Technical Innovation / Innovation technique
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Item Outcome mapping learning community : newsletter no. 2, 2009(ODI, London, GB, 2009) Cardoso, Eva; Hearn, SimonThis issue presents the experiences of three organizations as they reflect on the applicability of Outcome Mapping (OM) within their contexts: the work of the PAN Localization project in developing a customized version of the OM toolkit specifically for incorporating gender sensitivity; how Plan UK is using and adapting OM to engage young people in the design of their governance programme; and from PSO, an association of Dutch development organizations, describing how and why OM is gaining increasing interest among these organizations. Resources from the community library are highlighted, as well as community news.Item Pan Arctic Collaborative for eHealth Research?(Global eHealth Research and Training Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CA, 2009) Scott, Richard E.; Khoja, Shariq; Durrani, HammadPlaced in the context of the relevance of ehealth to the Arctic, and research into ehealth adoption and application, as well as the evidence of sparse publication of ehealth activities in the circumpolar region, an approach focusing on a pan-Arctic collaborative for ehealth research in the north could prove valuable. The report describes development of PANACeA (Pan Asian Collaborative for evidence-based ehealth Adoption and Application) and some of the challenges and successes experienced in applying the research network model. It concludes by speculating on the potential advantages a networked ehealth research approach might have for the northern circumpolar region.Item Software for development : a documentary and case studies; technical report(UNDP Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (UNDP-APDIP), Bangkok, TH, 2006) UNDP Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (UNDP-APDIP)Item Final technical report : blended technology education program; using technology to level education playing field in Mongolia", January 15, 2009 - January 15, 2010(Education Channel Television of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, MN, 2010) Natsagdorj, S.; Otgonjargal, O.; Otgonsuren, Ch.; Burenjargal, T.; Enkhmonkh, M.The project aimed to test whether good quality education content in computer science and English language training, can be delivered to children, especially to those who lack high quality educational resources, using the most recent development of technologies in the context of Mongolia- where 35% of the population is under the age of 18. Results revealed a clear impact on student performance, learning, interest, and skill development. Often children in rural and peri-urban areas lack critical information, guidance and counselling on career choice, social mobility, graduation and entrance examinations.Item Fostering sustainable disaster resilient communities : a concept paper, v2.1(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Udu-gama, NatashaThe 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami highlighted the need for disaster risk reduction actions to minimize the harm that can be caused by hazards in general and by rapid-onset, large-scale geographical hazards such as cyclones and tsunamis. In 2006-07 LIRNEasia and Sarvodaya conducted a pilot project to evaluate last-mile hazard information systems in 32 tsunami-affected villages, in the context of Sarvodaya's strategic commitment to make all of their 15,000 villages (around 40% of the total in Sri Lanka) disaster resilient. Based on the research, it was concluded that disaster resilience would require a focus on village organization and an effective melding of communication over time (through contingency planning, training and simulations) and communication over space (using ICTs found to be effective in the pilot project). It is also necessary to have a hazard information hub (HIH) that functions on a 24/7 basis and effective protocols and procedures for its efficient and reliable operation. The planning, training and simulations have to be done on a continuing basis with the trainers returning to each organized village at regular intervals…Item Two complementary mobile technologies for disaster risk reduction through warning(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Samarajiva, Rohan; Waidyanatha, NuwanDisaster risk reduction is a core function of government. It is possible to significantly improve this government function using mobile application and leveraging the explosive diffusion of the technology even among the poor in developing countries. Coordination within government, including communication to first responders responsible for evacuation and localized warnings, and communication to mass media who serve a critical function in public warning, can be achieved through the use of an SMS engine supplemented as necessary by an informative and robust website. Cell broadcasting can serve as an extremely useful addition to the conventional public warning methods, especially in countries with significant mobile penetration.Item Last-Mile Hazard Warning System in Sri Lanka : performance of WorldSpace Addressable Satellite Radios for Emergency Alerts(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Waidyanatha, Nuwan; Rangarajan, Srinivasan; Gow, Gordon; Anderson, PeterThe WorldSpace Addressable Radios for Emergency Alerts (AREA) was developed to improve the “situational awareness” of all-hazards for communities at risk. The solution was field tested in Sri Lanka for the first time as part of the Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (HazInfo) research project. The HazInfo project realized that early warning via Information Communication Technology (ICT) had to be a point-to-multi-point application and was best accommodated by Information Communication Technologies [5]. The HazInfo Project further recognized the growing call for the use of a globally accepted content standard: Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for all-hazards, all-media alert and notification. AREA satellite broadcast system adopts CAP version 1.1. HazInfo project established last-mile networking capability with the AREA sets for 16 tsunami-affected villages and 34 District Centers in Sri Lanka in order to study the suitability for a standards-based community hazard information system. Specific measures were devised to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the technology. Initial field tests indicate that core alerting functions need to be strengthened to improve reliability and usability, but, overall, WorldSpace delivery of alert can serve as a key component in a regional last-mile alerting system. The objective of the scoring system was not to decide whether the technology was a winner but to find out how it can be improved to perform reliably and effectively in the difficult conditions of rural Sri Lanka.Item Last Mile Hazard Warning System for disaster risk reduction in Sri Lankan villages : community organization(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Udu-gama, NatashaThe 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was the largest natural disaster in recent memory in Sri Lanka and took more than 40,000 lives. In large part, due to the government’s lack of organizational capacity, despite the fact that inquiries had been made to implement a warning system much earlier. In March 2007, LIRNEasia, with the resources and coverage of Sarvodaya and its Community Disaster Management Center (SCDMC), successfully completed a pilot study of a “Last Mile” Hazard Warning System in thirty-two (32)1 Sarvodaya villages throughout Sri Lanka. The aim of this project was to evaluate the suitability of five ICTs deployed in varied conditions in selected villages for their suitability in the last mile of a national disaster warning system for Sri Lanka and possibly to other developing countries. As regards organizational capacity, the pilot demonstrated that mobile and fixed phones performed best since they required little or no training while more higher end technologies such as AREA, VSAT and RAD were more complicated, requiring more training. A hypothesis during the pilot phase purported that Sarvodaya level 4 villages would use and perform better with the ICTs than levels 1-3. Evidence found through the pilot demonstrates the congruity between highly organized communities and a better understanding and adoption of wireless technologies. This paper will address why community organization is significant to Sarvodaya and the HazInfo project within the context of disaster risk reduction, preliminary findings from the pilot supporting this argument, and policy recommendations for stakeholders.Item Common alerting protocol message broker for Last-Mile Hazard Warning System in Sri Lanka : an essential component(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Waidyanatha, Nuwan; Gow, Gordon; Anderson, PeterLast-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) is an Innovation aimed at providing the Communities in Sri Lanka a system to receive hazard information for early warnings. A major component of the LM-HWS is the Hazard Information Hub (HIH) disseminating CAP Message in the 3 national languages: Sinhala, Tamil, and English. These CAP Messages are sent to the Last-Mile Communities in the content-forms of audio and text. Reliability of the HIH performance must not be any less than a 95%. Such a high reliability is expected in order to give the Community First-Responders time to complete their Emergency Response Plans. The Live Exercises gave the HIH a Reliability score of 78%. For example an event such as the December 2004 Tsunami that had a minimal 90 minute duration between time of hazard starting and the time of impacting Sri Lanka; with a 78% Reliability, the function: Relaying of Message to the Last-Mile alone would take 20 minutes. Analysis also shows the Reliability to drop significantly when the combination of SISO relaying Applications increase. A MIMO Alerting Application such as a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Message Broker would increase the performance of the HIH and give the hazard impacting Communities additional time to execute their ERPs.Item Community-based hazard warnings in rural Sri Lanka : performance of alerting and notification in a last-mile message relay(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Waidyanatha, Nuwan; Gow, Gordon; Anderson, PeterThe aim of the Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) is to deploy and assess various alert and notification technologies intended to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to natural and manmade hazards in rural Sri Lanka. The project adopts an “all-hazards, all-media” approach designed around a set of five wireless communication technologies [2]. The pilot project involved deployment, training, and field-testing of the technologies, in various combinations, across 32 tsunami-affected villages, using Common Alerting Protocol for data interchange with content provided in three languages (English, Sinhalese and Tamil). This paper reports on findings from a series of field tests conducted in Sri Lanka to compare the reliability of the five ‘last-mile’ devices with their relative effectiveness in terms of alert and notification capabilities. Findings indicate that overall effectiveness of the alert and notification system is enhanced when a village is equipped with a technology combination that enhances complimentary redundancy in reliability and effectiveness. Further implications of these findings for planning and future research are discussed.Item Evaluating last-mile hazard information dissemination : a research proposal(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Samarajiva, RohanThis is a comprehensive and detailed report regarding implementation of a first-responders ICT strategy for emergency communication and disaster management in Sri Lanka. The project showed that ICTs can be incorporated into communities and form a critical infrastructure. However, from a technical perspective all ICTs used in the hazard information dissemination system (HazInfo Pilot) need upgrading to receive Complete Full-CAP (Common Alerting Protocol) messages before their use in the Last-Mile Communities of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan society is not used to working according to plans, nor adhering to concepts of deadlines. Disastrous weather events and ongoing civil conflicts are impediments to pilot project planning.Item Hazard warnings in Sri Lanka : challenges of internetworking with common alerting protocol(ISCRAM, Brussels, BE, 2007) Gow, Gordon; Anderson, Peter; Waidyanatha, NuwanThere is a growing call for the use of open source content standards for all-hazards, all-media alert and notification systems. This paper presents findings on the implementation of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) as a content standard for a community-based hazard information network in Sri Lanka. CAP is being deployed as part of the HazInfo project, which has established last-mile networking capability for 32 tsunami-affected villages in Sri Lanka in order to study the suitability of various Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) for a standards-based community hazard information system. Results to date suggest that the basic internetworking arrangement at lower technical layers has proven to be reasonably robust and reliable but that a key challenge remains in the upper layers of application software and content provision. This is evident in the apparent difficulties faced when implementing CAP messaging over multiple last-mile systems that include commercial satellite and terrestrial network technologies (C/L/X-Band, GSM, and CDMA in modes of voice and text). Lessons learned from silent tests and live exercises point to several key bottlenecks in the system where the integrity of CAP messages is compromised due to problems associated with software interoperability or direct human intervention. The wider implication of this finding is that content standards by themselves are not sufficient to support appropriate and timely emergency response activities. Those working with content standards for hazard information systems must consider closely the interoperability issues at various layers of interconnectivity.Item Last-Mile Hazard Warnings System : evaluation of a pilot for a national implementation plan(IEICE, Tokyo, JP, 2008) Waidyanatha, NuwanThe plan of the Community-based Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) is to complement the efforts at the National and Global levels by preparing the last-mile communication segment of an end-to-end hazard detection and notification chain of systems. While the main focus in the world is on detection and monitoring systems very little or no emphasis is given to ‘last-mile’ segment of a National Early Warning System (NEWS). The LM-HWS pilot phase completed in May 2007 deployed and assessed various alert and notification Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and the relevant processes intended to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to natural and manmade hazards in the last-mile of Sri Lanka. The project adopts an “all-hazards, all-media” approach designed around a set of five wireless communication technologies. The pilot project involved deployment, training, and field-testing of the technologies, in various combinations, across 32 tsunami-affected villages, using Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for data interchange with content provided in three languages (English, Sinhalese and Tamil). This paper reports on findings from a series of field tests conducted in Sri Lanka to compare the performance of the centralized message five ‘last-mile’ devices with their relative effectiveness in terms of alert and notification capabilities. One finding indicate that overall performance of the alert and notification system is enhanced when a village is equipped with a technology combination that enhances “complimentary redundancy” in reliability and effectiveness. Second finding indicates that the reliability can be enhanced by introducing a Multilanguage single input multiple output software application (i.e. CAP Broker) at the central message relay. Further implications of these findings for planning and future research are discussed. Third aspects of the findings imply that the first responders require rigorous training and certification in emergency communication to avoid ambiguity and misinformation. The Last-Mile Hazard Warning System takes an all-hazards all-media approach in reacting to global and local hazard warnings The LM-HWS project is pioneering this work providing policy makers in the region with assessment methods and analytics to justify the best practices in deploying a communication system for multi-hazard alerting and notification.Item Challenges of optimizing common alerting protocol for SMS based GSM devices in last-mile hazard warnings in Sri Lanka(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Waidyanatha, Nuwan; Dias, D.; Purasinghe, H.The aim of the Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) is to deploy various alert and notification wireless technologies intended to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to natural and manmade hazards in Sri Lanka. The project adopts an “all-hazards, all-media” approach designed around a set of five wireless communication technologies. The pilot project entitled, “Evaluating Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination”, or the “HazInfo Project”, involved deployment, training, and field-testing of the technologies, in various combinations, across 32 tsunami-affected villages, using the “Common Alerting Protocol ” (CAP) for data interchange with content provided in three languages (English, Sinhalese and Tamil). Results to date suggest that the basic internetworking arrangement at lower technical layers has proven to be reasonably robust and reliable but that a key challenge remains in the upper layers of application software and content provision. This is evident in the apparent difficulties faced when implementing CAP messaging over a LM-HWS that included two GSM Technology solutions. Lessons learned from silent tests and live exercises point to several key bottlenecks in the GSM solutions where the integrity of CAP messages is compromised due to problems associated with technological boundaries, technical difficulties, software interoperability, and direct human intervention. Those working with content standards and development of software for hazard information systems must consider closely the interoperability issues at various layers of interconnectivity as well as compromising technological uncertainty caused by human mishaps. As field trials suggest, text based alerting such as cell broadcasting (or short message services) can not be introduced for public alerting until a common content standard is agreed upon that takes into consideration the restrictions imposed as a result of miniaturization of mobile handheld devices that prevent from displaying unambiguous alert messages. This paper reports on findings from a series of field tests conducted in Sri Lanka to compare the reliability of the two GSM solutions with their relative effectiveness in terms of alert and notification capabilities in the last-mile of an early warning systemItem Community-based hazard warning in Sri Lanka : miniaturization assessment of terminal devices in the last-mile link(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2008) Waidyanatha, Nuwan; Gow, Gordon; Anderson, PeterThe M=9+ earthquake in Sumatara, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004 at 00:59 GMT triggered destructive tsunami waves, which greatly affected Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and Thailand. People were caught unawares as there was no warning system in place for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. Overall it is estimated that more than 250,000 in the region perished. The aim of the Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) was to deploy various alert and notification wireless technologies intended to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to natural and manmade hazards in Sri Lanka. The project adopted an “all-hazards, all-media” approach designed around a set of five wireless communication technologies: Addressable Satellite Radios for Emergency Alerting, Remote Alarm Devices, Mobile Phones, Fixed Phones and Very Small Aperture Terminals. The pilot project entitled, “Evaluating Last-Mile Hazard Information Dissemination”, or the “HazInfo Project”, involved deployment, training, and field-testing of the technologies, in various combinations, across 32 tsunami-affected villages, using the “Common Alerting Protocol ” (CAP) for data interchange with content provided in three languages (English, Sinhalese and Tamil). The ultimate LM-HWS intentions are to introduce Alerting and Notification to improve the “situational awareness” of all-hazards in 15,000 Sarvodaya embedded Communities in the Island of Sri Lanka. While this paper discusses the overall performance of the LM-HWS its main purpose is to report on one aspect of the effectiveness measure - identifying the need for miniaturized terminal devices that not only can be used during hazard alert and notification but also during the response and recovery stages of the disaster management cycle. The measure introduced gives a set of guidelines for equipment manufacturers as well as a mechanism for planners to set a strategy when introducing terminal devices in to a Last-Mile warning system.Item Last-Mile Hazard Warning System in Sri Lanka : performance of the ICT first responder training regime(LIRNEasia, Colombo, LK, 2007) Waidyanatha, NuwanM=9+ earthquake in Sumatara, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004 00:59 GMT, triggered destructive tsunami waves, which greatly affected Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and Thailand. People were caught unawares as there was no warning system in place for tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. Overall it is estimated that more than 225,000 people, in the region, perished (Samarajiva, 2007 - [9]). Last-Mile Hazard Warning System (LM-HWS) is introducing Alerting and Notification to improve the “situational awareness” of all-hazards in 15,000 Sarvodaya embedded Communities in Sri Lanka. The Pilot phase established Last-Mile networking capability for 30 tsunami-affected communities with a heterogeneous deployment 5 ICTs: Addressable Satellite Radios for Emergency Alerting, GSM based Remote Alarm Devices, Mobile Phones, CDMA Nomadic Phones and Very Small Aperture Terminals. Lessons to-date suggests the basic internetworking arrangement at lower technical layers has proven to be reasonably robust and reliable but a key challenge remains in the upper layers of human capacity, application software, terminal devices and content provision (Waidyanatha et al, 2007 - [11], [12] and [13]). The Sri Lankan experience shows that the LM-HWS is neither efficient nor effective without competent human-capacity at the message-relays: Hazard-Information-Hub and Last-Mile Communities; a necessary condition to supplement the deficit of an end-to-end automated alerting system. Despite the training that was offered to the Hazard-Information-Hub Monitors and Community ICT Guardians; their performance was well bellow the 95% benchmark (see Fig 4). The project identifies that the Common Alerting Protocol intensive ICT based last-Mile alerting and notification system requires periodically repeated training and certification to improve the reliability and effectiveness of the human resources who are entrusted with mission critical LM-HWS processes.Item Pan-Arctic collaborative for eHealth : need, value, lessons(PAN Asian Collaboration for Evidence-based eHealth Adoption and Application (PANACeA), Karachi, PK, 2009) Scott, R.E.; Khoja, S.; Durrani, H.This one-pager advocates for a networked research approach modelled on the PAN Asian Collaboration for Evidence-based e-Health Adoption and Application (PANACeA), that focuses on eHealth implementation in the Arctic. The benefits of networked research activities include a broader sharing of knowledge, increased scope for research activities, greater capacity building, and administrative resilience. Yet no Arctic focused eHealth research network exists. As well, the International Journal of Circumpolar Health shows only sporadic and low ehealth publication.Item Pan-Arctic collaborative for eHealth : need, value, lessons(Health Innovation & Information Technology Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CA, 2009) Scott, Richard E.; Khoja, Shariq; Durrani, HammadThe presentation outlines some initiatives taken under the umbrella of the PAN Asian Collaboration for Evidence-based e-Health Adoption and Application (PANACeA), its history, challenges and successes. It introduces the idea of building a similar Pan-Arctic body towards circumpolar health, using e-Health models. The creation of a Pan-Arctic Collaboration for eHealth / Research (PACeR) would be a first step in identifying, designing, and implementing ‘technologically appropriate and culturally sensitive’ approaches.Item Terminal report, 31 January 2004 - 31 December 2008 / Learning from Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) Research to Enhance Policymaking (Philippines)(Philippines. Department of Science and Technology, Manila, PH, 2009) de la Peña, FortunatoThe report highlights outputs and outcomes, calls for proposals, activities and conferences, as well as Volume 1 of “Philippine Experiences in ICT4D” launched in 2007 during the National Science and Technology Week. The book was distributed to government, academic, private and civil society organizations which have programs, advocacy and/or interest in ICT4D. Members of the Philippine Congress were also included. Volume 2 was retitled “ICT4D, Serving People.” Twelve case studies from the conference series, calls for proposals and roundtable discussions on enhancing public service comprise this publication.Item Impact of ICTs in Rural Areas (India) Phase II - Information Village Research Project : terminal report (2000 - 2004); annexures(M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, IN, 2004) M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation