Healthcare and SMS Texting
The use of SMS texting to relay medical information is becoming more prominant in developing countries. An interesting new organization which I found today is called FrontlineSMS:Medic. The organization has built a network around SMS technology which is specfically targeted for developing countries.
For around USD $500.00 a laptop is placed in a central clinic and a number of cell phones are distributed to healthcare workers in the community. The network has been built using a free, open source software package which allows workers to communicate back to the central clinic where supplies, tests, drugs, etc. can be ordered.
This organization again goes to show that technology which is commonplace can be used in a variety of innovative ways to help people across the world.