Presentation GlobDev08 Paris

Florian Sturm, Thorsten Hampel, David Hauer, Andreas HornichUniversity of Vienna

Fighting Hunger with Information

Mashups in ICT4D

Increase Accessibility of Vital Services



● ICT4D– Already introduced– Many technological devices / platforms /

approaches for improving social & economic conditions in less developed countries

– Often isolated from each other






● Mashups– Combine different technologies– Don't create new platforms / services– Connect existing ones– Proofofconcept: NoisR



● NoisR– Aim: enable access to an emarketplace for

● People with limited reading abilities● People with bad eyesight● People without a computer

– Only basic technologies & existing services– → Mashup




● Technical Implementation– XML database– Google Maps– eSpeak – Podcast– Podlinez





● Technical Implementation– XML database– Google Maps– eSpeak – Podcast– Podlinez






● NoisR:– Backend: Mashup– Frontend:

● Simply call a number and listen to the newest offers● Simply look at the map and get an overview of the offers



● Other mashup ideas– Price alerts via sms– Weather forecast with sms notifications– Ushahidi – “Crowdsourcing Crisis Information”




● Mashups– No extensive programming– Many free services– People themselves can create applications– Existing user base– Easy extension of services



● Conclusion– Don't reinvent the wheel– Use what's already there and working– For NoisR:

● More mobiles & many illiterates● Easier access to information can include those people● → the gap between rich & poor is also addressed



● Issues / Further Research– Apply the prototype– Automated speech conversion– Put everything on the web– Localization / Customization– Is the infrastructure ready for mashups?


Thank you

Presentation GlobDev08 Paris

Technology