094-095 Projects

Community Notebook
Free Software Projects
Projects on
the Move RapidSMS offers a flexible framework for developing
SMS-based applications, and PhoneGap streamlines the
art of cross-platform app development. By Rikki Kite
W
hen you think of UNICEF, you probably dont think about inno-
vation, which is actually one of the organizations core values
[1]. UNICEF has helped develop everything from birthing kits to
solar-powered cold storage units. In fact, in 2009, UNICEF was
awarded the Gov 2.0 Summit Award [2] for RapidSMS, a free, open source
framework for developing SMS-based applications [3].
RapidSMS isnt something you download and start using. Instead, RapidSMS is a
Django and Python-based framework that can be customized for diverse data col-
lection, workflow, and group coordination functionality. The software is designed
to work on any phone that can send and receive text messages and is intended to
be customized for governments and humanitarian organizations working in geo-
graphically remote areas with limited infrastructure, such as roads and electricity.
In October 2008, RapidSMS played an integral role in UNICEFs efforts to dis-
tribute high-protein food (Plumpynut) to 1,800 food centers in drought-crippled
Ethiopia [4]. Before using RapidSMS, aid monitors collected data, such as the
amount of food received and distributed, but there could be several weeks of
delay between when the data was collected and analyzed and any follow-up ac-
tions, such as sending additional supplies. RapidSMS helped eliminate the delay,
which is no small task when you are dealing with 193,130 cartons of Plumpynut
from 1,852 distribution centers.
The RapidSMS Ethiopia deployment was designed to monitor reporting activ-
ity, analyze incoming reports immediately, send custom messages to field monitors
(including broadcast announcements and updates), export data to Excel, generate re-
ports, visualize data, and provide graphical summaries of activities. After a day of
training, 33 monitors armed with RapidSMS-enabled mobile phones were sent out
into the field. When the project concluded on December 4, 2008, UNICEF had 939
unique reports, which was similar to pre-RapidSMS results; however, 10 to 50 reports
were received each day instead of every couple of weeks.
The RapidSMS team documented lessons learned during the Ethiopia deployment.
In addition to recommending thorough training and trial tests, the team noted that
pre-paid, postpaid, or toll-free numbers should be negotiated before deployment be-
cause arrangements with telecommunications providers can take some time. They
also recommended that field-based staff members be on hand to help ensure the proj-
RIKKI KITE ects success and that a paper-based system still be required for backup purposes.
Tobias McNulty, Managing Member of the Caktus Consulting Group [5], says that
Rikki Kite is Director of Marketing at
Advanced Clustering Technologies in RapidSMS is different from other solutions, such as Frontline SMS, because it can au-
Kansas City, Kansas. In addition to Linux tomate complex or redundant tasks and let users build a more customized solution.
Magazine and Linux Pro Magazine, Kite Also, RapidSMS is an open platform instead of a proprietary solution, so training new
has been published in Sys Admin
developers or finding existing developers to work on the project is easy. McNulty says
Magazine and UnixReview.com. She
can be contacted at that Caktus has helped build a few RapidSMS projects, including UNICEF Project
[email protected]. Mwana, which cuts turnaround time (typically one to two months or more) on infant
94 DECEMBER 2011 Issue 133 linux-magazine.com | Linuxpromagazine.com

Community Notebook
Free Software Projects
For example, the Registered Nurses Associ-

ation of Ontarios RNAO app [11] provides
nurses with handy access to nursing best
practice guidelines on their iPhone, iPod
Touch, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android devices
(Figure 1).
HyperWallet offers payment solutions to
simplify international transactions [12], and
in 2010, the company added a mobile app,
Paylution, built on PhoneGap technology.
Nitobi actually built the initial iPhone app
and then hyperWallet took over mainte-
nance and the process of deploying the app
to other mobile platforms.
But PhoneGap isnt all business; this
framework also likes to party. The Music
Waste Festival app serves up the annual fes-
tivals schedule and artist information [13].
Or, if youve got a Squeezebox WiFi music
Figure 1: Nurses dont need to panic when player, you might like the Logitech Squeeze
theres a reference app nearby. box Controller App that can turn your tablet
or smartphone into a streaming audio
HIV test results delivery in rural Zambia player remote control [14].
and Malawi almost in half. The company And, if you want to get your hands dirty,
also built a project for Teachers Without check out the Vegetable Garden Guide app
Borders [6] that was deployed in Nigeria, [15]. This practical app will give you the
which let trainees submit responses to sur- dirty details for planting everything from as-
veys about the training experience. paragus to scorzonera (Figure 2).
The Project Mwana [7] pilot ran from July Whether you are on a humanitarian mis-
2010 until February 2011 at 21 health facili- sion to end hunger or you just want to fig-
ties in Zambia that were part of the national ure out when to plant your pumpkins,
Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) program. The theres a framework project for that app. Figure 2: Are you thinking about
results of the study showed improved turn- RapidSMS and PhoneGap are both exciting planting your summer squash in
around times for early infant diagnosis re- projects that are gaining momentum in the October? Better check the garden
sults (up to 46 percent time savings) and a mobile app market. n n n guide for advice.
30 percent increased volume of SMS results
compared with the use of hardcopy. Info
To learn more about RapidSMS in action,
[1] UNICEF USA Values: http://www. [9] Nitobi PhoneGap Announcement:
check out the case studies online [3]. Pro- unicefusa.org/about/values/ http://blogs.nitobi.com/andre/index.
ject contributors also hang out in IRC (#rap- [2] Gov2.0 Summit Award for Rap- php/2011/10/04/nitobiandphonega
idsms) and have a Rapid SMS Google group. idSMS: http://www.unicef.org/ psnewhomeatadobe/
infobycountry/usa_51097.html [10] PhoneGap Apps: http://www.
PhoneGap [3] RapidSMS:
phonegap.com/apps/?sort=all
http://www.rapidsms.org/ [11] RNAO App:
Based on HTML5, PhoneGap [8] is a free,
http://www.rnao.org/Page.asp?
open source solution for building cross-plat- [4] RapidSMS in Ethiopia:
PageID=924&ContentID=3282
http://www.rapidsms.org/
form mobile apps using standards-based [12] HyperWallet App:
casestudies/supplychainmanage
web technologies. PhoneGap supports iOS, mentduringfoodcrises/ http://www.phonegap.com/case_
Android, Microsoft, BlackBerry, webOS, study/hyperwalletaddsmobileapp
[5] Caktus Group: stothemixwithphonegap/
Symbian, and Bada platforms. The first http://www.caktusgroup.com/
portfolio/project/ [13] Music Waste App:
week of October 2011, Nitobi Software an- http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/
unicefprojectmwana/
nounced that the company was putting its musicwaste/id438114731?mt=8
[6] Teachers Without Borders:
PhoneGap project in the Apache Software [14] Logitech Squeezebox Controller
http://www.teacherswithoutborders.
Foundation [9]. The company also an- App: http://www.phonegap.com/
org/programs/twblabs/
case_study/turnontuneinturnupl
nounced the launch of PhoneGap Build (in teacherpulseevaluation/ ogitechssqueezeboxcontrol
open beta), cloud tools and infrastructure teacherpulse lerappturnsphonesandtab
built on top of Amazon Web Services. [7] Project Mwana: letsintoremotecontrols/
Overall, PhoneGap apps are less humani- http://projectmwana.posterous.com/ [15] Vegetable Garden Guide: http://
tarian in nature than RapidSMS-based apps, [8] PhoneGap: www.vegetablegardenplanner.com/
http://www.phonegap.com vegetablegardeniphoneapp.html
but the list of apps is still impressive [10].
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