Computing to help others

A recent New York Times story highlighted a couple of Computer Science students at Georgia Tech who show us all some of the exciting possibilities of helping others through computing.

The project students started out small -- based on some blood suppy spreadsheets at the CDC in Atlanta. As they delved into the real issue and talked with real users in Africa, the project has blossomed into a web-enabled application using Ajax.

In January, 14 African nations will start using this program. It must be impressive -- the United Nations Worldwide Health Organization (WHO) is discussing making this a program for reporting on blood supplies worldwide.

• Computing for Good: Web technology to solve human problems

Health by Google?

Google has ambitious plans in expanding its easy-to-use applications to Google Health. One thing that concerns me is the potential for harvesting of personal medical data.

Google can't be 100% attack-proof, no matter how security-conscious they are. So I'd expect that eventually a hacker would break into at least some people's health information.

Also, you give a doctor access to your online profile (medical history, medicines, allergies, operations, symptoms, etc.). So do they get a one-time password entry or would you have to change your password after every such access (yuk!)?

• Read about Google Health

Workers at computers face blood clots

A new Zealand study of office workers has found that people who work for hours while sitting down have a higher risk of blots clots from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than airline passengers.

Many of us spend hours at a computer at work. Then a lot of us then work or "play" on a computer after getting home. This study, with results that we perhaps expected anyway, is a reminder that most of us need more exercise, especially of the legs and thighs, to help avoid DVT.

You can take simple steps to reduce your risk as well as feel more refreshed at work, though.

• Get up and walk away from your computer at least once an hour. That helps exercise the leg and thigh muscles. It also helps your eyes, which focus at a very short range while you work at a computer.
• While you sit at a computer, clench your butt, leg, and thigh muscles every now and then. That helps squeeze the blood along in your veins. It's low impact exercise and helps blood flow.
• Lift your feet off the floor, straighten your legs if possible in your work area, then rotate your feet front and back and all around (... sorry if that caused you to flash on the Hokey-Pokey). This mini-massage stretches the muscles around your ankles and feet. Try it; you'll like it.
• While you're at it, take a stretch break opportunity to clasp your hands behind your back and stretch your arm muscles too.
• Expend your arms above your head and wiggle your fingers. Many of us have poor typing skills and tend to pound away at the keys in awkward hand positions and much harder than we should. Give your hands a massage and help reduce carpal tunnel injuries.