Information and Communication Technologies for Development

Here's what we've completed so far with respect to the social aspects of this project:

1. Made a video that describes how the physicians/clinicians can use the technology.
   Here is a link to the video: http://web.mit.edu/dytlaw/www/RMOV2387.AVI
   Currently it is in English, and the sound quality is not the best, but we plan to fix it in our final version. We will probably dub this in Urdu, add English subtitles, and do some video editing to better highlight certain technological features that we want to draw attention to.

2. Decided on the material and form of the bracelet.
   It shall be a bead encasing an RFID chip, on nylon thread. Exactly how the RFID tag is attached to the bracelet will depend on the form of the tag, once we get it (we've emailed Rich for resources). As for the thread, we decided on nylon because it has all the qualities that we have been looking for.

   We wanted the material to be:

   • long-lasting and comfortable (as the child would be wearing this RFID tag for at least six months)
   • small & sleek (out of the child's way and aesthetically pleasing)
   • adjustable and expandable, since the child would be growing rapidly over these months
   • easy to clean, waterproof (for hygenic purposes)
   • safe, non-allergenic/non-toxic (since the infants' skin is sensitive and prone to rashes)
   • economical (cost of the bracelet within our budget of $2 (U.S.) per bracelet including the RFID chip)

   Nylon qualities:

   • strong
   • smooth, soft, and lightweight, when spun into thick thread
   • easy to wash, resistant to damage by oil and other chemicals, and does not absorb moisture much either
   • has been used in clothing for years, so it is safe against skin
   • costs about USD $0.04/yd*. Together with an RFID chip costing on the order of cents (Rich Fletcher), a 5-inch-long bracelet should easily fall within our given price limit.

   Form of the bracelet:

   • Not a tabeez, because opening a tabeez is inauspicious, such a design would pose problems whenever the RFID tag would need to be accessed for replacement
   

3. Decided on the presentation of the bracelet.
   The bracelet comes along with a care package, which includes illustrations of important information about the bracelet and some goodies. We figured that this would be a nice way to express our appreciation to the parents who decide to enroll their newborns for the study. Plus, this would be a way that we could inform the parents about the bracelet's features and other important things.

   A care package would contain the following things:

   • An RFID bracelet
   • An illustrated information card that contains safety precautions and explains how the bracelet can be adjusted and cleaned
   • An illustrated information card that explains what to do if the child gets a rash from wearing the bracelet
   • IRD contact information
   • Gifts/baby products, such as a small towel, baby product samples, a bib or a pen
   

*source: http://cgi.ebay.com/Brownell-4-NYLON-SERVING-Material-Bow-String-RED_W0Q...