparity between the disconnected and the connected world could be resolved if we can provide connectivity at zero-cost atleast to support e-health.
- Speaker
- Arjuna Sathiaseelan
- Hosted by
- Computer Science at St. Andrews University
- Venue
- Jack Cole 1.33a