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Weekly Issue - 24 August 2011

Latest News

PRESS RELEASE

Digital Agenda: EU funded research helps astronomers see the bigger picture

(23 August 2011) A groundbreaking technique to produce real-time, high-resolution images of distant galaxies has been developed by astronomers thanks to EU-funding. Radio telescopes around the world can now simultaneously observe the most remote objects in the universe and create high resolution images - a level of detail equivalent to identifying a football on the moon. The technique, called Electronic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (e-VLBI), helps to reveal clues on how galaxies are formed by allowing astronomers to receive and process data in near real-time as an experiment is running, thanks to high speed optical networks. This allows multiple radio telescopes throughout the world to work together to simulate one giant telescope. This not only improves the quality of observation results but also helps to maximise the return on investment in radio telescopes.

NEWS ARTICLE

ecancerHub - A New Approach to Cancer Communication

(4 August 2011) ecancerHub - a new, open-access, integrated approach to providing the whole cancer community with high quality and trustworthy information - has launched. Integrating the best of social media technology into one unique platform, ecancerHub enables patients, healthcare professionals and researchers to interact, connect and share. They have the opportunity to discuss, debate, generate new ideas, gather opinions and build knowledge not only within their own groups, but also cross-community.

See also: Registration

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

ITU Workshop on "Telecommunications Relay Services for Persons with Disabilities"

25 November 2011 Geneva, Switzerland

One very important mechanism to provide equal access for persons with hearing disabilities are relay services, where an intermediary typically provides a conversion typically between voice and text or sign language. An increasing number of countries are adopting the UNCRPD and will need advice on the provision of relay services. Also, it is expected that more relay services will be deployed in Europe with the passing of new versions of the Telecommunications Framework Directives; similar regulatory activity and increase in relay service offerings are also expected in other parts of the world. In developing countries, where higher percentages of the population face disabilities, the need for relay services is greater. At the same time, it should be noted that, as the Internet infrastructure develops, it may be used to provide high-quality relay services without the need to build services using older technologies. Finally, relay services today entail operation costs higher than those of normal telephone calls; technical and regulatory solutions are needed to reduce those costs towards the equal basis access to telecommunication services prescribed by the UNCRPD. ITU-T Question 26/16 is currently studying relay services with an aim to advise in those areas through ITU-T Technical Papers and Recommendations. In this context, the workshop is intended as a forum where ideas, problems and good practices can be shared. Existing and future relay service suppliers will be able to share experiences with governments, regulators, standards makers, user groups and users; the outcomes will be fed into the Q26/16 studies.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Joint ITU/EBU workshop "How Can We Reach the Media Have-Nots of the Developed and Developing Worlds?", at the Internet Governance Forum

29 September 2011 Internet Governance Forum, Kenya

In 2011, ITU-T established a Focus Group on media accessibility, open to all interested parties, to bring together the requirements and systems across all the different media platforms - Internet, IPTV, and Broadcasting. The bold aim is to unify access system technologies across the world and across all media. The group will face many challenges to achieving its objectives. One will be to understand the different priorities of developed and developing nations. The focus group will also need to hear and act on the voices of those who will really use the access services, rather than the politicians. The session will bring together panellists from across the world and across the different media to help the dream of the Focus group a reality.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability workshops at the Internet Governance Forum

28 September 2011 Internet Governance Forum, Kenya

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) established a Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability. The Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability will facilitate interaction between relevant bodies, and ensure that ICT accessibility is included in the key debates around Internet Governance in order to build a future where all sectors of the global community have equal access to the Information Society. It organises two workshops at the Internet Governance Forum: "Mainstreaming the disability perspective for an inclusive society" and "Implementing good practices in accessibility for an inclusive society".

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Virtual Physiological Human Institute for Integrative Biomedical Research - first General Assembly

28 September 2011 Barcelona, Spain

The VPH Institute aims to develop a new approach, which makes possible the integration of information, and simplifies its transformation into integrated knowledge. The meeting is open to anyone interested in getting more information on the newly established Institute and its future activities. The participation is free of charge, but due to logistic reasons, registering is mandatory. If you are interested to attend, please send an email to the VPH Institute Manager: manager@vph-institute.org. A draft agenda of the meeting will be released shortly.

Reminders

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

FET Proactive Information Day on Call 8

12 October 2011 Brussels, Belgium

During this event, information on FET-Proactive initiatives under this call will be provided, as well as contractual, legal and administrative modalities. In addition, the creation of consortia and synergies will be facilitated through an open exchange "Proposers Forum". Registration is free of charge but mandatory.

Contact: Jean-Marie Auger

New in the Library

AUDIOVISUAL

Meet Kompai, your robot friend

22 August 2011

Kompai is a robot companion to humans who need one. Born in a workshop near Biarritz, France, Kompai is the fruit of the FP7 project MOBISERV to explore how machines can help the elderly and disabled. The result is a blend of watchdog, care assistant, and everyday computer. Vincent Dupourque, the president of Robosoft, the company behind the venture, explained the idea: "A robot is certainly one of the best answers, the best technological answer to help people who are housebound." One of Robosoft's robotics engineer, Arnaud Lago, gave more details: "It's a mobile robotic platform which is able to move around an apartment automatically. It is equipped with a laser and distance sensors for navigation and security. There's a tablet PC with a tactile interface that allows it to interact with the person who'll be using it, two directional microphones in order to speak to it, and a camera to allow the person to speak to others." Kompai should be able to go where you tell him, help with the shopping list and even play games. Kompai's creators argue that the growing number of elderly people in Europe means there is an emerging market for robotic home help. Not just practical help either, but as Vincent said, also companionship: "Most people find they're really, really comfortable with the robot. We saw with the first tests with real patients that after a few minutes they forgot it was a machine and talked to him as if he was a person."

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