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Exporting Technology To Africa To Save Lives

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A chance phone call from the Clinton Foundation in Mozambique has changed ours and their lives dramatically. It shows the power of creating appropriate and well constructed websites describing a companys services and products.

What was the problem and then the solution:
Delayed test results have often meant that HIV patients in Mozambique have failed to get timely treatment, particularly for preventing Mother to Child transfer (MTCT) of HIV on birth. However, having introduced and developed our new SMS printer technology with the Clinton Foundation and the Mozambique Ministry of Health the need to send tests to far away laboratories has reduced and has dramatically speeded up test results and HIV treatment for Mothers, Mothers-to-be and their newly born. After a successful 2009 pilot Mozambique has nationally rolled out our SMS printer technology and gateway, with Clinton Foundations help. This GSM network based printer and gateway technology transmits the results of mother and infant HIV tests electronically from two central reference laboratories in Maputo and the northern provincial capital, Nampula, to more than 275 health centres across the country. Previously, test samples and results took, on average, three weeks and up to several months to be transported to and from clinics via various means in remote parts of the country.

How did Sequoia and Clinton Foundation meet?
Because of this serious delay in test results the Clinton Foundation in Mozambique looked around for a technology based solution. They ended up contacting us in Reading having seen our website and enquired about using our SMS printer technology for sending health test data over the GSM network to speed up the time taken. After hearing what the program was about and the disastrous pass through rate from Mother to child for HIV we, at Sequoia, could only say yes to help with the program. Two years of concentrated work with the Clinton Foundation on the hardware and the required gateway software produced a successful pilot program. Subsequent research conducted by the Ministry of Health of Mozambique and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), after our SMS printer technology and gateway had been installed, showed that the time it took for clinics to receive test results from reference labs had dropped from an average of about three weeks to about three days after the printers were introduced. Research presented by the Ministry of Health and CHAI at the International AIDS Conference 2010 in Vienna, Austria, showed that this, in turn, reduced the time it took to start infants (and /or mothers to be) on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment by about 4 months. This is now part of the national prevention of mother-to-child (PMTCT) HIV transmission service within Mozambique. The number of infants starting treatment also increased by 60 percent.

How the SMS printer technology and gateway works:
Clinics across the country collect dried blood spot samples from infants and / or mothers to be and transport them to the nearest reference lab, where lab technicians conduct the HIV tests. Results are entered into the SMS printer database at the reference lab and then uploaded onto the Sequoia Technology online server (in Reading UK). The Sequoia gateway then uses the local MCEL GSM phone network to transmit results back to the appropriate clinic. Each clinic has a small thermal paper, GPRS enabled printer that receives the patient test data and prints out the HIV test results alongside a patient identification number. With interruptions in electricity and wireless network signal, the system has been designed to ensure 100 of the data is received by the appropriate printer completely intact – if printers are offline, results are safeguarded in an online gateway queue until the printer is available. The Sequoia Technology gateway shows the status of every printer whether on or not and the number of messages sent or in a queue waiting to be printed. The printer’s small size also makes storage easy in space-constrained clinics, which must also ensure that the printer is kept in a secure room to guarantee patient confidentiality.

Greater efficiency The introduction of SMS printers to clinics has not only meant that babies who test HIV-positive can be started on ARVs sooner – a potentially life-saving intervention – but has also reduced the numbers of new mothers who disappear from the clinics PMTCT program during the, previously, long wait times or after having spent time and money on multiple clinic visits to check for results. According to Mozambiques 2010 report to the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS), about 30 percent of babies born to HIV-positive mothers contract the virus, but only about 14 percent of these babies are tested for HIV before the age of 18 months. Without treatment one-third of HIV-positive babies will die in their first year of life, and almost half by the age of two. With our SMS printer technology in place now the clinics are being able to get to and test mothers-to-be ?for HIV and be able to prescribe AVR drugs in enough time to reduce the likelihood of mother to child transfer of HIV. Additionally further testing after childbirth can check the mothers viral load to ensure the right drugs are given when the mother is breastfeeding an additional way of MTCT of HIV. With our technology in place now, throughout Mozambique, the 30-40 or less if the pre and post birth testing and drug application takes place.

Our SMS printer technology and gateway is then a fast and accurate way of transmitting confidential health data to any remote location but crucially can be used for any disease Malaria, TB, HIV in fact anything that needs to be diagnosed in a lab. This technology forms a low cost and serious platform for countries to transmit diagnostic information quickly and accurately. Additionally, the gateway consolidates all information and therefore gives statistical data about disease spread and location and the quality of the health care across a complete country. Sequoia engineers took 2 years to perfect the gateway software with CHAI and MCEL to produce 100 full data quality and with printer / server buffering and handshaking to ensure the quality of data. Extensive testing took place in pilot phase of this project. Any authorized person can log on to the SMS2printer.co.uk website and retrieve the full data and visual map of where each printer is and the stats of how many messages have been sent / received / pending at each location.

Partnership – We continue to develop more capable GPRS enabled printers and are now working with CHAI in Kenya for potentially deploying a similar system in other African countries for the same health diagnostic transmission platform. Our association with the Clinton team in Mozambique continues and has become more of a partnership and further roll outs are planned as a result of the success so far.

Technology Is Killing Us

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We use technology, in one form or another in our everyday lives, but it is the technology that man has created that is killing us. God put everything on the planet that was needed for humans to exist and he also made humans very smart, allowing us to educate ourselves far beyond what is needed in our everyday life.

God did not create our planet full of environmental toxins and yet they are a huge part of our everyday lives. Did you breathe today?? Then you were exposed to toxins. Did you drink water today?? Then you drank toxins. Our bodies were not designed to handle the toxic overload that we are exposed to.

If you don’t drink the toxic water, but instead drink sodas are you any better off?? Did you know that a can of soda can dissolve a nail within 3-4 days?? Can you imagine what sodas are doing to the inside of your body??

What about diet sodas?? Do you think that diet sodas are better for you than the regular sodas?? Did you know that the artificial sweetener, called aspartame, found in diet sodas and other foods was originally invented as an ant killer and that prolonged use can cause neurological disorders?? It’s true!! They found out that they could make more money selling aspartame as a sweetener than as an ant killer. Maybe it’s not the technology that is killing us but the old mighty dollar instead. How does that make you feel?? Your health is at risk so someone else can make more money. Then when you get a health problem, you have to spend even more money at the doctor’s office, which then might include having to take a prescription….which is more toxins added to your already toxic body.

Fluoride is added to our drinking water but too much can be toxic. Mercury is in vaccines, fluorescent light bulbs…etc. and can be toxic as well. All of the chemicals in our environment have been created by man for one reason or anther; whether it is a chemical we clean with, a chemical used to make drugs or some other type of chemical. We are surrounded in our environment with chemicals, most of which can be deadly and illness or disease related. 95% of all illness and diseases is toxin related. Now you know why I stress cleansing the whole body regularly.

A lot of people are trying to “Go Green”, which simply is an environmental friendly way of living, so we don’t further pollute and contaminate our planet that we live in. Going green products are safe for children, pets, plants….and everything in between. Going green means not having pesticides and herbicides on our vegetation.

Did you hear about the pesticide spill that happened in a lake in Florida back in 1980?? There was a huge decrease in the number of male turtles. What they found were a large number of turtles that were neither male nor female. Simply put, the reproduction organs did not form. It was found that the alligators had smaller than normal testes and penises. They also had elevated levels of estrogen and greatly reduced levels of testosterone. Can you imagine what these chemicals are doing to humans?? Think about a person that was born one sex and feels like they are suppose to be the opposite sex…have these same various types of chemicals altered their hormones?? Things that make you say, hummm….

I get that we use and need chemicals to do this, that and the other with but can’t they invent a natural concoction to do the very same job?? A toxic chemical had to be discovered and invented, so why can’t they just discover and invent a natural form to do the same job, that will have the same effect it the performance that it will do but will be environmental friendly??

Technology can be deadly and slowly it is probably killing us all. We need the world to be safe of these toxic chemicals for us all to have better health. Do your part and try to read labels and use more environmentally friendly, “Going Green” type of products both in your house, outside, around your kids and pets. We may not be able to clean the whole world up in our lifetime, but our kids are the future, let’s help make it a safer on

Innovative Technology And Gadgets Which Has Changed The World

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Old technology paved the way
Technology is something that makes our world change in ways it hasn’t before. Science isn’t just a job, or profession. It’s something we all have deep within us. As our bodies and our thoughts evolve, we accomplish new things and it’s then that science begins to change what we know as life and what we wish to achieve. Just as in the past, there are thousands of discoveries and changes within the field of science that are having a great effect on the world. Imagine older generations without cars, without telephones, without computers. When humans took science by the reigns and accomplished so much within decades, everyone and everything began to change for the better. It’s these inventions and gadgets that we’ve created that serve as stepping stones to greater things.

Aside from what’s happened in the past, how about what’s going on now, and the many inventions, gizmo’s and science that is altering the world today? It’s definitely a possibility that inventions today are happening more low key, without the drastic factor that they had before, but they are still happening quickly and effecting the world more than you probably realize. Take the iPhone and the iPad into example, both hugely important technologies just created recently. They’re both extremely innovative, magnificent creations that are starting to catch the eye of not just consumers, but electronic companies as well. Suddenly there are several copycats of the iPhone and iPad beginning to be mass produced, as well as other products that are attempting to rival Apple.

New Technology is making the future
Now you might be thinking, these inventions are nothing compared to the creation of the car, the phone, and other monumental moments in human history. It may even seem like production is slowing down, or capabilities are reached and we’re not discovering anymore life changing technology. Well stop, because that belief couldn’t be further from the truth. Just take the latest production, the 3D HD flat screen television which are now pencil thin, and compare those to older television produced just years ago. You could make a similar comparison to regular DVD’s and Bluray. These are small adaptations that are sparked by an evolving world in science. These inventions might not be drastic enough for you, but consider them as once again, stepping stones for the future.

In fact, science has already evolved today and discovered inventions that would be as life changing as the phone or car. It’s unfortunate that with any new technology, there are still worries. What is the most dominant concern that inventors face today? There’s no disagreeing that it’s money and business. Money drives everything and if there is profit to be made, it will be put into production sooner. However, sometimes the world isn’t ready for things immediately. One excellent comparison is electric vehicles. Despite the fact we’ve made them, tested them, and are starting to sell them, not everyone is buying them. It’s a slow process to transform people into wanting new things. They’re going to analyze it and find that their gas car sounds better, drives stronger, and is more attractive. Now these are significant cons that electric cars face when compared to gas, and their cons that developers will need to address in order to help the world. Maybe it will take time for science to create a mean sounding electric engine, and that’s the exact moment that electric cars will spark and spread throughout. You can’t ever have a sure answer with business, but its these changes that show science is moving even quicker than it was generations ago. It’s these defining moments in life that we’re breaching the capabilities we thought we had and going beyond our beliefs in science. Spaceflight offers a whole new realm of capabilities for mankind, and just imagine what we can accomplish there. What we’re doing right now with science is what’s going to help us get into space and potentially allow us to travel to new galaxies, find new planets, and one day maybe meet different life forms. No one could ever fathom how incredible those discoveries would be. These types of incredible discoveries aren’t things that would just effect our daily life like phones and television has, they’re things that would change how we think, change our beliefs, change everything we know.

Florida Institute of Recording, Sound and Technology

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Florida Institute of Recording, Sound and Technology >

The F.I.R.S.T School is a Digital Media school located in Orlando Florida that offers comprehensive programs in Recording Arts and Film and Video Production.

History

F.I.R.S.T. opened in 2004 offering an Audio Engineer and Music Production program. After the success of the first program, and with the growth of the Digital Media Field, the institution launched their Film and Video Production program.

Programs Offered

All programs are eight months long and are completed in 350 hours. Day and night class schedules allow flexibility for its students.

Recording Arts

The program includes Audio Engineering and Music Production. Classes range from basic to advance level courses, using classic analog consoles and digital technology. Students become familiar with a complex recording studio, voice over commercial production for radio broad, music production and sequencing. It also teaches the technique of editing, mixing and mastering.
Basic Audio (32 hrs.)
MIDI (32 hrs.)
Fundamentals of Recording (32 hrs.)
Mixing and Editing Concepts (32 hrs.)
Audio for Post (32 hrs. with 16 Independent Laboratory hours)
Advance Recording (32 hrs. with 16 Independent Laboratory hours)
Fundamentals of Pro Tools (32 hrs. with 16 Independent Laboratory hours)
Advanced Mixing (32 hrs. with 16 Independent Laboratory hours)
Student Internship (30 hrs.)

Independent Lab and Internship included are a total of 350 hours for 8 months.

Film and Video Production

Filmmaking, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, Visual Effects and DVD Authoring are some of the topics in this program. Students will learn techniques of shooting in HD, directing short films, producing music videos and product commercials.

Video Development and Pre-Production (32 hrs.)
Production (48 hrs including 8 hours of Career Devlopment)
Post Production (24 hrs. plus 16 hrs. of Lab)
Advanced Production (40 hrs. plus 16 hrs. of Lab)
Motion Graphics and Visual Effects (32 hrs. plus 16 hrs. of Lab)
Short Film (24 hrs. plus 16 hrs. of Lab)
Advance Post Production (24 hrs.)
Marketing and Demo Reels (32 hrs.)
Student Internship (30 hrs.)

Vision Our vision is to ensure the highest quality education and learning experience to our students.

Mission Our mission is to prepare students for a successful career in the field of Digital Media. The F.I.R.S.T. School is dedicated to its hands-on experience, learning philosophy and continual advancement in technology.

Admission Information about is available on our website. http://startatfirst.com/admissions/

Campus Location & Contact Information Address: 2309 Silver Star Road, Orlando FL 32804 Phone: (407) 316-8310 Toll Free: (888) 9FIRST

The Future of Wireless TV Technology

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When it comes to technology today, people are expecting a lot. Wireless technology is especially in the limelight with wireless TV, wireless internet, wireless headphones, wireless everything. The best thing about it all is there is no need to deal with wires.

Wires in our lives makes life miserable the wires can be dangerous for everyone including the pets. And another thing, they are really messy and hiding them can be costly. If one were dealing with TVs for example the cables hanging on the wall behind the gorgeous flat TV hanging on the wall can be an eye sore. If the cables were hidden, the walls would have to be modified to hide them. That is if the landlord would allow the modification.

The thought of wireless TV is very attractive no mess, no fuss, no wires, no muss and definitely no costs of wall modifications. Those who love to decorate can now steer clear from having to deal with TV racks, bulky TV shelves and other bulky and space eating shelves to house the TV. And bulky as they are, they still cannot hide the wires.

Probably one of the best things when dealing with wireless technology like the TV is getting signals transmitted to other TV at no extra cost. Today, if one wants to have another TV in another room one has to deal with extra cable service costs. Without the extra cable there is no connection. Wireless TV eliminates all that and watching different channels is even possible.

Today, wireless TV and anything wireless is welcomed with open arms by practically all consumers. They just cannot wait to get the next wireless technology in their hands, regardless of costs. Today, many wireless gadgets can be a bit pricey but with the next improvement coming in fast the prices can drop dramatically.

The future is very bright when it comes to wireless technology. Admittedly the wireless TV technology still leaves much to be desired and could use improvements but so far the improvements made are fast and very effective. Once the technology matures, there would be no stopping wireless TV and anything wireless for that matter.

The demand of wireless television and effective speed has increased so much among the customers these days that companies have shifted their focus towards services like digitenne ontvangers and digitenne kpn.