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A Closer Look at Rural Computing. Kentaro Toyama Microsoft Research India 6 th Feburary, ICCC 2005 Keynote at IIT-Kanpur. an n-Logue kiosk in Maharashtra. photos of Drishtee, n-Logue, ITC e-Choupal kiosks. Government-sponsored lunches at a school in Tamil Nadu. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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A Closer Look at A Closer Look at Rural Computing Rural Computing
Kentaro ToyamaKentaro ToyamaMicrosoft Research IndiaMicrosoft Research India
66thth Feburary, ICCC 2005 Keynote at IIT- Feburary, ICCC 2005 Keynote at IIT-KanpurKanpur
an n-Logue kiosk in Maharashtra
photos of Drishtee, n-Logue, ITC e-Choupal kiosks
Government-sponsored lunches at a school in Tamil Nadu
A tractor and cart in Madhya Pradesh
A well-water hand-pump in Madhya Pradesh
A field trip in Karnataka
A saved okra crop saves a farmer US$3000 (Slide: Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala)
VillagesVillages
Month
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)M
onth
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)Rs.
18000 a month!
data from Vivek Dhawan’s Masters thesis (IIT-B)
The fastest growing kiosk project (ITC’s e-choupal) would take…
600,000 villages 6 villages/day x 365 days/year 274 yrs274 yrs
e-choupal kiosk in Kodia, Madhya Pradesh
VSAT for kiosk in Kodia, Madhya Pradesh
n-Logue corDECT wireless tower
Kannada Prabha website
Total: ~$200
Disk: $40
Power supply: $15
Memory: $10 for 100MB
Processor: $30
Other silicon: $30
CRT display: $60
Keyboard/mouse: $15
courtesy of Chuck Thacker, Microsoft distinguished engineer
Absolute minimum cost of a PC…
Total: Rs. 10750
Disk: Rs. 2500
Power supply: Rs. 800
Memory: Rs. 1000 for 128MB
Processor: Rs. 1650
Other silicon: Rs. 2500
CRT display: Rs. 2000
Keyboard/mouse: Rs. 300
According to PC Quest, May 2004
Absolute minimum cost of a PC…
data from Vivek Dhawan’s Masters thesis (IIT-B)
Needed to break even: $70-140/mo.
Month
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)M
onth
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)
VillagesVillages
Sustainability as a business Sustainability as a business is is
the wrong focus for the wrong focus for
rural PC kiosk projects!rural PC kiosk projects!
This does This does not not mean…mean…
A rural PC kiosk can’t be viable as a A rural PC kiosk can’t be viable as a business.business.
ICTs have no value in rural areas.ICTs have no value in rural areas. Investing in rural ICTs is a bad idea.Investing in rural ICTs is a bad idea. Sustainability wasn’t a worthwhile Sustainability wasn’t a worthwhile
goal until now.goal until now. Sustainability still isn’t a worthwhile Sustainability still isn’t a worthwhile
goal for a kiosk operator or agency.goal for a kiosk operator or agency.
This This does does mean…mean… There is no single “killer app” for rural kiosks.There is no single “killer app” for rural kiosks. There is no single silver bullet to scale There is no single silver bullet to scale
sustainable rural kiosks.sustainable rural kiosks. Scalable, sustainable, rural PC kiosks is a Scalable, sustainable, rural PC kiosks is a
tempting mirage.tempting mirage. Sustainability, even when achieved, often Sustainability, even when achieved, often
does not make a dent in socio-economic does not make a dent in socio-economic conditions.conditions.
If we do invest in rural PC kiosk projects, the If we do invest in rural PC kiosk projects, the investment should go into something that investment should go into something that lasts and will drive development!lasts and will drive development!
Villages that can Villages that can sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPCIncomeIncome
Literacy &Literacy &educationeducation
Knowledge-Knowledge-based needsbased needs
InfrastructureInfrastructure
Economies Economies of scaleof scale
Villages that Villages that cannotcannot sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPC
Villages that can Villages that can sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPC
IncomeIncome
Literacy &Literacy &educationeducation
Knowledge-Knowledge-based needsbased needs
InfrastructureInfrastructure
Economies Economies of scaleof scale
Villages that Villages that cannotcannot sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPC
Focus on Focus on SustainabilitySustainability
Villages that can Villages that can sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPC
Villages that Villages that cannotcannot sustain a connected sustain a connected
PCPC
IncomeIncome
Literacy &Literacy &educationeducation
Knowledge-Knowledge-based needsbased needs
InfrastructureInfrastructure
Economies Economies of scaleof scale
Focus on Focus on DevelopmentDevelopment
an Akshaya kiosk in Kerala
a student taking typing lessons in a Maharashtra kiosk
a kiosk operator running a Drishtee kiosk in Haryana
a kiosk operator running an n-Logue kiosk near Tiruvallur
data from Vivek Dhawan’s Masters thesis (IIT-B)
Month
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)M
onth
ly R
even
ue (
INR
)
VillagesVillages
Other Possible Focuses for Other Possible Focuses for Rural ITRural IT
Improve on computer use in schoolsImprove on computer use in schools Digitize panchayat administrationsDigitize panchayat administrations Support NGOs in their workSupport NGOs in their work Implement the back-end for e-Implement the back-end for e-
government, once and for allgovernment, once and for all Assist with disaster managementAssist with disaster management
The connected PC is overkill The connected PC is overkill for remote rural villages for remote rural villages
today.today.
This does This does not not mean…mean…
There aren’t PCs in rural areas.There aren’t PCs in rural areas. PCs should never be put in rural PCs should never be put in rural
areas.areas. Rural villagers don’t want PCs.Rural villagers don’t want PCs. PCs don’t solve actual problems in PCs don’t solve actual problems in
villages.villages. Rural villages won’t be able to afford Rural villages won’t be able to afford
PCs one day.PCs one day.
This This does does mean…mean…
Scaling rural PC kiosks to 600,000 Scaling rural PC kiosks to 600,000 villages is a dubious goal.villages is a dubious goal.
The total cost of a connected PC in a The total cost of a connected PC in a rural village may be too high for the rural village may be too high for the value it delivers…value it delivers…– Especially beyond what phones can Especially beyond what phones can
deliverdeliver We should continue to look for other We should continue to look for other
solutions…solutions…– E.g., Featherweight ComputingE.g., Featherweight Computing
LeapFrog LeapPad for healthcare education in Afghanistan
SummarySummary
““Sustainability of rural PC kiosks” is Sustainability of rural PC kiosks” is distracting us from main goal of distracting us from main goal of developmentdevelopment– Put effort into enduring contributions to Put effort into enduring contributions to
development, development, e.g.e.g., , educationeducation Technology’s place is to support these Technology’s place is to support these
effortsefforts
Look for non-PC-based solutions in Look for non-PC-based solutions in addition to PC-based solutionsaddition to PC-based solutions
Education Education Information Information
One more caveat…One more caveat…
Education Education InformationInformation
++Human AttentionHuman Attention
Thank you!
