Feeling Your Center's Pulse Technologically

06/20/2002

Feeling Your Center's Pulse Technologically

"There is only one success-to be able to spend your life in your own way." —Christopher Morley

FEELING YOUR CENTER'S PULSE TECHNOLOGICALLY

In the January 2002 issue of Child Care Information Exchange, Japan's Satoshi Yamamura, in his article, "Equipping the Office of 2002", discussed the role technology might play in the centers of the future. Here is one scenario he presented:

"Many of us have imagined that it would be wonderful if we could control our household devices from anywhere -- inside or outside a house or building. Inside the building, wired by Ethernet and wireless communications, a digital TV in the living room, a PC in the study and/or a PDA in your pocket will be the information control center for all household electronic appliances. This system includes the following functions: check visitors at the gate; control cooking machines, air conditioning system, lighting facilities and bathroom functions; observe activities in other sections of the house; check conditions of a sick person whose bed is equipped with electronic sensors to measure his health conditions and send a report of any emergent changes to the control center or a medical institution. Toilet seats in the bathroom also provide medical information with sensors that observe weightt and other health data....

"This is all applicable to larger organizations -- like child care centers. Directors gather the information of their centers and control it while they are in the office or from outside the office. The new wireless communications terminals collect all this information and enable directors to communicate with the data remotely."

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