​“Poverty is a veil that obscures the face of greatness. An appeal is a mask covering the face of tribulation.”

Khalil Gibran

 

Poverty is the state in which people do not possess the financial resources to afford daily human needs like shelter and food.

It is argued that the advantages of technology should be exploited by public policy developers to ensure that citizen’s needs are met but it is important to consider the limitations of modern technology usage in underdeveloped countries.

 

In this post we will explore four types of technologies (IoT, 3D printing, holography and nanotechnology) that can be used to improve an informal settlement like Diepsloot. Making use of modern technology has the potential to fast track development if it is used correctly but the impact these technologies have on the societal divide is of great concern.

 

The Internet of Things

According to Lindqvist and Neumann (2017:26) The Internet of Things (IoT) has the ability to use and encompass a wide range of connected devices, basically anything that can be connected to the Internet like phones, toasters and even cars. The IoT is a system of interconnected and interdependent devices that function together through both a communication network as well as software systems to accomplish a certain task. An example- the infrastructure sectors use IoT devices such as sensors to monitor and control oil and natural gas levels remotely.

My recommendation for using this technology in Diepsloot is aimed at improving infrastructure. By using Smart Building technology that uses automatic fault detection, the community will be able to build reliable infrastructure to prevent it from getting damaged or collapsing during floods. By implementing Smart Building technology it is possible to prevent time, labour and cost losses”.

3D Printing

This is a process of creating a three dimensional object by printing multiple thin layers on top of one another under computer control.

Chin (2016) suggests that 3D printing can be used in the public transport sector. It reduces costs and time as well as reduce the reliance on manual labour. In 2016 an electric 3D printed bus was introduced- seating 12 passengers and has the ability to converse with them. The Diepsloot community can use this form of public transport within their community.

7D Hologram

Holography is the science of creating holograms which can be experienced in seven dimensions- it is a physical structure that uses light energy to create an image (Rushi and Hanumant, 2016:67).

Ferguson (2015) suggests that 7D hologram technology can be used in the health care sector. Patients’ health care will no longer be restricted by their locations and health professions will be able to use their time and resources more effectively resulting in more patients being seen.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is a science that studies extremely small subjects and can be used in various scientific fields such as biology and chemistry. It understands and manipulates matter on nanoscale- manipulating products by using nanotechnology enhances the strength of the product.

According to Ravindranath (2016) scientists can use this technology to create personalised health care treatment plans for each patient and eventually design robots to work safely with people.

Technology vs. physiological needs

When one discusses poverty, one must also discuss wealth as they are indisputably linked. Nolan (2016) argues that poverty is mainly caused by broken governments that do not redistribute adequately. Although I agree with this statement, I also find it to be problematic. To eradicate poverty completely would call for more than just a change in economic strategy, it would call for pervasive changes in policy.

While there is a family in an underdeveloped county that struggles to have daily meals, people in developed countries create modern technology and offers it as a solution to poverty. How can one possibly even explain to someone who lives in poverty that they need modern technology when they do not even have the luxury of daily shelter and food?

 

In an ideal world, governments would have focused on eradicating poverty before introducing modern technology- because by introducing these technologies, it only enlarges the chasm between the rich and the poor. The chasm is created by the poverty stricken counties that cannot partake in global development and thus they fall behind in development even more.

Sadly we live in a world where capitalism feeds off poverty, a world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

 

Yvonne Jansen

25818643

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of Sources

Chin, C. 2016. Four areas for 3D printing in Government. https://govinsider.asia/digital-gov/four-areas-for-3d-printing-in-government/ Date of access: 18 March 2017.

Ferguson, C. 2015. Holocare: 7D Healthcare in Hyperdrive. http://prognocis.com/holocare-7d-healthcare-in-hyperdrive/ Date of access: 20 March 2017.

Lindqvist, U. & Neumann, P.G. 2017. The future of the Internet of Things. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.nwulib.nwu.ac.za/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=b38439f0-459a-4410-9e04-f997c268d6c3%40sessionmgr101&vid=2&hid=108 Date of access: 18 March 2017.

 

Nolan, H. 2016. Poverty doesn’t need technology. It needs politics. http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/poverty-doesnt-need-technology-it-needs-politics-1789520902 Date of access: 20 March 2017.

 

Ravindranath, M. 2016. Here Is How Government Thinks Nanotech Will Transform Cyber. http://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2016/08/heres-how-government-thinks-nanotech-will-transform-cyber/130393/ Date of access: 20 March 2017.

 

Rushi, R.D., & Hanumant, P.J. 2016. 7D Holographic Technology. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:iFmGfhZXZkIJ:www.ijritcc.org/download/conferences/ICRRTET_2016/ICRRTET_Track/1454482074_03-02-2016.pdf+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk Date of access: 20 March 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Including democracy in policy design:

The first topic I recall after watching Gavin Mageni is that policy design should be democratic- it should be ‘created for me by me’. As design is mainly focused on the citizens one would think that it is common knowledge to include the citizens and give a voice to the voiceless and not further marginalise the minority groups. Furthermore design should be omnipresent- every citizen on every level of society should be included in the design and the policy should be designed to address the challenges of the nation. Unfortunately theory and practice rarely correspond- it’s easy saying that things “should” be done in a certain manner and its easy saying that citizens “should” be involved but citizens also have to participate for policy design to be successful.

This brings me to the socio-economic challenges that most citizens face- poverty, lack of public transport, lack of access to public services, unemployment and lack of education. I feel as if the socio-economic challenges are interrelated and forms a part of a vicious cycle that took roots in the apartheid era. An example of this can be made- poverty leads to lack of education as the family cannot afford to send the child to school, due to this the child does not receive a standard and adequate education leading to employment and continuing the poverty cycle.

Another topic that caught my attention is that African traditional medicine has a high GDP potential and can generate up to R27 billion for the economy. Statistically one in three people utilises this market, leading to 63 million users. Mageni explained that modernising this market and products will greatly contribute to the economy.

Further Mageni explained a few challenges designers face. The one challenge which made the most sense in an African context is that a chasm exists within a project. My understanding of a chasm is that a lot of inputs are made to develop a policy but regardless of all the resources, there is nothing to show for it, meaning that there is no outputs. In South Africa we can see that with a lot of projects- all the resources are used and then have no results to show for it, this again leads to lack of resources.

In my opinion a policy can only be successful from the start if the design is done right, the implementation is supervised with dedication and management is done with great diligence. 

Yvonne Jansen

25818643