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Lokii - Simplfying Mobile Application Development
Challenges Entered:
Lokii is a framework that simplfies the process of connecting an application to a cell phone. It does this by establishing a message queue and server to handle requests and responses, and connects the queue with existing SMS toolkits. Developers can focus on their area of expertise and application functionality rather than reinventing the wheel.
The framework is built using the Ruby programming language. To build a new application you download and install the package, generate the default application and add your application handlers. Once created, you can plug a cell phone into a laptop, run an existing SMS toolkit, and start your Lokii server to begin using the application. Incoming text messages will be routed to the server to be processed by your handlers. Simple commands like "say", "reply", and "complete" are used to encapsulate the details Short Message Service protocol and message queues.
The framework is open-source and currently available on the SocialRange site and is hosted on Github at http://github.com/jeffrafter/lokii.
Results
In November, 2008 a group of developers and volunteers in Lilongwe, Malawi were given a one hour presentation on how to create applications using Lokii. Following the presentation a contest was held to build fully functional SMS-based applications. Within 45 minutes, five new applications had been created:
- A BMI calculator
- An adherence calculator
- A patient identifier validation service
- A remote server control application
- A handler that could respond based on the incoming dialect
Two of these applications were connected to an existing electronic medical record system so that they could be used by Community Healthcare Workers.
Direction
With the initial framework complete, I am seeking to establish pilot projects in the developing world and continue adding functionality. This includes expanding the project to have more sample applications and a website containing tutorials, training manuals and field manuals.
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I am David from iphone
I am David from iphone application development company.
Fust wonna say that we worked with Lokii some time and they are really good in apps development. We made a great application together.
Lokii is a process of
Lokii is a process of connecting an application to a cell phone. It does this by establishing a message queue and server to handle requests and responses, and connects the queue with existing SMS toolkits.
thanks,
michaelvk from Mobile Application Development
MUCH TO BE DESIRED BY THIS PROJECT
THIS PROJECT IS TOO SOPHISTICATED AND UNREALISTIC FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PURPOSES. NOT EVERY PATIENT WILL BE ABLE TO GET HOLD OF ALL THE NET GADGETS NEEDED BY THE PROJECT NOT TO TALK OF MANIPULATING THEM; EVEN IF THEY ARE ALL TRAINED FOR A YEAR!. IT IS NOT A GOOD PROJECT IF ALL BENEFICIARIES ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW SUCH A LONG TERM TRAINING THOUGH. IT IS REALLY GOOD AS AN EXPERIMENTAL PHD PROJECT.
custom mobile application development
well, I still think there is some potential in this project. especially in regards to mobile application development.
Thanks for the comment
Hi ABDOULAI thanks for the comment! I agree that the focus of this project is different from nearly every other project posted here. At the same time, a large number of the projects listed here could have benefited from an SMS framework before they started. This is definitely not the kind of thing that you would *give* to a patient. It is the kind of thing that development agencies and especially in-country entrepenuers can take advantage of. It is targeted toward technically profiecient users that want to create a service for their local populations. You want to deliver soccer scores or tobacco prices to a list of subscribers-- easy, you want a currency translation service that you can access in any market in subsaharan Africa-- easy. Where these kinds of services were very difficult to write before now that can be written in a few lines of code. Once written, then your everyday user could subscribe to the service. The project is about enabling.