Androids in Africa Nick Short and Andrew Hagner RVC Niall Winters IoE 9th October 2009

The Undergraduate Research Team RVC has sent teams out for last 45 years Research projects aimed at helping farmers in developing countries by researching animal health problems Current team 9 students Project on East Coast Fever in cattle to help design vaccine protocol

RVC has sent teams out for last 45 years

Research projects aimed at helping farmers in developing countries by researching animal health problems

Current team 9 students

Project on East Coast Fever in cattle to help design vaccine protocol

Use of Phones Collecting physical exam data in field using Google ’ s Open Data Kit (ODK) Recording sampling locations using Twidroid Communicating with team members and RVC experts via Twitter, email, and Google Chat Updating team blog using blogger

Collecting physical exam data in field using Google ’ s Open Data Kit (ODK)

Recording sampling locations using Twidroid

Communicating with team members and RVC experts via Twitter, email, and Google Chat

Updating team blog using blogger

Parameters recorded Gender Breed Age Diarrhoea Temperature Respiratory Rate Mucous membrane colour Lymphadenopathy Number of ticks Nasal Discharge Body Condition Score

Gender

Breed

Age

Diarrhoea

Temperature

Respiratory Rate

Mucous membrane colour

Lymphadenopathy

Number of ticks

Nasal Discharge

Body Condition Score

Advantages Quick Upload of data to Excel via XML Paperless Able to communicate with whole team at once via Twitter Able to receive input from world experts remotely Could keep in contact with family, fellow students, and donors while in field

Quick Upload of data to Excel via XML

Paperless

Able to communicate with whole team at once via Twitter

Able to receive input from world experts remotely

Could keep in contact with family, fellow students, and donors while in field

Constraints -Slow GPS Function -Cannot change forms easily in field -Questions linear -Expense of devices -No picture function in ODK

-Slow GPS Function

-Cannot change forms easily in field

-Questions linear

-Expense of devices

-No picture function in ODK

The Phone/Platform for us? Pros Open source! Flexibility Gaining affordability Google apps Keypad Cons Touch Screen (HTC) GPS Function Office Compatibility Current Cost Learning curve Cannot Label Pictures

Pros

Open source!

Flexibility

Gaining affordability

Google apps

Keypad

Cons

Touch Screen (HTC)

GPS Function

Office Compatibility

Current Cost

Learning curve

Cannot Label Pictures

The Data Collection system for us? Pros Open source! Evolving thanks to a dedicated team Richer data than SMS Independence from netbook XML output Cons Cannot change in field Need for technical support Linear collection Touch screen requisite GPS function Picture Function

Pros

Open source!

Evolving thanks to a dedicated team

Richer data than SMS

Independence from netbook

XML output

Cons

Cannot change in field

Need for technical support

Linear collection

Touch screen requisite

GPS function

Picture Function

What Local Vets Value in Device Educational Tool Learning Resource Ability to record production data Management tool Ruggedness/durability

Educational Tool

Learning Resource

Ability to record production data

Management tool

Ruggedness/durability

Thank you! Nick Short- [email_address] Andrew Hagner - [email_address] Niall Winters- [email_address]

Nick Short- [email_address]

Andrew Hagner - [email_address]

Niall Winters- [email_address]