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Leading scientists gathering in Washington, D.C., this week say more research is needed to once-and-for-all determine whether cell phones pose major health risks. Read this blog post by Marguerite Reardon on Signal Strength.

In big corporations such as Wal-Mart, the use of RFIDs has increased, but the disadvantages of RFID is now a serious issue. With the use of RFIDs on items, the customer is able to avoid waiting at a register, and the RFID will charge the person's credit-card. Yet the tags embedded in the items bought, such as clothing, can be tracked down by the store management systems, risking customers' security and privacy. Since RFIDs do not require a power supply or batteries to operate, all that is needed is a wireless scanner, which Wal-Mart's managing system uses to keep track of the items. Privacy has now become a major issue within the use of RFIDs for many Wal-Mart customers. Also, in many credit cards and "gas-cards", RFIDs are being used, yet the information on the tags also stays within the system. At airports, many modern passports are now using RFID tags that can be scanned from a range as far as 30 feet. Thus this results in chaos for the passengers, and an issue in being able to control the airport security properly.

Large scale businesses like Wal-mart and government authorities in passport make use of sophisticated RFIDs which make the data stored in them or to be accesses through them safe, which helps them keep their business data or data of the clients(in some cases passport holders) safe, however many corporates make use of cheap RFIDs which have a weak encryption code to protect them. This code can be broken easily and hence the client of that RFID is vulnerable to hackers. Ford for example makes use of RFIDs manufactured by Texas Instruments, in their car keys. These RFIDs are protected by very weak codes, hence it is easy for thieves to break the code and steal cars.

"Another primary school in Northern Ireland has decided not to use wireless technology after a parent cited health fears, it has emerged."

This article deals with how telemedicine was used following the earthquake that occurred in Haiti in order to provide medical care to patents and individuals. The stakeholders in this scenario include the patients and doctors in Haiti and the doctors/hospitals in the U.S. They are able to use satellite technology and wireless internet, in order to bridge the gap between both areas and provide people with access to medical care. Satellite technology is used to communicate between doctors in the U.S with clinics in Haiti. This provides real time service to patients, where the doctor is providing a consultation and diagnosis immediately to the patient. This technology also allows doctors in the U.S to perform surgeries since the satellite technology is able to support telemedicine because it provides a high amount of bandwidth. Additionally, in Haiti they are using high speed wireless internet throughout certain regions. The radio system is used in extreme cases where more advanced technology is not available, but still allows doctors from two areas to communicate with one another. Images and messages during consultations are sent through a secured network, so the data of the patients is kept private. Obvious benefits of using this technology include that people are able to get access to medical care and this decreases the digital divide and globalization. This is because people are able to get more care and consultation through using this IT technology, which would not have been available without telemedicine. However, some issues still arise despite these benefits in medical care. This includes the security of information and privacy of the patients. In this case, the article states that the internet messages are secured so that there is not privacy breach. This must be done using encryption technology so that people are not discouraged from using telemedicine and so that no private patient information is leaked or seen by unwanted users.

This article is regarding the use of Electronic Health Records, and digitalizing medical documents for the "betterment" of the medical staff, and the ease of use that databases provide as a solution to the IT issues that these facilities face. Many health care policy makers within the government, including President Obama, are advocating for the major shift in the use of electronic health records, and digitalizing patient information. However, only a small percentage of medical treatment offices have done so (approximately 17%). Basically, electronic health records document personal information of the patients, for example name, address, age, and medical issues that they face, making it much more easier for doctors and medical staff members to get into the use of e-prescriptions, providing treatment electronically. However, as information becomes digitalized, often times, major issues such as reliability of the IT equipment becomes and important aspect of the scenario. Major companies such as Dell and IBM are in the run to provide electronic health record databases for medical facilities to use. To these major stakeholders, these databases, when set-up properly, are basically a tool for health care providers to use; they can reduce costs and improve the type of care that is provided for patients. They also have the patient's entire medical history, and other medications, along with lab tests that if properly connected to databases, can ease the treatment guidelines. Thus the benefits include less trivial tests, reduced health related errors, and better care with less costs for patients. The IT systems that are provided, including faster networks with improved wireless connections and more financially affordable computers are what will basically be used within the medical facilities running on electronic health records with digitalized information. Also, there will be more space for these new machines to be placed in, since all

continued... the paper documents are now going to be taking no physical space; entirely stored digitally. However these devices do not provide the solution of reliability that staff members may face when on the wireless networks and/or dealing with digital data. One solution that the article provides is the new Internet-based service model, known as cloud computing, in which much of the computing firepower and data reside in remote data centers, which doctors, nurses and staff would use via the Web browsers on their personal computers. Through cloud-computing, there is a more reliable and efficient way for medical staff members to document data without having system failures, and also if they ever plan on outsourcing, they can easily work with the database online.

"The art of connecting things is becoming more and more complex every day. In this article, we will look at a method of connecting devices, called Bluetooth, that can streamline the process. A Bluetooth connection is wireless and automatic, and it has a number of interesting features that can simplify our daily lives. "

IT Background article

This article is about the health problems some people associate with cell phones and what different people think about these risks.

"BlackBerry-maker ready to launch hotly-anticipated tablet device, sources tell the Wall Street Journal." About their new tablet device that is similar to Apple's iPad.

The requirements for ITGS are that it has Social and Ethical Significance and IT Systems. The Social and Ethical Significance that is included to this article are home and leisure and reliability because this product will be used by the people for the people. It is something that people will enjoy when used. This will create more ways to faster and easier way of keeping up with social networking, digital entertainment and many others. The reliability of this product will be compared to the iPad. For instance the 7in Blackberry is known as the BlackPad and is now a trademark by Blackberry. It weighs almost the same as an iPad and will be on AT&T or Verizon or only on AT&T and Verizon. The IT systems required for this product is a network provider which will be between AT&T and Verizon, wireless internet, internal memory, flash (is expected soon) and many others that are normal as regular phones and Apple's iPad. The stakeholder will be the people buying the BlackPad and the people learning how to adjust to this new generation of phones.

More than a video camera. this one thinks and sends you updates.

"Surveys of consumer use of wi-fi routers suggest that a maximum of 40% of the machines use encryption to limit who can use them. In addition, most people do not change the default password the device ships with making it easy for attackers to get access. "

(NOT FINISHED) After the devastation of Haiti's earthquake, impoverishment plagued the millions of patients, in dire need for medical assistance and resources. The "low tech" equipment failed to meet the needs of the population, so tele medicine is being adapted.

Medical facilities in Haiti are in essence trying to integrate satellite connection and internet service (along with increased bandwidth) in order to greatly expand the distribution and administering of medical services. Donated by the other organizations in Miami, the Haitian hospitals are now given the opportunity to form intercommunication via a wireless regional network system (internet service provided by neighboring countries, such as the Dominican Republic). One of the primary stakeholders, the patient and injured Haitian individuals required to maintain necessary medical help from the American doctors and medical professionals (other primary stakeholder). Such IT systems, enable the patients suffering from the devastating results of the earthquake to retrieve an increased amount of help and attention from doctors and other medical health professionals in other parts of the world, specifically recruiting medical help centralized in the United States. The adapted procedures of tele health already in American hospitals, including the use of internet messaging, x rays, scans, and medical reports all enable doctors to obtain confrontation and collaboration with Haitian patients on accurate and more reliable grounds. The scenario included in the article is Health, and the main theme is"medical information administration and marketing sales" for this pertains to telemedicine as a branched off aspect. In regards to the social and ethical considerations, the issue of the digital divide and equality of access is greatly highlighted in the article; telemedicine linked medical services found in another nation, to the needy Haitian population thus diminishing global boundaries placed up by the differences in development and advancement in certain regions of the globe. The digital divide that took control over Haitian lives( due to the catastrophic events of the earthquake) eliminated sources of internet connection, hardware and available software equipment to run teleme

In Diigo, you can always go back in and edit your own postings. It's only in the moodle that there is a time bomb that causes you to comment on your own reflections if you go back later to expand upon your initial thoughts.

The USAID and FCC are currently working together trying to find the best ways to take advantage of telemedecine during natural disasters. Yet, it's not really the idea of promoting it's usage for many nations have already began using it to recover and aid those whom were highly wounded, or even those who weren't harmed to make sure they continue being healthy through telemedicine. The point of the unity between these two organizations is to improve it's usage so that connectivity is best no matter the type of natural disaster. It has been noticed that connectivity was a problem, causing an issue of reliability since doctors can no longer contact their patients due to loss in service. The telemedicine depends on the wireless networks available. Because a natural disaster has occur, many of these networks are no longer available since satellite dishes are destroyed and no longer work. Plus, many of the computers can become damaged internally and cause inaccaurate data within a telemedicine database. More than a millions dollars was given to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) so that improvements could be made immediately, in order to prevent the upcoming disasters. This will be tested during actual disasters, and later be improved after studying it's effects on network connections. But currently, computer scientists are creating the telemedicine to be provided on mobile devices such as a cell phone which can easily use RFID to track were a person is, or barcode scans to scan patient's papers to be sent into the medical field. This form of mobile telemedicine will impact greatly towards natural disasters for the reason that is mobile, unlike computer desktops.