Low-Level Hi-Tech Hardware

Came across the story India Emerges as Innovation Hub on Wired today. It highlights 4 technologies in development in India that are aimed at rural/backward areas of the country and which could find widespread use in the so-called Third World countries:

  • Script Mail (a regional language handwriting recognition & mailing system) – HP Research Centre, Bangalore
  • K-yan (a compact media center with a projector) – IIT Mumbai
  • Shakti (an English to Indian languages translator software) – IIIT, Hyderabad
  • Digital Gangetic Plain Project (Connecting regions without last-mile connectivity through Wi-Fi) – Media Labs Asia (in collaboration with MIT)

You really have to read the article to actually appreciate the level of work that has already been achieved–Script Mail will probably be selling early next year as a finished product; K-Yan has already sold 180 units; Shakti is going strong and translating to Hindi, Marathi & Telugu pretty fairly; and DGP has an active wireless triangle between Kanpur, Lucknow and Allahabad and is expanding.

Wow, huh?

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