Mobile apps and technology company Artificial Life announced the expansion of its business into South Africa, with the intention of launching an app which can be used for the care management of HIV/AIDS patients.  In a statement, the company said that it aims to offer the app “not only for smartphone platforms such as iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7, but also for lower grade phones.” It is working with major health care providers and other partners to make the application available to a “broader audience for free” – the goal is for it to be free to consumers with health care providers, insurances and advertisers covering the cost.

Artificial Life already provides two mobile health monitoring apps: GluCoMo, for diabetes monitoring, and Opus-M Health: Neurodermatitis, an app to monitor skin condition neurodermatitis. These have been targeted mainly at industrialised markets, but in future GluCoMo and the planned HIV/AIDS app will be delivered in emerging markets. In addition to the handset app, Artificial Life will use its Opus-M platform to power the back-end system, “to ensure reliability and security of user-sensitive data.”

Artificial Life is in the process of establishing an office near Capetown to house its South African operations. The activities are being carried out in “close co-operation” with M-Health Middle East, a “recent investment partner with Artificial Life.” It also said it is “in negotiations with several additional business partners in the region and is in the process of recruiting senior executives to assist in its efforts of building up local operations.”