CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NOV 2018

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP – CONNECTIVITY

Five life-changing benefits of connectivity

The internet has been connecting the globe for only a quarter of a century, but already it is influencing many aspects of our daily lives – from the way we shop to the way we keep ourselves entertained. More than two-thirds of the global population – that’s almost 5-billion people – now use mobile phones. We have never been so connected, but just how is this technology impacting lives on a more global scale? Here are some of the social benefits of connectivity.

Data collected by sensors on machines can help monitor when equipment needs repairing, provide instant inventory numbers and locations, enhance safety and boost operator productivity.

1. Creating new jobs The Information Communications

education messages to reach communities that would otherwise be cut off from such information. A recent success story is a Ghanaian health project where weekly automated texts are sent to pregnant women. These messages contain information promoting healthy foetal development and debunking pregnancy- related myths. 4. Boosting aid relief after natural disasters Communication is always important, but during a disaster it becomes paramount. One of the main concerns of aid relief now is how refugees might charge their phones. When Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake, all mobile networks went down. When connection is lost it’s hard for relief workers to identify where aid is most needed. But technology has been developed that allows mobile users to communicate directly with each other even where there is no network coverage – via a system known as ‘mesh networking’– a system where by a series of mobile phones connect by an app to form their own local ‘network’, allowing them to communicate without the need for mobile service. Another innovative solution developed

valuable information such as market pricing, weather, disease control, as well as livestock tracking. A 2014 study showed that Indian fishermen who adopted these technologies increased their profits by 8% and lowered consumer prices by 4%, proving that the information that connectivity yields benefits the whole of society.

Technology (ICT) sector is, and is expected to remain, one of the largest employment categories in the world. In the US alone, computer and information technology jobs are expected to grow by 22% by 2020, creating 758 800 new jobs. But it’s not just the ICT sector that is growing. A study by Deloitte showed that since 1992 there has been a 23% increase in total employment due to connectivity. Connectivity creates new job opportunities, but it also relieves us from laborious jobs and allows for more focus in other areas. The same study recorded a 50% decrease in farm labour jobs and a 909% increase in nursing care jobs. 2. Overcoming poverty Of the 7,6-billion global population, it is estimated that 4,2-billion are internet users. Since its birth in 1989, the worldwide web has revolutionised the world of commerce but one of the internet’s biggest impacts is actually within developing countries. In low income countries, agriculture represents approximately 40% of economic activity. Mobile and internet networks allow farms in these areas to gain access to

3. Revolutionising third world healthcare A 2007 study by the Canadian organisation, Doctors of the World, highlighted the vast differences in

healthcare around the globe. In the United States and Sweden, for example, there is usually one doctor available to every three patients. In India there is one doctor for every 1 700 patients and astonishingly in Tanzania the patient number rises to 50 000. Low doctor-to-patient ratios are not the only issue in low income countries. Inaccessibility to healthcare information is another major issue, but connectivity is reforming healthcare. The exponential growth of smartphone adoption in India has meant that it has never been easier for patients and doctors to communicate. Smartphones also allow health

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS NOVEMBER 2018 30