iCognition was pleased to be invited by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology to represent on the Australian Government stand at the Cebit Conference in Sydney 31 May-2 June 2011. iCognition was one of six ICT suppliers to Government invited to represent on the stand. The Cebit Conference is the world’s largest and most international computer expo and business technology event.

As part of the event iCognition was honored to be invited to meet Ministers the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, the Hon Gary Gray MP and the Hon Stephen Conroy MP, and Senator Kate Lundy. iCognition received excellent feedback from the event and contacted a number of prospective customers, both nationally and internationally.

MEDIA RELEASE

The Abundant Water Training Centre in Laos will teach the first trainee potter how to make clean, safe drinking water after a donation from Canberra-based company, iCognition.

iCognition is the first sponsor of the Abundant Water Training Centre which trains Lao villagers to make their own clay-pot water filters to eliminate waterborne diseases which are common throughout Lao water supplies.

In the rural areas of Laos only 55 percent of the population has safe water and only 40 percent has access to adequate sanitation facilities. By helping villages make clean water Abundant Water hope to break the cycle of disease, illness and poverty caused by water-borne diseases.

Abundant Water is a Canberra based not-for-profit humanitarian development organisation helping the villagers of Laos access clean drinking water.

These filters were developed at the ANU in the mid ’90s and have been adapted to Lao pottery traditions demonstrating that indigenous potters everywhere are able to make their own effective water filters using natural materials in an environmentally friendly way.

Abundant Water has inspired groups in Africa and South America who are organising to replicate the Abundant Water model. Indigenous potters at the Yurauna Centre at the Canberra Institute of Technology are also beginning to participate in the program.

Abundant Water has established a potter training facility and is undertaking in the next 12 months to train 8 potters from 8 villages in the manufacture of clay-pot water filters and in micro-financed business.

The ‘8 villages’ program enables businesses to sponsor a potter in their training and then support their return to their village as a micro-financed business.

“The great thing about this simple innovation is that it uses freely available materials and utilises established pottery traditions to create the possibility of potable water for remote communities everywhere. Now this simple technology is becoming a means to introduce micro-financed business and to develop enterprise and independence in these villages,” said Stuart Forsyth, Abundant Water representative.

“By making the villages more aware of the diseases in the water and teaching them how to combat them we are ensuring that they and they children will live healthier, happier lives.”

iCognition is the first business to sponsor a trainee potter in Laos to undertake training at the Abundant Water Training Centre.

‘iCognition is excited to be the inaugural corporate partner for Abundant Water,” said Nigel Carruthers-Taylor, iCognition Director.

“Abundant Water is an innovative approach to empowering local communities to produce their own clean water. This is a fantastic Canberra-lead initiative, and corporate sponsorship is vital to its expansion. We hope that we are the first of many corporate partners to support this important humanitarian project.”

For More information on Abundant Water, refer to  http://www.abundantwater.org/

Abundant Water MEDIA RELEASE

iCognition is excited and proud to be the inaugural corporate partner for Abundant Water. Abundant Water is an innovative approach to empowering local communities to produce their own clean water. This is a fantastic Canberra-lead initiative, and corporate sponsorship is vital to its expansion. We hope that we are the first of many corporate partners to support this important humanitarian project.

For further info check out the Abundant Water website at http://www.abundantwater.org/

Here’s the one minute summary:

Abundant Water is  sharing the innovation of clay-pot water filters with indigenous potters in Lao and elsewhere. These simple ceramic water filters are made from natural materials using traditional techniques and are able to eliminate waterborne diseases such as dysentery, gastro-enteritis, cholera and typhoid that are endemic to many rural villages. This approach transfers knowledge and expertise and develops local capability and ownership. Abundant Water is about to train potters from 8 pilot villages in Lao in technology and micro-financed business.

Abundant Water is developing a model for the propagation of low-cost programs enabling anyone anywhere to access the clay-pot water filter technology if they need clean drinking water. With your support Abundant Water can offer a solution for Lao villagers to break the cycle of disease, illness and poverty caused by water-borne diseases.

Today iCognition and our partners have been featured in the Canberra Times, pages 14 & 15! Several articles discuss the issues of information management and the challenge of surviving the information revolution. The articles also discuss our contract with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and how organisations can piggyback off what we are doing in that organisation. Another seperate page covers articles from our partners HP, Funnelback, ISYS, Ezescan, DocsCorp, and Nuance. Great stuff! Check out the story:

Canberra Times Story Page 1

Canberra Times Story Page 2