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How 5 companies are using tech to tackle the big issues

  • 2 May 2019
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How 5 companies are using tech to tackle the big issues
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Creating an actual worldwide web


Dial-up may feel like ancient history, but some of the world is yet to catch up when it comes getting online. Getting every part of the world – even the remote parts – onto the web isn’t exactly easy, but some companies are up to the challenge.

OneWeb says it wants to see everyone connected, “including those on the move— on the road, in the air, or at sea. We envision a world where all people have access and hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others wherever they are.”

The idea is that by using a global set of low-earth orbit satellites, even the most isolated parts of the world should be able to enjoy high-speed broadband. Sounds ambitious, certainly, but OneWeb has already launched its first successful satellite, and has received funding to continue the next-gen plan.


Making a change with Social Media


Social media is key to making a real impact these days, both locally and globally. Increasingly, we’re turning to social media for all our news and information. Change.org is one of those companies looking to harness the power of social media for good.

Change.org is essentially a petition site. If you want something changed, that’s where you can go. Once your petition’s set up, you can ask the social media community to help you gain support. Get a certain level of signatures, and you’re cooking on gas – your petition may be seen by notable members of that field, who can help make the change.

One of the site’s big victories was when Tesco was petitioned to stop selling eggs from caged hens. 270,000 signatures later, the company took notice. See, change can happen!


Healthcare in the hands of AI


AI – artificial intelligence – is a big deal these days, and Google has taken things to a whole new level with Deepmind Health. It aims to provide better support across the healthcare system, especially within the NHS, where it can help patients, plus doctors and nurses.

According to the Deepmind website, “1 in 10 inpatients suffer some kind of avoidable harm because they don't get the treatment they need... To address this, we research and build AI and mobile tools that help hospitals get patients from test to treatment, as quickly and accurately as possible.” This tech could change the way patients receive care, and also how doctors deliver it.

A major milestone has already been reached for the treatment of sight-threatening eye disease. Deepmind says its AI system “can quickly interpret eye scans from routine clinical practice with unprecedented accuracy. It can correctly recommend how patients should be referred for treatment for over 50 sight-threatening eye diseases as accurately as world-leading expert doctors.” Sounds promising, and it could save doctors’ time so more people get seen. Watch this space for future developments…

Outdoor workers can breathe easier

Ever been stuck in the office on a sunny day and wished you had a job where you could work outside? It may look idyllic, but don’t forget all the cold and wet days outdoor workers have to endure – and then, of course, there’s the matter of air pollution.

The British Safety Council and King’s College London have teamed up to create an app – Canairy – that gives you real-time information about air pollution levels. It’s currently just for workers based in London, but hopefully this will be rolled out to other cities if this proves successful.

The app compares your hourly exposure levels against those published by the World Health Organisation. It then gives information that can help you avoid the worst levels of pollution while you’re working, as well as giving employers help in scheduling work that’ll reduce exposure long-term.

Tech that helps take care of other tech

More than anywhere else, we rely on the tech in our hospitals. Simply, they can’t be allowed to breakdown or go wrong. One such piece of equipment is an MRI scanner, and Philips’ clever e-Alert system is designed to keep a virtual eye on an MRI’s system performance – checking that it’s running as it should. If any problems are picked up, it sends an alert so it can be fixed straightaway.

We reckon this is a great idea – using new tech to keep existing tech running smoothly. Hopefully this is just the start; we can think of loads of other machinery that could benefit from this sort of treatment.

1 reply

Userlevel 4
Some great innovations there. I quite like the outside pollution monitor as on some days in London you can actually see and smell the pollution, and I can imagine that outside workers really don't get to enjoy the "fresh air" quite like it seems. I also love the idea that AI is now catching up to doctors and in some cases is as accurate as a doctor, even if they just get passed through the AI as a "second look" or as a triage to prioritise who gets looked at first, this will help change peoples lives in the long run. Thanks for the article, it is great to hear technology is being used for good. Jase

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