ME and Ophelia

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ENABLES A GLOBAL DIALOGUE -
To help bridge cultures around the world

Last week, I posted a graph showing the world's top broadband subscribers. Here below is a copy of a BBC report that I meant to post with the graph. Countries that lag behind the West in telecoms infrastructure may end up leaping ahead of us because when they do install, it's the latest technology.

Wireless internet networks seem to have loads of potential. Here is how one network is being used. Note, to foster cultural links across the globe, a children's learning lab has been incorporated in the network that will enable children at local primary schools to hook up with their peers in the US.

PANDAS BENEFIT FROM WIRELESS NET

The world's dwindling panda population is getting a helping hand from a wireless internet network.

The Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan Province of southwest China is home to 20% of the remaining 1,500 giant pandas in the world.

A broadband and wireless network installed on the reserve has allowed staff to chronicle the pandas' daily activities.

The data and images can be shared with colleagues around the world.

The reserve conducts vital research on both panda breeding and bamboo ecology.


Infant pandas need a lot of care

Watching pandas

Using the network, vets have been able to observe how infant pandas feed and suggest changes to improve the tiny cubs' chances of survival.

"Digital technology has transformed the way we communicate and share information inside Wolong and with the rest of the world," said Zhang Hemin, director of the Wolong Nature Reserve.

"Our researchers now have state-of-the-art digital technology to help foster the panda population and manage our precious surroundings."

The network has been developed by Intel, working closely with the staff at Wolong.

It includes a 802.11b wireless network and a video monitoring system using five cameras to observe pandas around the clock.


The wireless network allows vital data to be recorded

Schools link-up

Before the new infrastructure arrived at the panda park, staff walked or drove to deliver floppy disks across the reserve.

Infant panda health was recorded on paper notebooks and research teams in the field had little access to the data.

To foster cultural links across the globe, a children's learning lab has been incorporated in the network, in collaboration with Globio (Federation for Global Biodiversity Education for Children), an international non-profit organisation.

It will enable children at local primary schools to hook up with their peers in Portland, Oregon in the US.

"Digital technology brings this story to life by enabling a global dialogue to help bridge cultures around the world," said Globio founder Gerry Ellis.