[GKD] Does the computer have a heart?
DOES THE COMPUTER HAVE A HEART? Programs that put people and development before profits... By Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] Here comes the big surprise: IT and computers are showing their other face. No longer are these potent forces merely tools for profit, but in varying experiments across India they're proving to be useful allies in seeking to give the commonman a better life. Work in the city of Pune is showing how computers can effectively be used for Indian language computing. Plans are in an advanced stage to make computing devices (like the Simputer) which cost below $200. These could make computing accessible to the rural millions. From the eastern city of Hyderabad, machine-translation systems will help Indian languages translate into each other. Wireless-in-Local-Loop is a technology from Chennai city's IIT-Madras that can take telephones across to the distant, rural millions at a cheaper rate. In the former French colony of Pondicherry, initiatives show how the commonman can really benefit from accessing relevant information. Fishermen get weather details from a de-commissioned US spy satellite, over loudspeakers. Digging up all these details is an idealistic, Bangalore-based research scholar who traces his roots to North India but has studied in the University of Chicago. Without building unnecessary hype, Aditya Dev Sood points to the rich potential of such efforts. In the long term, social investment in rural ICT (information and communications technology) could prove to be one of th most effective means of driving change, believes this author of a recent 'Guide to ICTs for Development'. Sood points to the potential of these technologies to ensure equal access to dispriviledged groups. They could also have a strong economic impact, by creating new kinds of work and financial transactions, he argues. In addition, politically too, such technologies could improve the quality, speed and sensitivity of the state apparatus to the needs of local citizen-consumers. Over the past year-and-half, Sood has carefully documented such initiatives across the country. By pointing to their potential, he has helped build snowballing interest in this field. The computer, as he points out, can indeed play a key contributing role in development. Sood studied architecture at his graduate level and sociology for his post-graduation. My work currently lies in between sociology and design. I'm doing it by looking at the impact IT is having on society, says he, with a smile. It was only in early 2000 -- roughly a year-and-half ago -- that he began his work on this front seriously. Bangalore's environment has stimulated me to work in this area. Looking at things from a predominantly IT and ICT (information and communication technology) environment is the effect of being in Bangalore, he says. So, he's going ahead in marrying the priorities of this Silicon Valley of India, with those of a city also known as the NGO-capital of the country. Computing and developmental-concerns can mix. Over the past months, Sood has been closely studying the successful and inspiring projects from across India on the ICT front. iStation is another tool that could take e-mail access to the masses who otherwise couldn't afford it. The Warana Wired Village Project in Maharashtra, and the Gyandoot Project in Dhar are creating new levels of service to the rural citizen-consumer. SARI in Madurai hopes to wire up all 1000 villages in the district using low-cost WiLL technology, developed in India. Meanwhile, Tarahaat.com is a company seeking to build branded computer kiosks in relatively prosperous rural areas. Recently making it to the headlines, experiments undertaken by computer training institute NIIT's Dr Sugata Mitra from Delhi have shown how simple slum-children can learn basic computing themselves, if given the opportunity. Computing can also enter micro-finance. In this field, computer-based records could save time and effort, and offer better account-keeping. The Swayam Krishi Sangam records information on optical ID cards for micro-finance. Nearby in South Asia, Dr Mohammed Yunus of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh has launched the Gremeen Telecom, to provide mobile telephones to rural consumers. In Karnataka, the Asian Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives is trying to introduce CAD/CAM technologies to rural artisans making leather footwear near the city of Belgaum. In Tamil Nadu, the George Foundation is experimenting with an expert diagnostic software. Other efforts aim at promoting education through IT. What is amazing is the diversity of the projects being reported from across India. In his own way, Sood is helping to put the magic of IT together, by giving a comprehensive picture of the developments happening on various fronts. And the big-picture is indeed heart-warming. Sood is pleasantly surprised with the results of his work. Originally, my interest was far more academic. But then one got
[GKD] Does the computer have a heart... (case studies from India)
DOES THE COMPUTER HAVE A HEART? Programs that put people and development before profits... By Frederick Noronha Here comes the big surprise: IT and computers are showing their other face. No longer are these potent forces merely tools for profit, but in varying experiments across India they're proving to be useful allies in seeking to give the commonman a better life. Work in the city of Pune is showing how computers can effectively be used for Indian language computing. Plans are in an advanced stage to make computing devices (like the Simputer) which cost below $200. These could make computing accessible to the rural millions. From the eastern city of Hyderabad, machine-translation systems will help Indian languages translate into each other. Wireless-in-Local-Loop is a technology from Chennai city's IIT-Madras that can take telephones across to the distant, rural millions at a cheaper rate. In the former French colony of Pondicherry, initiatives show how the commonman can really benefit from accessing relevant information. Fishermen get weather details from a de-commissioned US spy satellite, over loudspeakers. Digging up all these details is an idealistic, Bangalore-based research scholar who traces his roots to North India but has studied in the University of Chicago. Without building unnecessary hype, Aditya Dev Sood points to the rich potential of such efforts. In the long term, social investment in rural ICT (information and communications technology) could prove to be one of th most effective means of driving change, believes this author of a recent 'Guide to ICTs for Development'. Sood points to the potential of these technologies to ensure equal access to dispriviledged groups. They could also have a strong economic impact, by creating new kinds of work and financial transactions, he argues. In addition, politically too, such technologies could improve the quality, speed and sensitivity of the state apparatus to the needs of local citizen-consumers. Over the past year-and-half, Sood has carefully documented such initiatives across the country. By pointing to their potential, he has helped build snowballing interest in this field. The computer, as he points out, can indeed play a key contributing role in development. Sood studied architecture at his graduate level and sociology for his post-graduation. My work currently lies in between sociology and design. I'm doing it by looking at the impact IT is having on society, says he, with a smile. It was only in early 2000 -- roughly a year-and-half ago -- that he began his work on this front seriously. Bangalore's environment has stimulated me to work in this area. Looking at things from a predominantly IT and ICT (information and communication technology) environment is the effect of being in Bangalore, he says. So, he's going ahead in marrying the priorities of this Silicon Valley of India, with those of a city also known as the NGO-capital of the country. Computing and developmental-concerns can mix. Over the past months, Sood has been closely studying the successful and inspiring projects from across India on the ICT front. iStation is another tool that could take e-mail access to the masses who otherwise couldn't afford it. The Warana Wired Village Project in Maharashtra, and the Gyandoot Project in Dhar are creating new levels of service to the rural citizen-consumer. SARI in Madurai hopes to wire up all 1000 villages in the district using low-cost WiLL technology, developed in India. Meanwhile, Tarahaat.com is a company seeking to build branded computer kiosks in relatively prosperous rural areas. Recently making it to the headlines, experiments undertaken by computer training institute NIIT's Dr Sugata Mitra from Delhi have shown how simple slum-children can learn basic computing themselves, if given the opportunity. Computing can also enter micro-finance. In this field, computer-based records could save time and effort, and offer better account-keeping. The Swayam Krishi Sangam records information on optical ID cards for micro-finance. Nearby in South Asia, Dr Mohammed Yunus of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh has launched the Gremeen Telecom, to provide mobile telephones to rural consumers. In Karnataka, the Asian Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives is trying to introduce CAD/CAM technologies to rural artisans making leather footwear near the city of Belgaum. In Tamil Nadu, the George Foundation is experimenting with an expert diagnostic software. Other efforts aim at promoting education through IT. What is amazing is the diversity of the projects being reported from across India. In his own way, Sood is helping to put the magic of IT together, by giving a comprehensive picture of the developments happening on various fronts. And the big-picture is indeed heart-warming. Sood is pleasantly surprised with the results of his work. Originally, my ~interest was far more academic. But then one got opportunities to study how
