PUTRAJAYA: BillAdam Associates Sdn Bhd is pilot-testing a mobile mapping solution for disabled people in Britain, which will be implemented there in October. It hopes to provide the service in other countries later on.

With the solution, wheelchair-bound users can use Java-equipped phones to download maps in order to identify places and parking bays that offer wheelchair access.

They can also search for parking lots that offer concession rates to disabled drivers by the British transport department. The initative is part of British national project, called BlueBadge Finder.

Local applied-research outfit Mimos Bhd and BillAdam, a mobile-content development company, collaborated on the solution. Mimos developed and provides the middleware for BillAdam’s applications to run on.

“We’ve basically customised a map application specifically for disabled drivers,” said Gary McFarlane, managing director for Blue Badge Finder (BillAdam’s London branch).

“You get specific locations (that are relevant to the disabled) on it that you can’t get on Google Maps.”

McFarlane was speaking to reporters after a Mimos technology-licensing ceremony here recently.

Export potential

Mimos chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Wahab Abdullah believes that besides the BlueBadge Finder solution, there are other Mimos-licensed technologies with export potential.

He believes that Medical Informatics Platform — a system for building and managing medical databases — would see strong overseas demand.

The semantic system would be used for medical systems, practitioners and research data, according to Abdul Wahab.

He said pilot testing of the system has begun at the Cyberjaya Medical College here.

“Currently, the students have to search pools of information that are not linked,” Abdul Wahab said. “What semantic technology can do is pull all the relevant information from disparate databases and organise it for the user,” he said.

Mimos has licensed this technology to In-Fusion Solutions Sdn Bhd.

It’s a hybrid

Another technology that Mimos has also licensed is its hybrid WiMAX/WiFi hotspot solution, which needs no “last mile” wired connections.

“Last mile” refers to the wired network connection between a home/office and the Internet service provider’s nearest node.

Called WiWi Gen 1.5, Mimos claims it is a plug-and-play wireless solution for hotspots.

The routers will be made by Pernec Integrated Network Systems Sdn Bhd and marketed by CeedTec Sdn Bhd.

Abdul Wahab said potential customers would be Packet One Network Sdn Bhd. Y-Max Networks Sdn Bhd, Asiaspace Sdn Bhd and Redtone International Bhd — all of which have licences to provide WiMAX services.

Mimos has developed 21 technology prototypes and licensed six to date.