Peace #Inspiration Love – Nelson #Mandela – I’m a Rainbow Too #tribute

Nelson (Rolihlahla) Mandela or Mandiba as he was know to many

was an inspiration for many with his incredible strength and especially his compassion and moral courage despite his 25 year incarceration. His strength contributed to the Rainbow Nation. In the words of another early lost talent Bob Marley:

I Want you to know I’m a rainbow too

You can take the boy out fo Africa, but you can’t take Africa out of the boy. Today I am proud to call myself an African and stand tall with the people of Africa at this time of sorrow

He managed to bring light into any situation and there are so many tributes across the web – you can read his biography here – hard to pick on any but I liked Richard Branson’s here
and included this great version of the classic song by “Biko” that was performed by
Peter Gabriel performed Biko a cappella at the unveiling of Steve Biko’s statue and the whole crowd sang every word. He said: “I have been living with the words (of the song) for a long time. It is a sense of completion to be here.” You could see tears in Madiba’s eyes – it was one of the most emotive moments of all of our lives.

and Time’s 10 songs to remember Manndiba by

The Nelson Mandela Foundation posted its own message. But it was his words that summed it up for me and I have quoted many times:

What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” — Nelson Mandela

My deepest sympathies and condolences to the Mandela Family, the Nation of South Africa, the Continent of Africa and his friends around the world

Hamba kahle Madiba
(Go well/stay well)

Virtual Assistants in your Future – Personal Healthcare Delivered

You can always rely on Hollywood to take concepts and extend them into the future – sometimes correctly (cloaking, holographic TV, forcefields and eco skeletons with mind control), sometimes incorrectly (aluminum dresses, atmosphere that is completely controlled, suspension bridge apartment housing). We have had speech recognition and Spock’s request:

So it was no surprise to find the latest Hollywood idea is the “Her” – a lonely writer develops a relationship with a newly developed operation system

Intriguing and challenging our current concepts with an exploration of artificial intelligence, voice and natural language technologies. These new styled avatars understand, listen and decipher what we say and something that Nuance has been developing and reinventing the relationship that people and technology can have. We can engage with our devices on our own terms and we have show these concepts in healthcare with our very own Florence – who is getting ready to launch in 2014

Ambitious you say – maybe but imagine the environment with intelligent personal assistants that hear you, understand you, know your likes and preferences – and in our world exist across your doctors office, the phone, surgery, hospital and elderly care and hospice. Cool? Liberating? Impossible?

If you’re Nuance, the idea is not only brilliant – it’s our focus and drive as we reinvent the relationship between people and technology. It is the chance to connect with your devices on human terms and presents infinite possibilities for intuitive interfaces that adapt to you.

Liberating our clinicians to focus on the patient and providing patients with someone they can talk to, interact with and who does have time for them. That future – coming to a doctors office near you: