On that topic, we interviewed Carlos Alejandro Pérez, Director of the project in the National Technological University (UTN), branch of the province of Chaco (Argentina). His project was selected from a set of 157 different projects all over the world. It implies a very relevant research on mobile devices, .Net, Visual FoxPro and SQL Server.
A fellowship dinner at Buenos Aires...
On December 2002 there was a fellowship dinner organized by GUFA (FoxPro Users Group of Argentina), a group belonging to MUG (Microsoft User Group of Argentina). On that occasion, we took chance to hold a talk with Carlos Alejandro Pérez. To demonstrate the efficacy of his idea, Carlos used his Pocket PC to record this interview and later sent us then the resulting .WAV file.
First of all, I would like to say a few words about Carlos. He is Argentine (Resistencia, Chaco), 37 years old, married, 2 children. He has graduated as an electro mechanic engineer and teaches at the university since 1992. He is also an independent developer since 1991, starting on this with FoxBase+. Nowadays, besides his teaching job at the university, he develops projects using Visual FoxPro, three-tier architecture, Pocket PC, SOAP and other technologies. He was recently designated as the Director of the project of Database of Science and Technology of the National Technologic University. He has written articles too, even for our magazine. He may be addressed at: logica10@arnet.com.ar.
Now, tell me about the awarded project. What is the original idea?
I was working since 1997 with the anesthesiologist professionals in my province. At 2000 we developed a site using VFP and Web Connection that was the first in this country intended for anesthesiologist pros. To this end, they bought a dedicated server, they hired a wide band service and besides, thanks to Web Connection, I made in 60 days what with any other tool it would take a year. This site is on line and allows the users to download through internet the info of a surgical intervention. It was a case in the vanguard, for that time. Nevertheless, they wanted to be free from the internet. They did not want to depend on a machine wired to the web. Hence, they assigned to me the responsibility to search a technology for mobile computing that could fit for this need. Actually, they wanted to record during the surgery, or just after it what happened about that intervention
After a troughout research, we concluded that the Pocket PC platform was the right one, far ahead from the Palm platform, not just because of its processor and memory allocation capacity, but also because of the developing tools, Microsoft support, and the video-audio integration, which is actually very good. I think that Palm is at least three years away from reaching the functionality offered today by Pocket PC. Although the hardware is more expensive, software is much cheaper. It is even simpler to get someone trained enough to operate a machine with a Windows interface than with anything else. Pocket PC allows multi-tasking and up to 32 tasks simultaneously. This makes possible to run the application while audio is being recorded.
On November 2001, we concluded that we would develop a PocketPC-based system. The main application would be centered on Web Services with Visual FoxPro. First hindrance was at December that year, when the well known Argentina’s crisis (a heavy currency devaluation); so, the prices of these devices got multiplied 3 and even 4 times on the short lapse of 60 days. A Pocket PC whose price were 600 pesos, suddenly reached a cost near 2000 pesos. This resulted in the project being frozen and archived.
On January 2002, we won a contest at the National Technological Universith to make a roll inquiry through the internet. It had to be based on .Net technology and intended for all researchers in the country. We implemented it on June 2002. After that, people from Buenos Aires (Uriel Cukierman, engineer, who is Communications Secretary of the UTN) came to Resistencia to see how the pages were made (ASP.NET). He saw our Pocket PC application then, and told us about the International Universities Contest, sponsored by Microsoft. We received the rules for the contest on August and I decided to bring the anesthesiologists project back to life, get it up-to-date, to add wireless communication (not included in the original blueprint), and on September 22 we sent to Microsoft a 7 pages-long PDF file, defining the architecture, software and hardware requirements, band width, equipment needed to make the prototype, etc.
Finally, on November 10 we were informed that we had won the contest. Eighteen projects all over the world were selected, 2 of them in Latin America, ours included.
How is the project architecture?
To start with, the Pocket PC is used by the doctors during the surgical interventions. Each one of them "talks" to the Pocket PC 2002 about what he is doing during the intervention. Data may be also entered through the screen. Blood pressure, hart frequency and so on.
Data is transferred to Microsoft SQL CE 2.0 or Pocket Access 2000. The standard allocation space of Pocket-PC is enough for 500 interventions before synchronization is required.
To synchronize info, we use a PC with a Visual FoxPro system, which captures data via ODBC and stores them into a DBF. Then, through a Web Service also developed in Visual FoxPro, data are exposed to be gathered y a database public in the whole province. This results in minimal equipment requirements at each central office.
Finally, we have a server with a .Net application to centralize and expose data to Internet.
This will allow physicians to have the clinical history of their patients around the clock over 365 days a year.
What is the state of the project now?
Today is just a PDF and an operational Alfa version to demonstrate the power of the set. It is a very small application, about 200 Kb in the Pocket PC.
In these devices, we have loaded the data of the surgeons of Chaco, near to six hundreds of them, and we could prove that the standard version holds data of 500 interventions.
How many Alfa-testing are there today?
We have actually about 30.
How did this award affect your life and the University?
It was very different before November 10th. It was impressive the quantity of interviews, TV shows, cell phone calls from radios. It was very strange for me. I think I entertained 25-30 interviews for specialized and scientific divulgation magazines, ratio and TV. I held an interview with people from TN (a news broadcaster channel from Argentina), magazines like “Para Tí” (a woman magazine), Information Technology (an IT magazine), CNN, FM radios from Buenos Aires, etc.
In short, my life briefly changed because of the unusual rhythm of calls, but not in the personal aspect. Regarding to the material aspect, there is no change at all, but is quite pleasant to be awarded due to your endeavor.
You talk about the material aspect; what was the prize?
It is $ 50.000 (in US dollars), which will be distributed as follows: two-thirds in equipment (20 last generation Pocket PC, one server, two work station, one last generation notebook, LCD Projector and (most important) the wireless connectivity devices 802. 11a with four aligned concentrators at 54 MBPS and 20 Compact Flash communication cards) and the remaining third will be used to pay the salaries of 10 people for one year. At large, materially speaking, life will not dramatically change for anyone of us (depending upon the post within the group, each member will work for a pay that ranges between 150 and 350 dollars).
But the prize is very important.
Yes, of course, and not only for us. The use of top technology is also a key fact for the University and the community. It gives also a very clear message: Very important things can be made in Argentina.
Is there wireless Internet service in Chaco?
Unfortunately not. Tests with cell phones and Pocket PC were made in Buenos Aires, achieving pretty good results.
What is the covering rang of the net to be installed?
The range will be of 300 meters. (328 yards) per access point. This is wide enough to cover the campus of any hospital or institution in Argentina, included surgery halls and rooms for patient attention, etc.
Where this equipment will be installed?
We plan to install a wireless campus at the University, another one at the anesthesiology section and yet two more at two hospitals or institutions to be designated.
We will install four centers. This project implies a lot more than you can do with 50 thousand dollars.
Who are the members of the team?
We are ten people. Director: eng. Carlos A .Pérez, Codirector: eng. Carolina Ana Orcola. Grant Holders: Engineers (newly graduated): Mariano Minoli, Jorge Vera, Germán Gaona, Alejandro Goldenberg, Mauro Sánchez, Advanced Students: Ms. Elisa Amelia Herrmann, Ms. Rocío Susana Escalante and Mr. Luis García Bustos.
The team formed after the prize was obtained?
No, the team started to work on the project before that attainment.
Was the source code required to backup the project?
Not at all. I was not asked to reveal sensitive information or data that could expose the project. We only had to send the idea. Nothing related to the intellectual ownership, which is highly respected and remains belonging to the group and the University. This is the warranty for them not to profit with our application.
Did you calculate the cost of implementation of the project anywhere else?
We do not have an accurate estimation right now. We are still in the Alfa test stage. To reach the Beta test we need the entire equipment, and that is to come yet.
What is the next step?
By now we are waiting for the money to enter this country (there was a law at that time that avoided the incoming of foreign currency and no bank wanted to pay the check that Microsoft sent to Carlos). After that we will buy the equipment at the local market, where we got almost all we need.
Thank you Carlos, and congratulations for this achievement.
Thanks a lot to UTMag.
Official coverage can be read here.
