Mobile application cited on Disability Month

IN recognition of their efforts towards persons with disabilities through the nationwide Ascent initiative, the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center (AJWCC) and Smart Communications Inc. were awarded Outstanding Partners by Physicians for Peace (PfP-Philippines).

The Amputee Screening via Cellphone Networking (Ascent) is a mobile application developed by AJWCC in 2010 in partnership with Smart, the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) and PfP-Philippines to make amputee screening accessible even for patients in far-flung communities.

It has been deployed numerous times in various medical missions throughout the country.

The awarding ceremonies held early this month coincided with the celebration of the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Month.

“Ascent is a very good example on how appropriate mobile technologies can be used for enabling communities for social development, in this case, for health profiling and service delivery,” said Ramon R. Isberto, Smart public affairs group head. “We’re proud to be the technology partner of the Physicians for Peace and we’re happy to work with the academe,” he added.

“Recognizing AJWCC’s work in Ascent is a great achievement for the center and the Ateneo Department of Information Systems and Computer Science. To be recognized as one of the best NGO partners is an affirmation of our commitment to be of service to communities beyond the confines of the school,” said Dr. Reena Estuar of AJWCC.

Ascent allows doctors to give real-time evaluation and advice on prosthesis use for amputees via the Smart mobile phone. Doctors and other health professionals can also receive data, including photos of the amputee via GPRS/3G. The data are then sent via Smart mobile broadband to a web site that can be accessed by volunteer doctors from PfP-Philippines.