Qualcomm Wireless, the ‘strategic’ CSR arm of chip giant Qualcomm, is planning to extend its digital literacy programme to other parts of India.
The chip giant is eyeing education, healthcare and environment as some of the areas in which it plans to make inroads in India as well as other parts of the world.
Angela Baker, Senior Manager of Wireless Reach division, told BusinessLine that with close to 7 billion devices in the globe right now, there is a need to look at ways in which this can be useful to society.
Baker was an advisor to Hillary Clinton in the Office of Innovation wherein she was involved in solving real world challenges using technology in 30 countries.
“In line with this, for example, our efforts to enable fishermen not only weather information but also helping them in not cross over to neighbouring country's waters,” she added.
The company has piloted a GPS system in Tamil Nadu, as a part of this Wireless Reach initiative.
The Wireless Reach programme aims to bring wireless technologies to underserved communities all over the world.
Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, the chip major is looking at improving overall literacy through interactive games played on the mobile phone.
“Right now, we have touched 25 government schools in the State, touching around 2,000 children,” Baker said, adding that the company is evaluating other States where they can extend this programme. The company is also looking at ways in which child and maternal health and chronic disease management such as diabetes can be managed by using smartphones and 3G technology.
“It can help lower health-related costs, facilitate remote care and increase efficiencies by allowing communities to track health data from any place, enable public health policymakers with timely information about the needs of their communities in order to improve performance of health workers,” said Baker.
The company is also looking at increasing diversity in the work place and has announced WeTech or women in technology programme that aims to encourage entrepreneurship.