How Technology Helps with the Aftermath of a Disaster

[Jing]

How Technology Helps in the Aftermath of Disasters

Newsrooms around the world have been carrying images of the earthquake in Japan from the moments after it struck.

While the disaster itself lasted only a few minutes, the recovery operation will continue for months.

Dan Simmons looks at how, following a natural disaster, the internet is becoming an essential tool for survivors and rescuers alike.

This BBC video takes a look at some of the technology that is helping people out currently in japan and how the internet is making it easier for people to go about their daily lives. There are programs that record information on roads that are open, disaster areas, a Google project that is helping people find lost loved ones, and many other things. It's really cool, so be sure to check it out. If you ever didn't have enough appreciation for the internet and technology, then this should make you proud of how far it has come.

 

[Nitz]

Well that's kinda like how GPS systems work. If there is an accident at X intersection. It tells you and finds you a new route ahead of time.

Technology helps, but I still think we are ways away for utilizing it properly. The newer generations are into tech stuff.. so it's good for the future.

But I find old people still have no idea how to turn on a DVD player LOL!!! :haha

 

[Jing]

Yeah. See that's the great thing about Japan being so tech savvy, the old people there might be years older than ours, but a lot of the population (some older generations included) know there way around tech. I think that the crisis in japan is pretty rough right now of course, but it's the perfect situation for these systems that they are using there. The only way to really know if an innovation is working, is to field test it right?

I get what you are saying though, on a global scale, many people still don't even know what a tv is. It's rather disheartening.