Rice students to present technologies to improve the developing world

Terence McCulley

Rice students enrolled in the Commercializing Technology in Developing Countries course will share their business plans and reflect on their experiences during a presentation Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. in McNair Hall’s Shell Auditorium.

Throughout the past semester, students from the Jones Graduate School of Business’ MBA program and Rice engineering programs created plans for technologies aimed at addressing global health and educational issues in the developing world. With Africa as the target, students visited Liberia to gather market and field research that could help with the launch of these technologies in Africa and other developing markets.

Technologies include the BabaLung Apnea Monitor, which treats apnea in premature infants; the DoseRight Syringe Clip, which ensures delivery of accurate doses of medicine to patients; the I-slate, a low-cost, solar-powered, interactive learning tablet enabling students to self-learn through interactive exercises based on a custom curriculum in their own homes; the Bubble CPAP System, a low-cost technology that has the potential to dramatically reduce infant mortality caused by respiratory failure; and the Rice mobileSpiro, the first portable battery-powered spirometer designed to allow inexperienced operators to conduct a reliable key test used to diagnose many respiratory
illnesses.

Terence McCulley, U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, will give remarks prior to the student presentations about opportunities available for business in Nigeria and the region.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://business.rice.edu/BSGHE2012.