Tuesday, September 3, 2002

Jhai PC: wireless communication and wireless power in rural Laos. An innovative, pedal powered, powered, wireless network provides Internet access to off-grid villages in Laos. Jhai PC is a project of non-government organisation (NGO), Jhai Foundation. "The Jhai PC is built of 'embedded' circuit boards," says Felsenstein, "of the sort that are used in industrial equipment. These are rugged and devoid of moving parts such as fans or disc drives, made to operate for long periods of time without service or attention. The Jhai computer consists of a single-board PC (the MZ-104 based upon the Mach-Z single-chip computer - equivalent to a 133 MHz 486 system)." He has analysed the "Internet appliance generation of chips and found this to be the best, especially for its low power consumption and remote BIOS reboot capability." "At the moment," he concludes, " we have one computer set up going and are using it for development, we have attached a large hard drive to augment the 96-MByte flash disk. Mark Summer is integrating software, and we have just decided to purchase a telephone interface card good for four analog lines. The team in Rochester is hard at work localising Linux and the KDE environment for the Lao language. Our time line shows us ready to ship in October, but that may be revised." Jhai Foundation's Internet Learning Centers and the Remote IT Village Initiative Jhai's Remote IT Village Initiative aims to empower five remote villages, which have no electricity or phones, with a means of communication and the use of simple business tools. Each village will have a Jhai computer connected to the other villages, to their high school-based Internet Learning Centers, and to the Internet. Villagers can use these Jhai computers to communicate in the Lao language by e-mail and by voice with each other and with those outside their villages; for example, with people who buy their products in Vientiane and Jhai staff in the United States. The Jhai computers will also provide them with the opportunity to perform simple business functions like typing documents and creating spreadsheets for budgeting and accounting purposes. Jhai System Development Status Lee Felsenstein Measured power drains are: Computer: 5.5 Watts Display 13 Watts Printer (idle) 12 Watts (with inverter) Printer (printing) 48Watts (with inverter) When we have received the proper cable we can bypass the controller in the display, thus lowering power drain and eliminating a setup operation. Jhai Prototype Computer Needs Information to Take the Next Step If you can help, please contact TEN Director Ulla Skiden If you have longer term interests or would like to suggest possible applications and synergies, TEN has set up a Jhai PC List at Topica which we will track until Jhai is able to complete the R&D. To join the list, click here comments? [] 9:19:35 AM     Technology Empowerment Network   Annual Report Organization TEN Objectives Testimonials Advisory Board Executive Committee Member List Sponsors Partners The Technology Empowerment Network (TEN) TEN is a global initiative by the Technology Pioneers, a World Economic Forum Community, established in January 2000.  The purpose of TEN is to identify, support and empower projects that contribute to improving the state of the world, where information technology plays a central role in achieving the projects` objectives. TEN has been created to make it easy and simple for people to contribute their time and resources to worthy projects. There are many great information technology based projects already underway that can have a significant impact on improving the state of the world and there are many people who have the ability and desire to make a difference by assisting such projects. The goal is to build a very large global network of individuals and organisations that will support networks of high-potential projects with their skills and experience. Also, the projects themselves will generate fruitful collaborations among themselves, as they become members of the TEN project pool. What: INDIC Computing Workshop When: 9/14/2002 What: III Global Congress on Community Networking in the Digital Era When: 10/7/2002 What: A World in Transition: The Promise of Broadband Services When: 10/17/2002 What: Citizens and Cities in a Global Society When: 10/24/2002 What: International Conference on Information Systems - Meeting the Challenges in a Global Networked Economy When: 12/15/2002 Copyright © 2000 TEN  Privacy Policy comments? [] 8:44:05 AM

© Copyright 2004 Jon Schull. Last update: 1/21/04; 9:26:09 AM.