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OhmSMS

OhmSMS

Project URL: 
http://appfrica.net/blog/archives/1815
Short Project Overview: 

A mobile device that sends an SMS to a person letting them know their power is on or off.

Detailed Project Overview: 

It works by logging when a phone’s charge is interrupted. So you purchase a cheap phone, give it a sim with a few shillings credit and then plug it into an outlet at your home or office. When the power goes out, or when it comes back (if you're away) it sends a message telling you exactly when the power has come on or gone off.  OhmSMS offers trending as well, so the user can see relations between outages.  Ex. if Wedensdays are particulary bad, you know not to buy a whole lot of perishables on Tuesday.

What else have you done in this area?: 

A lot, I've worked with mobiles on a number of projects like Questionbox.org, Grameen, and my own company.

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Organization supporting your Project, if any: 
Appfrica Labs
Supporting Organization URL: 
http://appfrica.org
City: 
Kampala
Country: 
Uganda
Does your Project have financial support?: 
Yes
Is the impact area of your Project global?: 
Yes
Type of expertise needed: 
Technical Expertise
Description: 

Acquiring a valid Operator Manufacturer Domain Certificate to sign our midlet

Sustainability (financial) Model: 

We will sell handsets with the software installed at a slight markup.  The software is essentially free, customers pay for installation and set-up.  If we purcahse a large number of low-end mobiles, I'm guessing we can purchase them for around 15 dollars each and sell at 30.  Several NGOs have discussed buying the phones in bulk, to give or microfinance to the SME and disenfranchised poor that they work with.

Identified Obstacles: 

Mobile operator resistance.  We really need the mo license to make access to the baselevel features of the phone both more secure and easier to scale.

Project Milestones: 

Software is complete, now we need to deploy it and perhaps find an larger operator to embed it on all their devices.

Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Dennis Senyonjo

Check Point or Safety Net aka Cyber Chaperon ,My Online 411

Project URL: 
http://netsquared.org/n2y4
Short Project Overview: 

The CV2399 is a interactive application and website. It is a online log of one's agenda .The idea of having some security in real time gives the who,where, when and why to a contact that the logger listed at registration.For anybody that feels they are  in a compromising situation and would like a safety net or cyber chaporone.

Detailed Project Overview: 

 
The CV2399 is a interactive application and website. It is a online log of one's agenda in real time.The website would be very simple.Log on, input the pertinent information.Example:The time, the identification of the person or people that you will be with, tags of the vehicles, make and model of the car, your dates lic number ,first and last name, phone number,cell number, your destination and time that you would be expected to return.If the logger fails to check into the site at a specific time that they noted. The information would be forwarded to contact reference they listed at registration.Unlike any other web site or mobile application.CV2399 gives the emergency contact the who,where, when and why.The idea of having some security in real time, meaning the here and now would keep all parties some what up to par. If they knew they would have to answer up to any foul play. All you need is a software architect who can take the goals and turn that into a functional spec for the site. This would include specs for the framework, back-end data, user interfaces, and messaging. This service would be an overnight International success. No one has done this. This will provide some security for the cyber dater,international traveler ,the student off to the university.The CV2399 can also be incorporated into the office.The corporation that has a large outside sales team. That needs some type of online time management.The target market for endorsements would be sites like My Space and all dating service/chat line, travel agency's,Craig's list,IPhone any or all cell phone manufactures.Proof of creation below
Arthur: Cynthia Dimaria
Intended Outlet:Intellectual property/Online Application
Your CV Number :CV2399
Date and Time :12/13/2008 2:58:53 PM Author Name:cynthia dimaria 
Your IP Address During Registration:66.214.40.208 
Project Title:check point or Safety Net aka Cyber Chaperon CopyRight©2009
Material Form:Concept 
 
 This idea is all about the safety of Generation Text ™( in real time).The target market has no boundaries or territories.The target market blogs,banks,shops,crowd sources ideas,post,text,sms,uploads videos,goes to class,files government reports,pays utilities,meets,dates,chats,sends emails,instant messages.They have their life on public display for the whole world to view. You Tube ,Face Book,My Space.The WWW is a place to  share and show avatars, user names, profiles, hot pictures and videos.A simulated world where one will find dot com sites like E-HARMONY,ADULT FRIEND FINDERS,ALT,MATCH,SUGAR DADDY. These sites are a smorgasbords for anyone and everyone.The Internet is a eclectic potpourri of information from hacking passwords to no deposit casinos.You can enjoy a auction in England while watching a download of AB FAB(shared of course).)In regards to my site the logger calls the shots.If a person has poor intentions they will realize fast,that they will be accountable for any foul play.The marketing is going to make this idea cool .This application has unlimited capabilities it is off the hook and on the fly.Boom its all over the web from forums to chat rooms in seconds.The date and chat lines should  have a form of security for memberships.The tourist would like their family to know their agenda while they visit and travel abroad.The boss wants to see his staff make money and learn some quality control.Time management is a key factor of revenue.Safe date sites  will increase memberships (more revenue)Tourist that come home safe will book again.Travel agencies ,local merchants and restaurants will see happy customers that tip more.The general population will give you their information if you can show a cause or if you can show their friends are doing it.....The mean  ratio of online users  for my application has no  age and no demographic limits.I want this service to be free to general population . I don't like compromising situations without a SAFETY NET or 411.The revenue will come from advertisements . We are a safety site and the first of its kind. I see media attention world wide with the right PR team.Below is a situation that is extreme. Tom Hawks, a 57-year-old retired probation officer let his guard down.It was probably the only time in his life.He gave his personal and professional time to make this world a safer place.He was honest and good.He and his wife were put in a compromising situation.What if he would of said to the three now convicted killers .I need proper idea from each of you. I need tags and vin numbers from each of you.Now watch me log this in my cell phone.Your information will be forwarded to a emergency contact if I am not back at a specific given time.I think at least one of these cold blooded murders would of backed away from the premeditated crime.Things might have been different.At least the victims would of had something on their side.Story below.

 NEWPORT BEACH Police have arrested two more men in the murder of a retired Arizona couple who disappeared while taking prospective buyers of their yacht for a test cruise, authorities said Friday.

 Myron S. Gardner, 41, and Alonso Machain, 21, will be charged in connection with the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks along with the third suspect, Skylar J. Deleon, who was already in custody, Newport Beach Police Department Sgt. Steve Shulman said at a news conference.

 The three men were scheduled to be arraigned later Friday.
 Machain was arrested on two counts of accessory to commit murder. Gardner was arrested for investigation of two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

All three men will be charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances, which would make them eligible for the death penalty, Shulman said."We have not located the bodies of the Hawks and will not speculate where they are," he said.

 Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has not announced whether he will seek the death penalty in the case.

 There has been no trace of Tom Hawks, a 57-year-old retired probation officer, and his wife, Jackie, 47, since mid-November, when they sold the cabin cruiser they lived on to Deleon and his wife, Jennifer.
 Ryan Hawks, the older of the couple's two sons, said he was gratified to see developments in the case.
 "I want justice. I want the truth," said Hawks of San Diego. "I want my parents name redeemed in a big way."

 The couple had lived on their boat for about two years and decided to sell it so they could buy a smaller craft and a house in Mexico, Hawks said.
"I know that wherever they are, they are together," he said. "I guess I'm grateful for that."

Gardner, an electrician from Long Beach, was arrested Thursday. Machain, from the Los Angeles area, was arrested Wednesday.
 Deleon, 25, claims he bought the Hawks' 55-foot cabin cruiser, the "Well Deserved," for about $400,000 in cash. Machain told investigators that he was present during the sale of the boat but later recanted the statement, Shulman said.

Authorities did not provide details of Gardner's alleged role.

 Last week, Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy announced that Deleon was a suspect in the murder of the retired couple from Prescott, Ariz. and another unsolved murder from 2003.
 Deleon, a former electrician and child actor, is the father of two young children and has a previous conviction for burglary.

 "Machain helped Deleon cover the couple's eyes and mouths with duct tape as Jackie Hawks cried, saying she didn't want to die and that she wanted to see her new grandchild. The Hawkses were then taken up to the main cabin one at a time to sign and fingerprint title transfer documents. Jackie Hawks was told that if she cooperated she would be released. "She was shaking uncontrollably," Machain recalled. When it was her husband's turn, Deleon told him that if he tried anything funny he would be struck with a Magnum flashlight. Thomas Hawks responded that he wouldn't try anything, according to Machain.

What else have you done in this area?: 

I have had some large corporations contact me regarding buying the idea.

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Project RSS Feed: 
na
Additional Project RSS Feed: 
na
Organization supporting your Project, if any: 
na
Supporting Organization URL: 
na
City: 
long beach
State/Region: 
CA
Country: 
United States
Does your Project have financial support?: 
No
Is the impact area of your Project global?: 
Yes
If no, what country(s) does it impact?: 
United States
Type of expertise needed: 
Technical Expertise
Description: 

I need a software architect who can take the goals and turn that into a functional spec for the site. This would include specs for the framework, back-end data, user interfaces, and messaging.  

Type of expertise needed: 
Marketing/Media Expertise
Description: 

This service would be an overnight International success. No one has done this. This will provide some security for the cyber dater,international traveler ,the student off to the university.The CV2399 can also be incorporated into the office.The corporation that has a large outside sales team. That needs some type of online time management.The target market for endorsements would be sites like My Space and all dating service/chat line, travel agency's,Craig's list,IPhone any or all cell phone manufactures.Proof of creation below

Type of expertise needed: 
Management Expertise
Description: 

na

Sustainability (financial) Model: 

This service would be an overnight International success. No one has done this. This will provide some security for the cyber dater,international traveler ,the student off to the university.The CV2399 can also be incorporated into the office.The corporation that has a large outside sales team. That needs some type of online time management.The target market for endorsements would be sites like My Space and all dating service/chat line, travel agency's,Craig's list,IPhone any or all cell phone manufactures.Proof of creation below

Project Milestones: 

This will provide some security for the cyber dater,international traveler ,the student off to the university.The CV2399 can also be incorporated into the office.The corporation that has a large outside sales team. That needs some type of online time management.The target market for endorsements would be sites like My Space and all dating service/chat line, travel agency's,Craig's list,IPhone any or all cell phone manufactures.Unlike any other web site or mobile application.CV2399 gives the emergency contact the who,where, when and why.The idea of having some security in real time, meaning the here and now would keep all parties some what up to par. If they knew they would have to answer up to any foul play.

Additional Project Idea Representative: 
na
Additional Project Idea Representative: 
na
Additional Project Idea Representative NetSquared User Name: 
sin1313

Message Sent: رسالة, Improving Basic Cell Phone Literacy in Egyptian Women

Short Project Overview: 

Building on a broad-based adult literacy program in Egypt, the “Message Sent” project will demonstrate the efficacy of simple mobile phones in attracting new adults (80% women), motivating active learning in class and at home, and increasing sustainable use of text messaging and calculations.

Detailed Project Overview: 

Cell phone usage has become a key part of Egyptian society, with an estimated 45 million mobile phone subscribers in Egypt and almost one million new subscribers added every month.  World Education, Inc. (WEI), an international leader in the design and use of non-formal education with eight years of experience in adult literacy, launched a small mobile phone pilot program that targets adult literacy in Cairo.  This 2007 pilot has shown that the use of mobile phones is a strong motivator for  women who sign up, continue attending classes, and remain in class long enough to pass the final literacy exam.  By mastering simple mobile phone skills such as using contact lists, text messaging, and calculations, learners do not need to rely on spouses, relatives, or friends to phone for them.  Building upon this successful pilot, WEI proposes the “Message Sent” project to use mobile phones to accelerate adult literacy learning.  This project will both develop tested mobile phone curricula for active learning of Arabic language and arithmetic in literacy classes and train adult literacy teachers in its use.  The project is designed with four main components: 1) learning how to use a cell phone; 2) learning the Arabic alphabet; 3) gaining a functional 300 word vocabulary; and 4) acquiring numeracy skills.   In the classroom, students will first learn how to use and read a cell phone, with respect to saving numbers, placing calls and accessing text messages.  They will then be introduced to the Arabic alphabet and numbers through the use of the keypad and tested curricula.  This learning will be built upon with the introduction of 300 vocabulary words relevant to cell phones, including text messaging, saving numbers and using mobile applications, like the calculator.  Finally, dialing numbers and calculator usage will be incorporated as important numeracy learning tools. The repetitive nature of cell phone use and very functional application of cell phone features can increase and ensure literacy retention.  Moreover, the high desire for cell phones as a cultural status symbol increases the drive for students to enroll in courses and retain literacy skills.  The “Message Sent” project is designed both to provide basic cell phone literacy and act as a launching pad for larger literacy efforts in Egypt, particularly among the illiterate female populations. 

What else have you done in this area?: 

With funding from USAID and the Ford Foundation, World Education, Inc. (WEI) has been engaged in nonformal education and adult literacy in Egypt since 1999.  Currently WEI is responsible for literacy, organizational capacity building and community mobilization activities for the Egypt Education Reform Project (ERP) and the Girls' Improved Learning Outcomes (GILO).  ERP, a five-year, USAID-funded program, addresses decentralization through an integrated approach that combines community mobilization, nonformal education, including life skills and literacy training, school construction, teacher training, and girls' scholarships, while ensuring effective leadership and participation of the Egyptian government.  GILO is a three-year project that aims to increase the educational enrollment and achievement of girls in basic, primary and preparatory schools in Egypt. In addition to these long-term projects, WEI/Egypt has undertaken several education initiatives.  In 2007 World Education launched a pilot in Marg of Cairo, which explored the effects of using cell phones in literacy classes in terms of retention with reading, writing and arithmetic.  The pilot has shown that the utility of the phone allows learners to retain literacy skills through texting and reading messages and calculating sums in the marketplace.  Literacy teachers in poor urban areas have welcomed the opportunity to experiment with curriculum incorporating mobile phone use along with health messages and other practical topics.  The WEI/Egypt staff has continued research in this area, traveling to and presenting at international conferences around mobile phones and literacy efforts, and the staff intends to continue exploring this exciting literacy tool.   

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Organization supporting your Project, if any: 
World Education, Inc.
Supporting Organization URL: 
www.worlded.org.
City: 
Boston
State/Region: 
Massachussetts
Country: 
United States
Does your Project have financial support?: 
No
Is the impact area of your Project global?: 
Yes
If no, what country(s) does it impact?: 
Egypt

Building a Sustainable Supply Chain for Portable Appropriate Technology

Project URL: 
http://www.PowerMundo.com
Short Project Overview: 

PowerMundo strives to improve people's lives and conserve nature by connecting millions of people in developing countries to market driven, affordable, appropriate technology.

Detailed Project Overview: 

Business Overview

Imagine paying $10 per month to light your home with a single kerosene lantern or cooking dinner on a campfire in your kitchen. Amazingly, over half the people in the world do not have access to safe and affordable products to meet their basic needs for these simple tasks like cooking meals, lighting homes, or purifying water. As a result, billions of people suffer from preventable illnesses, deplorable living conditions, and energy poverty. Surprisingly there are hundreds of affordable products that can safely meet people's daily needs, save people money, and conserve the environment. If these appropriate technologies exist then why are billons of people who live at the base of the economic pyramid not using these products? To address this problem, we have established PowerMundo, an innovative marketing, wholesale distribution, and micro-franchise company that connects people living in poverty to a network of sustainable resources. We manage a worldwide distribution network for clean technology products and support local economic development in emerging markets. As a result, we improve people’s lives, create employment opportunities, and conserve natural resources.

Initial Target Market

After reviewing eight Latin American markets (excluding Brazil), PowerMundo identified Peru as one of the largest underserved markets for appropriate technology. In Peru, 9.2 million people use traditional biomass cook stoves and 7.5 million Peruvian’s live without electricity. Worse yet, 20,000 Peruvians die each year due to respiratory infections. Similarly, the two leading causes of death for Peruvian children under the age of 5 (excluding newborns) are from pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. Many of these health problems are directly related to indoor air pollution and poor sanitation. To reverse these startling statistics, PowerMundo is targeting the most economically disadvantaged areas of Peru where millions of people lack access to affordable appropriate technology solutions. Following our success in Peru, we will scale up our operations to reach other Latin American markets and other underserved areas of the globe.

 

 

 

What else have you done in this area?: 

Products and Services

PowerMundo coordinates a global network of suppliers, retailers, sales people, and microfinance institutions, to design, brand, and distribute appropriate technology. Our business funnels market information to product suppliers, which helps them develop products that satisfy base of the pyramid customer preferences. Suppliers and manufactures greatly value our services since they receive market research and increased sales with no increase in their marketing budget. PowerMundo supports local economic development by training salespeople to become product distributors. Our microfranchise model creates new jobs and disseminates our products in traditionally hard to reach areas. All products distributed by PowerMundo pay for themselves in less than one year and are healthy for people and the planet. For example, a $25 solar lantern eliminates a $10/month kerosene lamp expense, minimizes indoor air pollution, and reduces CO2 emissions. Our initial product line includes multiple models of: efficient biomass cook stoves, wind-up radios, solar cell phone chargers, and renewable energy lanterns.

Management Team

Our management team has lived and traveled extensively in Latin America and Africa. The team has high level management and entrepreneurial experience in the oil and gas, construction management, and economic development fields. All members of the management team are fluent in English and Spanish.

Is there a video that helps describe your Project? If so, enter the embed code here: 
Organization supporting your Project, if any: 
Colorado State University Clean Energy Supercluster
Supporting Organization URL: 
http://energy.colostate.edu/
City: 
Fort Collins
State/Region: 
Colorado
Country: 
United States
Does your Project have financial support?: 
Yes
Is the impact area of your Project global?: 
Yes
Type of expertise needed: 
Marketing/Media Expertise
Sustainability (financial) Model: 

Our social venture earns a small margin on each product sold to sustain our operations. Additionally, since many of the products that PowerMundo sells reduce carbon emissions, the enterprise will reduce product prices by selling carbon credits on a voluntary market. Moreover, our independent sales representatives earn a margin on each product they sell. Our financial projections estimate that we will reach profitability within three years. However, we need additional initial financial support from social minded institutions and investors to get started.

Identified Obstacles: 

Undercapitalization is the primary obstacle we face. However, we are actively raising funds to overcome this challenge. Fluctuations in commodity markets also pose a risk for PowerMundo, but we are working with our suppliers to maintain a stable cost structure. Finally, since PowerMundo is operating in multiple countries currency exchange fluctuation is also a risk. Fortunately, PowerMundo can execute currency futures contracts to minimize this risk.

Project Milestones: 

PowerMundo's Goals for 2009 are:

Build and manage sustainable appropriate technology supply chain in Peru.

Distribute over 10,000 appropriate technology products to customers.

Provide base of the pyramid market data to our suppliers, product designers and other inventors and innovators.

Reach over 500,000 Peruvians through print and radio to raise awareness on the benefits of using healthy affordable appropriate technology.

Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Michael Callahan, P.E.
Additional Project Idea Representative: 
Jacob Castillo

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