Print version of the programme for the Mobile Plus conference (PDF 795 KB).
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September 15th: The Emerging Mobile Landscape
The starting day of the conference joins the dots between the wide range of issues related to mobile development and sets the scene of the emerging mobile landscape.
Covering technology infrastructure and policy issues as well as application areas it kicks off a lively dialogue between all delegates and provide a shared context.
Registration and Tea at 10:00 – 10:30
10:30 – 11:30, Welcome and Introduction
Dr Ajay K Parida, Executive Director, MS Swaminathan Reseaarch Foundation
Veronika Egger, International Institute for Information Design
Kirti Trivedi, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Ninad Vengurlekar, IL&FS Education and Technology Services
Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Committee 
Mobiles as a Development Tool
Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, Chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
12:30 – 13:00, Visit “Technology Pavilion” and “Talking Points”
Technology Pavilion with: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay / International Institute for Information Design / Qualcomm / MS Swaminathan Research Foundation
Talking Points with: Sasken Technologies / IKSL / Madyamam Newspapers
14:00–15:30, Multi-Location Virtual Conference
Moderator: Nancy. J. Anabel, MSSRF
Coordinator: J. Srinath, MSSRF
Technical Coordinator: Rajamanikkam, MSSRF
The MSSRF operated an 3G based video conference that linked Mobile Plus to several locations all over India in order to understand how they are using mobile phones for securing their livelihood. This showcased not only the technical possibilities of mobile communication but also its direct application and value for sustainable development.
S. Senthilkumaran, MSSRF Introduction to the Virtual Mobile Conference
Locations: Puducherry (Union Territory), Bangalore (Karnataka), Nagapattinam (Tamilnadu), Ramanathapuram (Tamilnadu), Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Madurai (Tamilnadu), Chandigarh (Haryana) and Thanjavur (Tamilnadu)
16:00–18:00, Theme-specific workshop sessions
Theme-specific workshops, where participants share experiences, hopes and visions on
- DESIGN - Chair: Kirti Trivedi, IITB
Juan Sebastian Gomez taliaYsebastian, Austria The Bridge between People and Solutions
- TECHNOLOGY - Chair: Ashish Aggarwal, Qualcomm
Prof. Subbiah Arunachalam Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore Mobile Phone – Path out of Poverty?
Pawan Kumar Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), India ICT for Rural Prosperity
- SOCIAL IMPACT - Chair: Ninad Vengurlekar, IL&FS
Peer Mohideen Sathikh School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Mobile Phones – Adding a New Design to the Social Fabric of India
September 16th: Strategies and Applications
09:30-11:15, Session 1: Welcome and Introduction
Veronika Egger, IIID, Recap of day one
Ajay K Parida, Executive Director, MSSRF
Peter Simlinger, Director, IIID
Prof Juzer Vasi, Professor, IIT Bombay
11:40-13:00, Session 2: Strategies for Technology, Design and Dissemination
Chair: Prof. Subbiah Arunachalam, Centre for Internet and Society
Kojo Boakye Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), UK Mobiles for Development (Mobiles4Dev) – Building Effective Partnerships Between Development Organisations and Mobile Operators
Sharbendu Banerjee CABI, India Delivering High Quality Content – A Critical Success Factor for Agro-advisories
Ninad Vengurlekar IL&FS Education and Technology Services, India Strategies for Dissemination of Quality Content to Millions of Users Across India
14:00-15:45, Session 2 continued
Chair: Ajay K Parida, MSSRF
Pier Paolo Ficarelli ILRI-CGIAR, India Content Management Process in Selected ICT Platforms for Agriculture in India
S. Senthilkumaran M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, India Knowledge Connectivity through Mobiles to the Farmers, Fisherfolk and Self-Help Groups
Takashi Matsumoto National University of Singapore School of Computing, Singapore Designing New Value: Integrated Media Design for Social Innovation
Vinay Venkatraman Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, Denmark Design Within Constraints – an approach to social innovation (Abstract) Please contact Vinay directly about the contents of his presentation: CIID
Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya Ekgoan Technologies, India A Case for Business Logic in Designing ICT Platform for Service Delivery
16:15-17:30, Thematic Keynotes: Healthcare, Education, Rural Prosperity, Community
Chair: Suchit Nanda, Reliance Foundation
Kate Otto The World Bank, USA Mobile Phones and Maternal Health: Measuring the Impact
Kirti Trivedi IIIT Bombay, India Enablers to Universalize Mobile Applications for Education and Healthcare
Ganesh Chandra Shrotriya IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL), India Mobile-based Agro Advisories for Enhancing Farm Productivity and Income – IKSL Experience
Dr. N. Chattopadhyay India Meteorological Department Dissemination of Agromet Advisories through Mobile Phones
September 17th: Communities and Inclusive Growth
09:45-11:15, Session 4: Parallel sessions on key topics Healthcare, Education, Rural Prosperity
4.1 Healthcare
Chair: Veronika Egger, IIID
Priya Jha Institute for Reproductive Health, Georgetown University, India CycleTel™in India: An mHealth Solution for Using Family Planning
Naveena Natarajan Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, India Integrated Health Development through E-Connectivity of PURA with Special Emphasis on Tele Medicine
Mandar Rane Industrial Design Centre, India Design of an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to be used on cheap mobile phones to improve Adherence of ART medication for PLHA (People Living with AIDS) in India
Judith Moldenhauer Wayne State University, USA Doulas, Mother, and Cell Phones: Storytelling and a Doula Intervention Project for Postpartum Depression
Murali Shanmugavelan Consultant to USAID, India Mobile Phones and Maternal Health in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Needs Analysis
4.2 Education
Chair: Dr Nanditha Krishnan, CPREEC
Gordon Akwera Lab49, New York City, USA Knowledge Economy: Disruptive User Experiences (DUX) in Education
Alakananda Rao Alvari Systems Private Limited, India School in a Cell: Mobile Based Platform for Inclusive Education
K.S. Ramakrishnan School of Education, Tamil Nadu Open University, India Dissemination of Open Resources Through Mobile Platforms in Educating Rural India – some possibilities
4.3 Rural Prosperity
Chair: Dr. N. Chattopadhyay, India Metrological Department
J. Rao Srinath M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, India Voice Messages and SMS Services through Mobile Phones for Improving Farming thereby ensuring Livelihoods Security of Farming Families in Tamil Nadu, India
Surabhi Mittal CIMMYT India-CGIAR The Role of Mobile Phones in Agriculture Growth
11:50-13:15, Session 5: Mobile Communities
Chair: Dr Phet Sayo, IDRC
Rupesh Vyas NID National Institute for Design, Ahmedabad, India Information Design Interventions for Census Of India 2011
Chloe Zollman and Arpita Joshi IT for Change, India Recasting the Potential of Mobile Phones for Gender Equality
Aaron Marcus Aaron Marcus and Associates, Inc, USA Information Desgin + Persuasion Design + Mobile Apps = Behaviour Change
Anuradha Viswanathan AboutDesign, India I Contact – Icon Tact – iContact: Uni-Virtual Communication and Socialization
14:00-15:30, Session 6: Summary and Outlook
The closing session presents a summary and conclusions of the conference and an outlook on future opportunities and cooperations.
Veronika Egger IIID Conference Review
Dr Ajay K Parida Executive Director, MSSRF
Kirti Trivedi IITB
Peter Simlinger IIID
Santhosh Babu Dept. of Information Technology, Govt. of Tamilnadu
Dr MS Swaminathan Chairman, MSSRF
Field trip 17/18 September
Starting out in the evening of the 17th, the MSSRF organised a field trip to Puducherry, 2,5 hours South of Chennai.
On the 18th we visited the Village Knowledge Centre in Embalam and the Village Resource Centre in Pillayarkuppam. On the way back to Chennai we briefly visited the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mahabalipuram.
