Guided By: Prepared By:

B. B. Prajapati Gajera Jimesh G.

Department of IT (6020)

1
 Shantilal Shah Engineering College,
Bhavnagar.

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Roll no. of

th
B.E Semester 8 I.T Class, has satisfactorily completed his Term work of
the subject during the academic year 2010 and
submitted on ________

Staff In Charge Head of Department

Certified that this term work is accepted and assessed on _________

Examiner Convener

2
 ABSTRACT

The Simputer is a low cost portable alternative to PCs, by which the benefits
of information technologies can possibly reach across the digital divide. It has a
special role in developing economies because it offers the possibility that illiteracy
is no longer a barrier to handling a computer. One key to bridging the digital divide
is to have shared devices that permit truly simple and natural user interfaces based
on sight, touch and audio.

The Simputer prototypes were launched on April 25th, 2001 and the
complete design details of the Simputer have been made available on the web site
(www.simputer.org). An innovative licensing mechanism has evolved through
intense discussion within the Simputer Trust. We acknowledge the influence of the
Free Software movement in this regard. However, the Simputer General Public
Licence (SGPL) is more complex in many ways, partly due to the nature of
hardware and partly to ensure that there are sufficient incentives for continuous
innovation on top of the Simputer platform.

Having put this foundation for innovation in place, the trustees decided that
the vision of the Simputer Trust, to bridge the digital divide and reach the
unreached, would be best realized by 1 commercial, sustainable and scalable
approach. This “doing well by doing good” approach is currently being tested by
the two licensees PicoPeta Simputers Private Limited and Encore Software. We
will end the article with a brief update on the progress made on the commercial
front.

3
 INDEX

No. Chapter Page No.

1 Introduction 5
2 Just what is a SIMPUTER? 9
3 History 16
4 SIMPUTER Licensing 18
5 SIMPUTER Specification 20
6 Interfaces 23
7 Bundled Software 24
8 Application of Simputer 25
9 Features OF SIMPUTER 45
10 Deployment 48
11 Success Inhibitors 51
12 Some Questions related to Simputer 55
13 Some working area of Simputer 57
14 Conclusion 59
15 Bibliography 63

4
 1. INTRODUCTION

The Simputer is a self-contained, open hardware handheld computer,

designed for use in environments where computing devices such as personal
computers are deemed inappropriate. PicoPeta Simputers Pvt. Ltd unveils Amida
Simputer for the retail market.

Fig. 1 Simputers

It's simple, it's portable. At about Rs. 9,000 per piece, it's highly
affordable. It is compatible with your everyday PC, helps you check e-mail, browse
the Net, keep accounts, and get information. When the invention of the Simputer
(Simple Computer) was announced in 2001, it instantly captured the imagination of
the world. The venerable New York Times called it the most important invention
of 2001 ahead of Apples G4 and Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system. Here
was a computer that was rewriting every rule associated with computers.

The goal of the Simputer project is to harness the potential of

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the benefit of the weakest
sections of society. The software developed by the Simputer Trust will be under
GNU GPL and the hardware developed will be under Simputer General Public
License (SGPL).

5
 The Simputer is a low cost portable alternative to PCs, by which the
benefits of IT can reach the common man.

It has a special role in the third world because it ensures that illiteracy
is no longer a barrier to handling a computer. The key to bridging the digital divide
is to have shared devices that permit truly simple and natural user interfaces based
on sight, touch and audio. The Simputer meets these demands through a browser
for the Information Markup Language (IML). IML has been created to provide a
uniform experience to users and to allow rapid development of solutions on any
platform.

The definition of the Simputer as a Simple Inexpensive Multilingual

Computer is important in surveying its projected uses. The Simputer was originally
planned to be a stand-alone computing device with a simple user interface, and
features like speech synthesis that made it work for very low-attainment users.
Various usage models were considered, but the key to the ‘Inexpensive’ aspect was
the shared model.

The device was to enable large groups of users to share one device,
possibly purchased communally. Individual users were expected to own smart
cards that enabled them to store their information offline. A potential owner for a
Simputer would thus be a village council, or a cooperative, or any group of people
willing to share it. Public funds could potentially be applied towards such
purchases.

The simplicity aspect was to be addressed through a very friendly

interface with intuitive panels and graphics. The shared usage model also relied on
the Multilingual feature. Speech-enabled devices in homes were expected to play
an inclusive role in the more remote regions of India, where literacy can be low.
Users would also be enabled to use online communications through the devices for
a variety of daily tasks that could be made easier using technology.

An alternate usage model was mediator-oriented, in which the end-

users of the Simputer were to be traveling data gathering professionals, often
working in remote parts of India. In this case, the Simputer would work much like
a PDA, but enabled with its unique features, it offered a potentially easier learning
curve for rural grassroots workers who may or may not be literate enough to use a
standard PDA.

6
 Hardware Design decisions took into account the infrastructural
shortcomings of India, yet, the device could perform its goals best given some
minimum electricity availability and wireless connectivity. The cost saving of the
Simputer would have to be seen in its comparison to personal computers – rather
than other PDAs. The device itself was originally meant to be priced low by virtue
of addressing an entire community’s needs, thus having a lower per-capita cost
than an immobile personal computer.

“The Simputer a cheap, pocket-sized computing device designed for

use by rural populations in India has been hailed as a breakthrough in
bringing the world of computing to the poor”.

7
What Makes Simputer Different From Regular PCs?

Simputer is not a personal computer. It could however be a pocket

computer. It is much more powerful than a Palm, with screen size 320 x 240 and
memory capability (32MB RAM). The Wintel (Windows + Intel) architecture of
the de facto standard PC is quite unsuitable for deployment on the low cost mass
market. The entry barrier due to software licensing is just too high. While the
Wintel PC provides a de facto level f standardization, it is not an open architecture.
The Simputer mean while is centered around Linux which is freely available, open
and modular.

8
 2. JUST WHAT IS A SIMPUTER?

What exactly is the Simputer? Put quite simply, it is more complex

and powerful than a palm top.

For example, in terms of screen size (320x240), memory capabilities

(32MB RAM) and the OS (GNU/Linux). It runs on an Intel strong-arm chip. The
chip is known for its low power consumption. The Simputer runs on three AAA
batteries or off the mains. It can also use rechargeable batteries, but the charger is
not built in. Thus, the Simputer is basically a low-cost computer with multiple
connectivity options. It will be modular and based entirely on free software from
the Open Source Initiative. Its primary input will be a touch-sensitive overlay on
the LCD display panel.

The primary application interface would be a browser that can render

the Information Markup Language. IML is a new XML application being designed
specifically for handheld devices like the Simputer. The use of XML-based
language is in line with the philosophy of utilizing global Internet standards. To the
rural Indian poor, and even to most city dwellers, a computer is probably as remote
an option as a trip to the moon. But things are about to change.

2.1 The Brains Behind The Concept

A small group of scientists of the Indian Institute of Science in

Bangalore and some engineering professionals from the firm Encore Software have
designed this simple device, and set up a trust to take it to the world.

This device, called a Simputer, will be launched formally on April 25

in Bangalore.

This gadget is not a PC. It is a simplified device more like a pocket

computer. What distinguishes it from other hand-held devices is its smart card
reader. Besides, it also has an Information Markup Language that is, amongst other
thing, smart card aware. It will also have the use of extensive audio in the form of
text-to-speech and audio snippets.

9
 An important feature of the Simputer is the SmartCard Reader/Writer.
The smart card is emerging as a credible delivery vehicle for financial transactions
on the Internet and has become an important tool for electronic commerce. The
incorporation of a smart card reader/writer in the Simputer will, therefore, increase
the functionality of the mobile device for deployment of a richer set of value-added
services, including services such as home banking through personal ATMs and
home shopping.

A user's individual profile can be stored on a smart card, which he can

carry around with him. Once inserted into the smart card interface, the Simputer
will read the profile from the smart card and also update changes if any, during the
current transaction cycle.

2.2 Affordable Computing

The projected cost of the Simputer is about Rs 9000 at large volumes.

But even this is beyond the means of most citizens. The Smart Card feature that the
Simputer provides enables the Simputer to be shared by a community.

A local community such as the village panchayat, the village school, a

kiosk, a village postman, or even a shopkeeper should be able to loan the device to
individuals for some length of time and then pass it on to others in the community.
The Simputer, through its Smart Card feature allows for personal information
management at the individual level for an unlimited number of users.

The impact of this feature coupled with the rich connectivity of the
Simputer can be dramatic. Applications in diverse sectors such as micro banking,
large data collection, agricultural information and as a school laboratory is now
made possible at an affordable price.

2.3 An idea germinates

The Simputer project was conceived during the organisation of an

international seminar on information technology for developing countries,
conducted during Bangalore IT.com, Karnataka's annual IT trade show, in October
1998.

10
 A discussion paper highlights the need for a low-cost mass access
device that will bring local-language IT to the masses. The initial discussions
introduced the term Simputer as an obvious twist on the word computer.

For the purpose of establishing originality, a slightly more complex

acronym was invented to fit the name Simputer: simple, inexpensive, multi-lingual
computer.

And finally in order to appeal to computer geeks, a more complex

expansion was also coined, namely simple, inexpensive multi-lingual people's
computer.

11
 The Simputer is a low-cost Personal Computer with multiple
connectivity options. It is designed to be modular and extensible, and based
entirely on free software from the Open Source Initiative. Its primary input is a
touch-sensitive overlay on the LCD display panel.

The Simputer is not a Personal Computer in the conventional "PC"

sense. The "Win-tel" architecture of the de facto standard PC is quite unsuitable for
deployment in the low-cost mass market in any developing country. The entry
barrier due to software licensing of proprietary, though de facto standard, software
is just too high. While the Wintel PC provides a de facto level of standardisation, it
is clearly not an open architecture.

The Simputer, on the other hand, is based on GNU/Linux software

technology that is open and modular. The Linux Kernel version 2.4 has been ported
to the Simputer.

The initial version of the Simputer is based on Intel's StrongARM

CPU, which is a Reduced Instruction-set (RISC) microprocessor designed for
embedded applications. The StrongARM has a high level of integration and
performance at a relatively low level of power consumption.

To enable rapid development and deployment of application software,

the basic development platform uses GTK. A Java Virtual Machine can also be
provided for those application developers that want to benefit from platform
independence for their applications.

An important feature of the Simputer is the SmartCard Reader/Writer.

The SmartCard is emerging as a credible delivery vehicle for financial transactions
on the Internet and has become an important tool for electronic commerce. The
incorporation of a SmartCard Reader/Writer in the Simputer increases the
functionality of the mobile device for deployment of a richer set of value-added
services, including services such as home and micro-banking through personal
ATMs, home shopping, etc. The SmartCard Interface enables a diverse range of
applications that require security. Electronic commerce, on-line banking and multi-
purpose citizen-cards will all require SmartCards in the near future.

The Simputer is targeted as a shared computing device for a local

community of users. A local community such as the village panchayat or the
village school, or a kiosk, or even a shopkeeper should be able to give this device
out to individuals for a specific period of time and then pass it on to others in the
community.

12
 This requires the device to be personalized for individual use on a
changing basis. The SmartCard is again the basic method by which this device can
be personalized. A user's individual profile can be stored on a SmartCard, which he
can carry around with him. Once inserted into the SmartCard Interface, the
Simputer will read the profile from the SmartCard and also update changes if any,
during the current transaction cycle.

The Simputer offers a wide range of connectivity options because of

its primary focus as an access device. The primary connectivity option is a
V.34/V.90 Modem. There is also an IrDA interface for interworking with PCs and
IrDA-compatible peripherals such as printers. Finally, there is a built-in USB Host
port that can be used for extension and peripherals that cannot be integrated within
the device.

The Simputer operating system, tools and the main application resides
in Flash ROM so that the system can quickly start operation when powered up.
User profiles can be stored in Flash memory as accessible files or also in the
SmartCard.

The Simputer is a mobile computer platform and will be applicable in

several applications of mobile computing. The Simputer platform technology,
being a cost-effective platform, can be used to develop several other products such
as Thin Clients, Kiosk Computer, Cost-effective Point-of-Sale terminal and in
embedded systems.

13
What makes the Simputer special?

One needs to understand the Simputer’s main features text-to-speech

synthesis in Indian languages, pen-based input (called tap-a-tap), portable palmtop-
sized footprint, Linux-powered, open hardware licensing, and the smart-card
interface, among others.

The intended use of these features (and hence the Simputer) is for
rural areas. The text-to-speech features, portable size and low power requirements
are meant to be of immense use to people in these areas. Some of the applications
that have been suggested are micro-banking applications, rural commerce, and
micro-credit applications.

Simputer has an edge over any palmtop. Palmtops can’t compute in

Indian languages and don’t have text-to-speech interfaces for Indian languages.
They are also not aimed for the mass market that the Simputer is targeting, and still
have a more elitist user community.

The business applications of Simputer in Micro-banking or sales force

automation is useful. Insurance companies in India are looking at using this for
each of their insurance agents who go around. Now, they don't have to carry all
these huge books that they used to carry, with details of all the policies. They just
carry the Simputer with all the information already fed into that.

The impact of this feature coupled with the rich connectivity of the
Simputer can be dramatic. Applications in diverse sectors such as micro banking,
large data collection, agricultural information and as a school laboratory is now
made possible at an affordable price.

It's not only that it costs less than $200 (Rs. 9,306) but also what the
Simputer will be able to do. Put together by several academics and engineers -- in
their spare time -- this Internet device will have the potential to help even non-
literate users to surf the Net and e-mail.

14
 Once commercialized and put out in the market -- its designs will be
freely released to companies for reproduction -- the Simputer can not only be used
as a device for individuals to access the Net, but also by communities through
kiosks. A smart-card interface is being worked on to facilitate micro banking.

The non-profit Simputer Trust, a group of academics and

technologists from India’s computing industry, is creating the multi-purpose
device. Their vision is to create not only a computer, but also an "evolving
platform for social change" throughout the world by bridging the digital divide.
They wanted a device that could be used by literate people in Third World nations
who lack computer skills, as well as by illiterate people. The Simputer Trust is
created basically to develop technology that will help take information technology
to rural areas. Its initial target is India. And if it is applicable in India, it will also be
applicable in the rest of the third world.

The Simputer had a tremendous response from all over the world -
from South America to Australia and every other country in between, including
some of the developed countries. Even the developed countries are interested in
seeing how they could use it; not just for applications for the poor, but also
applications for the urban elite, the urban affluent.

The Simputer is the result of coming together of scientists form the

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and technologists of a software company
with a broad imperative to harness its potential for the benefit of all sections of
society. The Simputer is not a projection of an end product but of an evolving
platform for social change.

15
 3. HISTORY

The Simputer project was conceived during the organization of the

Global Village, an International Seminar on Information Technology for
Developing Countries, conducted during Bangalore IT.com event in October 1998.

Fig 2. Simputer Layout

A discussion paper highlights the need for a low-cost mass access

device that will bring local-language IT to the masses. The initial concept paper
(PDF version) expanding on the initial discussions introduced the term Simputer as
an obvious twist on the word Computer. For the purpose of establishing originality,
a slightly more complex acronym was invented to fit the name Simputer: Simple,
Inexpensive, Multi-lingual computer. And finally in order to appeal to computer
geeks, ridiculously complex recursive acronym was also coined: Simputer:
SIMPLE COMPUTER, which expands to Simple, In-expensive Multi-lingual
PeopLE's compUTER. The concept paper outlines the technical requirements of
the Simputer as well as the applications. However, this paper is quite dated, and
useful only as a historic reference.

The writing of the Bangalore Declaration on Information technology

for developing countries clarified and fortified the concept of the Simputer and its
role in the larger picture. A few items in the Declaration, specifically highlight the
role for a Simputer-like device.

When the invention of the Simputer (Simple Computer) was

announced in 2001, it instantly captured the imagination of the world. So much so,
that the venerable New York Times called it the most important invention of 2001
ahead of Apples G4 and Microsofts Windows XP operating system. Not only was
the vision behind the Simputer stunningly ambitious (to bring computing to the
gigabyte-less masses, as the London Guardian put it), but here was a computer that
was rewriting every rule associated with computers. The goal of the Simputer
project is to harness the potential of Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) for the benefit of the weakest sections of society.

16
 The software developed by the Simputer Trust will be under GNU
GPL and the hardware developed will be under Simputer General Public License
(SGPL). This mailing list will hopefully be a platform for a wide range of
discussions relating to the Simputer and also bring together diverse people
interested in the common goal.

17
 4. SIMPUTER LICENSING

The system software of the Simputer, since it is Linux based is under

GPL. We have been working on a license similar to the GPL, but applicable to
hardware. We realized, after considerable discussions, that hardware has a
significant difference that precludes the possibility of using a simple extension of
the software GPL. We now have the first draft of the Simputer General Public
License (SGPL) that we believe to be a practicable license which at the same time
facilitates the rapid spread of Simputers.

The SGPL has been reviewed further and the new version is now
ready. The Simputer General Public License

The hardware specifications of the Simputer can be downloaded only

under SGPL. The SGPL permits anyone to build devices out of the downloaded
specification. However, once a product is ready for commercialization, one of two
possible licenses needs to be obtained from the Simputer Trust. These are

• The Simputer Device Manufacturing License.

The Simputer manufacturing License refers to a Core Simputer

Specification, a functional description of the Simputer to be specified by the
Simputer Trust and which evolves with the development of the Simputer. The first
version of the Core Simputer Specification will be posted here soon.

18
19
 5. SIMPUTER SPECIFICATION

HARDWARE
CPU
Intel StrongArm SA-1110 CPU
Memory
16–64 MB of SDRAM
08-32 MB Flash for non-volatile storage
Display Options
240x320 LCD Colour or Monochrome Display Panel with backlight
Input Device
Touch-panel Overlay on LCD Display with a plastic stylus (Pen)
Direction and Selection Keys
Audio Interface
Audio Codec
Support for external head-set
SmartCard Interface
SmartCard Reader/Writer
USB Interface
USB Port
Connectivity
Data Modem
IrDA Interface
Connectors in Basic Unit
SmartCard Connector
IrDA Transceiver
RJ-11 Telephone Jack
USB Type-A Connector
AC Adapter Input

Power Supply

20
 2xAA-sized Ni-MH batteries
Internal charge management
Operates with external AC Adapter
ACCESSORIES
Expansion Docking Cradle
Compact Flash [CF-II] Slot, USB Slave and Serial Port

SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Operating System
Linux Kernel 2.4.18
Network Protocols
TCP/IP, FTP, Telnet, PPP, HTTP etc.
Application Libraries
GTK+, glibc

APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Internet Access
Browser, Email, File-Transfer
Music
MP3 Player / MPEG4 Player
PIM Applications
Notepad, Address Book, Calculator

21
 The new Simputer range from Encore thus attempts to meet the
requirements of various market segments. The entry-level Simputer will, at
production volumes, be priced at about $210, and has a monochrome LCD, 16MB
of DRAM and 8MB of flash memory, IrDA and USB interfaces and audio
connectors, but no modem. Some of the enhancements include a built-in battery
charger, a real-time clock, and support for J2ME.

The top-end Simputer, priced at about $480, has a color display,

32MB of flash memory and 64MB of DRAM, a built-in modem, and a pocket-
sized cradle with a CompactFlash expansion slot for memory cards and wireless
connectivity.

In addition to the cradle which ships with the high-end model, Encore
is also designing specialized cradles with built-in functions such as a micro printer,
keyboard, and support for GSM and 802.11 wireless connectivity. The company is
opening up to designers the interface between the Simputer and the cradle to
encourage others to design their own specialty cradles.

22
 6. INTERFACES

• Touch panel overlay on liquid-crystal display.

• Speaker and microphone jacks
• Smart-card connector.
• USB connector (to function as host or device)
• Serial port
• Infrared Data Association (IrDA) port
• Grayscale /Super-twisted nematic display (STN)/Thin-film
transistor (TFT) (depends on model and manufacturer).
• Multi-I/O connector (in Encore's Simputer) giving additional (slave) USB,
and optional modem/VGA interfaces

23
 7. BUNDLED SOFTWARE

The Simputer uses the Linux kernel (2.4.18 Kernel as of July 2005),
and the Alchemy Window Manager (only the Amida Simputer). Software
packages included provide:

• Scheduling (Amida Simputer only)

• Calendar (Amida Simputer only)
• Voice Recording and Playback (High quality compression on Amida
Simputer only)
• Khatha (A simple spreadsheet) (Amida Simputer only)
• Internet and network connectivity
• Web browsing and email.
• an e-Library (Amida Simputer only)
• Games (in the Amida Simputer), including Chess, Breakout and Golgoli (a
game that makes use of the accelerometer in the Amida Simputer).
• Java ME and Dot GNU (a free software implementation of .NET) are
also available
• Encore also has a FLASH player available

In addition, both licensees developed custom vertical applications for

micro banking, traffic police, medical applications, etc. Alchemy user interface
used by the Amida Simputer has been released under the GPL with the name
"Open Alchemy".

24
 8. APPLICATION OF SIMPUTER

Analytica is one of the few developers of custom applications on the

Simputer, a low cost linux based handheld indigenously developed in India. The
Simputer is the first handheld Internet appliance to have been designed entirely in
India from the electronics to the software to the industrial engineering for the
housing of the device.

Analytica develops custom applications for various domains like Sales

and Retail, Data Collection Projects, E-Eductation, Transportation and Fleet
Management.

A case study of one of the projects on the Simputer undertaken by

Analytica is outlined here:

The World Health Organization (WHO) Data Collection System

This project involved the design, development and implementation of

a handheld-based mobile application as part of the HIN Mobile Data Management
System for World Health Organization. The system was aimed at providing a
handheld PDA-based tool for better supervision and data collection, for the Senior
Treatment Supervisor (STS) and Senior Tuberculosis Laboratory Supervisor
(STLS) under the RNTCP program.

25
 This project also covered the information infrastructure for connecting
the various components at different levels of this HIN system - from sub-district
levels to district level and beyond. The infrastructure was aimed at facilitating the
capture of patient data, lab procedure data supervision & quality control, control of
inventory data and its analysis for enhancing decision making at all levels.

The eventual objective of this interconnected information network was

to make all the information automatically available to the central statistical analysis
station at the Central Administration Authority, for advanced statistical processing,
report generation, and progress tracking. This system also provided a customized
front end for the Simputer, complete with data synchronization functions with the
desktop computers located at base stations. On the back-end, this system had
facilities and support for checking and validating the data transmitted to it from the
various handheld units in the system, and storing it in a central repository. Report
generation facility was an inherent part of the system that allowed the data to be
printed using report templates pre-defined for the RNTCP program.

The Simputer short for simple, inexpensive, multilingual computer, is a low cost
portable alternative to PCs, by which the benefits of IT can reach the common
man. It has a special role in the third world because it ensures that illiteracy is no
longer a barrier to handling a computer. The key to bridging the digital divide is to
have shared device that permits truly simple and natural user interfaces based on
sight, touch and audio.

Features :

 It runs on a 32-bit 200MHz Strong Arm SA-1100 RISC Processor with

32Mb DRAM of RAM.Permanent Storage of 16MB Flash RAM. 320x240
monochrome LCD display panel. Plastic stylus on a touch-panel overlay as
input devices.Audio codec & pre-amplifier for built-in
headphones/microphone. SmartCard reader/writer.

 The Simputer runs on the free-to-use Linux operating system software,

making it one of the few handhelds not to use Palm's software or a version of
Microsoft Corp's Windows.

26
 It can connect to the Internet through fixed-line or wireless networks,
allowing local governments and voluntary agencies to receive and transmit
data such as farm prices.

 It also has a speech synthesiser that can read English and Indian texts,
making computer use possible for more than one third of Indians who are
illiterate.

27
Another Application of Simputer

Fun with Simputer and Embedded Linux

The Simputer is a StrongArm CPU based handheld device running

Linux. Originally developed by professors at the Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore, the device has a social objective of bringing computing and
connectivity within the reach of rural communities. This articles provides a tutorial
introduction to programming the Simputer (and similar ARM based handheld
devices - there are lots of them in the market). The reader is expected to have some
experience programming on Linux. Disclaimer: I try to describe things which I had
done on my Simputer without any problem - if following my instructions leads to
your handheld going up in smoke - I should not be held responsible!

Hardware/Software

The device is powered by an Intel StrongArm (SA-1110) CPU. The

flash memory size is either 32Mb or 16Mb and RAM is 64Mb or 32Mb. The
peripheral features include:

1. USB master as well as slave ports.

2. Standard serial port.
3. Infra Red communication port.
4. Smart card reader

Some of these features are enabled by using a `docking cradle'

provided with the base unit. Power can be provided either by rechargeable batteries
or external AC mains.

Simputer is powered by GNU/Linux - kernel version 2.4.18 (with a

few patches) works fine. The unit comes bundled with binaries for the X-Window
system and a few simple utility programs.

28
Powering up

There is nothing much to it, other than pressing the `power button'.
You will see a small tux picture coming up and within a few seconds, you will
have X up and running . The LCD screen is touch sensitive and you can use a small
`stylus' (geeks use finger nails!) to select applications and move through the
graphical interface. If you want to have keyboard input, be prepared for some
agonizing manipulations using the stylus and a `soft keyboard' which is nothing but
a GUI program from which you can select single alphabets and other symbols.

Waiting for bash

GUI's are for kids. You are not satisfied till you see the trusted old
bash prompt. Well, you don't have to try a lot. The Simputer has a serial port -
attach the provided serial cable to it - the other end goes to a free port on your host
Linux PC (in my case, /dev/ttyS1). Now fire up a communication program (I use
`minicom') - you have to first configure the program so that it uses /dev/ttyS1 with
communication speed set to 115200 (that's what the Simputer manual says - if you
are using a similar handheld, this need not be the same) and 8N1 format, hardware
and software flow controls disabled. Doing this with minicom is very simple -
invoke it as:

minicom -m -s

Once configuration is over - just type:

minicom -m

and be ready for the surprise. You will immediately see a login prompt. You
should be able to type in a user name/password and log on. You should be able to
run simple commands like `ls', `ps' etc - you may even be able to use `vi' .

If you are not familiar with running communication programs on

Linux, you may be wondering what really happened. Nothing much - it's standard
Unix magic. A program sits on the Simputer watching the serial port (the Simputer
serial port, called ttySA0) - when you run minicom on the Linux PC, you establish
a connection with that program, which sends you a login prompt over the line,

29
reads in your response, authenticates you and spawns a shell with which you can
interact over the line.

Once minicom initializes the serial port on the PC end, you can `script'
your interactions with the Simputer. You are exploiting the idea that the program
running on the Simputer is watching for data over the serial line - the program does
not care whether the data comes from minicom itself or a script. You can try out
the following experiment:

1. Open two consoles (on the Linux PC)

2. Run minicom on one console, log on to the simputer
3. On the other console, type `echo ls > /dev/ttyS1'
4. Come to the first console - you will see that the command `ls' has executed
on the Simputer.

Setting up USB Networking

The Simputer comes with a USB slave port. You can establish a
TCP/IP link between your Linux PC and the Simputer via this USB interface. Here
are the steps you should take:

1. Make sure you have a recent Linux distribution - Red Hat 7.3 is good
enough.
2. Plug one end of the USB cable onto the USB slave slot in the Simputer, then
boot the Simputer.
3. Boot your Linux PC. DO NOT connect the other end of the USB cable to
your PC now. Log in as root on the PC.
4. Run the command `insmod usbnet' to load a kernel module which enables
USB networking on the Linux PC. Verify that the module has been loaded
by running `lsmod'.
5. Now plug the other end of the USB cable onto a free USB slot of the Linux
PC. The USB subsystem in the Linux kernel should be able to register a
device attach. On my Linux PC, immediately after plugging in the USB
cable, I get the following kernel messages (which can be seen by running the
command `dmesg'):

usb.c: registered new driver usbnet

hub.c: USB new device connect on bus1/1, assigned device
number 3

30
usb.c: ignoring set_interface for dev 3, iface 0, alt 0
usb0: register usbnet 001/003, Linux Device

After you have reached this far, you have to run a few more commands:

1. Run `ifconfig usb0 192.9.200.1' - this will assign an IP address to the USB
interface on the Linux PC.
2. Using `minicom' and the supplied serial cable, log on to the Simputer as
root. Then run the command `ifconfig usbf 192.9.200.2' on the Simputer.
3. Try `ping 192.9.200.2' on the Linux PC. If you see ping packets running to
and fro, congrats. You have successfully set up a TCP/IP link!

You can now telnet/ftp to the Simputer through this TCP/IP link.

Hello, Simputer

It's now time to start real work. Your C compiler (gcc) normally
generates `native' code, ie, code which runs on the microprocessor on which gcc
itself runs - most often, an Intel (or clone) CPU. If you wish your program to run
on the Simputer (which is based on the StrongArm microprocessor), the machine
code generated by gcc should be understandable to the StrongArm CPU - your
`gcc' should be a cross compiler. If you download the gcc source code (preferably
2.95.2) together with `binutils', you should be able to configure and compile it in
such a way that you get a cross compiler (which could be invoked like, say, arm-
linux-gcc). This might be a bit tricky if you are doing it for the first time - your
handheld vendor should supply you with a CD which contains the required tools in
a precompiled form - it is recommended that you use it (but if you are seriously
into embedded development, you should try downloading the tools and building
them yourselves).

Assuming that you have arm-linux-gcc up and running, you can write
a simple `Hello, Simputer' program, compile it into an `a.out', ftp it onto the
Simputer and execute it (it would be good to have one console on your Linux PC
running ftp and another one running telnet - as soon as you compile the code, you
can upload it and run it from the telnet console - note that you may have to give
execute permission to the ftp'd code by doing `chmod u+x a.out' on the Simputer).

31
A note on the Arm Linux kernel

The Linux kernel is highly portable - all machine dependencies are

isolated in directories under the `arch' subdirectory (which is directly under the root
of the kernel source tree, say, /usr/src/linux). You will find a directory called `arm'
under `arch'. It is this directory which contains ARM CPU specific code for the
Linux kernel.

The Linux ARM port was initiated by Russell King. The ARM
architecture is very popular in the embedded world and there are a LOT of
different machines with fantastic names like Itsy, Assabet, Lart, Shannon etc all of
which use the StrongArm CPU (there also seem to be other kinds of ARM CPU's -
now that makes up a really heady mix). There are minor differences in the
architecture of these machines which makes it necessary to perform `machine
specific tweaks' to get the kernel working on each one of them. The tweaks for
most machines are available in the standard kernel itself, and you only have to
choose the actual machine type during the kernel configuration phase to get
everything in order. But to make things a bit confusing with the Simputer, it seems
that the tweaks for the initial Simputer specification have got into the ARM kernel
code - but the vendors who are actually manufacturing and marketing the device
seem to be building according to a modified specification - and the patches
required for making the ARM kernel run on these modified configurations is not
yet integrated into the main kernel tree. But that is not really a problem, because
your vendor will supply you with the patches - and they might soon get into the
official kernel.

32
Getting and building the kernel source

You can download the 2.4.18 kernel source from the nearest Linux
kernel ftp mirror. You will need the file `patch-2.4.18-rmk4' (which can be
obtained from the ARM Linux FTP site ftp.arm.linux.org.uk). You might also need
a vendor supplied patch, say, `patch-2.4.18-rmk4-vendorstring'. Assume that all
these files are copied to the /usr/local/src directory.

1. First, untar the main kernel distribution by running `tar xvfz kernel-
2.4.18.tar.gz'
2. You will get a directory called `linux'. Change over to that directory and run
`patch -p1 < ../patch-2.4.18-rmk4'.
3. Now apply the vendor supplied patch. Run `patch -p1 < ../patch-2.4.18-
rmk4-vendorstring'.

Now, your kernel is ready to be configured and built. Before that, you have to
examine the top level Makefile (under /usr/local/src/linux) and make two changes -
there will be a line of the form:

ARCH := <lots-of-stuff>

near the top. Change it to

ARCH := arm

You need to make one more change. You observe that the Makefile defines:

AS = ($CROSS_COMPILE)as
LD = ($CROSS_COMPILE)ld
CC = ($CROSS_COMPILE)gcc

You note that the symbol CROSS_COMPILE is equated with the empty string.
During normal compilation, this will result in AS getting defined to `as', CC
getting defined to `gcc' and so on which is what we want. But when we are cross
compiling, we use arm-linux-gcc, arm-linux-ld, arm-linux-as etc. So you have to
equate CROSS_COMPILE with the string arm-linux-, ie, in the Makefile, you have
to enter:

CROSS_COMPILE = arm-linux-

33
Once these changes are incorporated into the Makefile, you can start configuring
the kernel by running `make menuconfig' (note that it is possible to do without
modifying the Makefile. You run `make menuconfig ARCH=arm'). It may take a
bit of tweaking here and there before you can actually build the kernel without
error. You will not need to modify most things - the defaults should be acceptable.

1. You have to set the system type to SA1100 based ARM system and then
choose the SA11x0 implementation to be `Simputer(Clr)' (or something else,
depending on your machine). I had also enabled SA1100 USB function
support, SA11x0 USB net link support and SA11x0 USB char device
emulation.
2. Under Character devices->Serial drivers, I enabled SA1100 serial port
support, console on serial port support and set the default baud rate to
115200 (you may need to set differently for your machine).
3. Under Character devices, SA1100 real time clock and Simputer real time
clock are enabled.
4. Under Console drivers, VGA Text console is disabled.
5. Under General Setup, the default kernel command string is set to
`root=/dev/mtdblock2 quite'. This may be different for your machine.

Once the configuration process is over, you can run

make zImage

and in a few minutes, you should get a file called `zImage' under arch/arm/boot.
This is your new kernel.

Running the new kernel

I describe the easiest way to get the new kernel up and running.

Just like you have LILO or Grub acting as the boot loader for your
Linux PC, the handheld too will be having a bootloader stored in its non volatile
memory. In the case of the Simputer, this bootloader is called `blob' (which I
assume is the boot loader developed for the Linux Advanced Radio Terminal
Project, `Lart'). As soon as you power on the machine, the boot loader starts
running - If you start minicom on your Linux PC, keep the `enter' key pressed and
then power on the device, the bootloader, instead of continuing with booting the
kernel stored in the device's flash memory, will start interacting with you through a
prompt which looks like this:

34
blob>

At the bootloader prompt, you can type:

blob> download kernel

which results in blob waiting for you to send a uuencoded kernel image through the
serial port. Now, on the Linux PC, you should run the command:

uuencode zImage /dev/stdout > /dev/ttyS1

This will send out a uuencoded kernel image through the COM port - which will be
read and stored by the bootloader in the device's RAM. Once this process is over,
you get back the boot loader prompt. You just have to type:

blob> boot

and the boot loader will run the kernel which you have right now compiled and
downloaded.

A bit of kernel hacking

What good is a cool new device if you can't do a bit of kernel

hacking? My next step after compiling and running a new kernel was to check out
how to compile and run kernel modules. Here is a simple program called `a.c':

#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/init.h>

/* Just a simple module */

int
init_module(void)
{
printk("loading module...\n");
return 0;
}

void

35
cleanup_module(void)
{
printk("cleaning up ...\n");
}

You have to compile it using the command line:

arm-linux-gcc -c -O -DMODULE -D__KERNEL__ a.c -I/usr/local/src/linux-

2.4.18/include

You can ftp the resulting `a.o' onto the Simputer and load it into the kernel by
running:

insmod ./a.o

You can remove the module by running:

rmmod a

Handling Interrupts

After running the above program, I started scanning the kernel source
to identify the simplest code segment which would demonstrate some kind of
physical hardware access - and I found it in the hard key driver. The Simputer has
small buttons which when pressed act as the arrow keys - these buttons seem to be
wired onto the general purpose I/O pins of the ARM CPU (which can also be
configured to act as interrupt sources - if my memory of reading the StrongArm
manual is correct). Writing a kernel module which responds when these keys are
pressed is a very simple thing - here is a small program which is just a modified
and trimmed down version of the hardkey driver - you press the button
corresponding to the right arrow key - an interrupt gets generated which results in
the handler getting executed. Our handler simply prints a message and does
nothing else. Before inserting the module, we must make sure that the kernel
running on the device does not incorporate the default button driver code -
checking /proc/interrupts would be sufficient.

36
 Compile the program shown below into an object file (just as we did
in the previous program), load it using `insmod', check /proc/interrupts to verify
that the interrupt line has been acquired. Pressing the button should result in the
handler getting called - the interrupt count displayed in /proc/interrupts should also
change.

#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/ioport.h>
#include <linux/sched.h>
#include <asm-arm/irq.h>
#include <asm/io.h>

static void
key_handler(int irq, void *dev_id, struct pt_regs *regs)
{
printk("IRQ %d called\n", irq);
}

static int
init_module(void)
{
unsigned int res = 0;
printk("Hai, Key getting ready\n");
set_GPIO_IRQ_edge(GPIO_GPIO12, GPIO_FALLING_EDGE);
res = request_irq(IRQ_GPIO12, key_handler, SA_INTERRUPT,
"Right Arrow Key", NULL);
if(res) {
printk("Could Not Register irq %d\n", IRQ_GPIO12);
return res;
}
return res ;
}

static void
cleanup_module(void)
{
printk("cleanup called\n");
free_irq(IRQ_GPIO12, NULL);
}

37
HOW SIMPUTER CAN HELP

There are several ways by which individuals and organizations can help the
Simputer project.

• Financial:

The Simputer has been unique in that it has been unfettered by any
commitments given to any funding agency, simply because there hasn't been any
funding agency. The flexibility and academic freedom offered by the Indian
Institute of Science, the visionary and bold attitude of the Board of Encore
Software Ltd., the time of the seven trustees and creative use of available resources
are all factors in bringing the Simputer project to this stage. The entire IPR of the
Simputer project has been vested with the Simputer Trust by the two institutions
concerned: Encore Software and Indian Institute of Science. It will certainly be a
surprise for most to learn that as of today (May 7th, 2001) the Simputer Trust does
not have a bank account! (we are in the process of creating one). Obviously, this
state of affairs cannot continue for too long. The Trust plans to raise resources to
further the Simputer project by the following means:

o license fees for Simputerised and Simputer manufacturing licenses

o Grants, donations, and gifts from diverse organizations and
individuals

Immediate requirements for funding: To take the Simputer to the next

step, the Trust needs to build about 100 Simputers and make them available for
field trials in areas where the Simputer can have an impact. We estimate that at
these very low volumes, the cost per Simputer -- including application
development -- to be about US $500. We are now looking towards individuals such
as yourself to contribute to the proliferation of Simputers.

38
 • Development:

There has been a huge number of mails expressing interest in

contributing to the growing Simputer effort. We have setup a mailing list for
Simputer Development related efforts.

39
NEW USES:-

Encore is now targeting new markets such as electronic government,

utilities, health care, education, banking, financial services, and the manufacturing
sector. It has tied up with about 10 independent software vendors who have
developed applications around the Simputer for these market segments.

"We still see bridging the digital divide as an opportunity for us, but
we are also looking at new market opportunities where the sales cycles are
typically shorter," Deshpande says.

Encore is shipping 200 Simputers this month, with another 1000 units
scheduled for next month. Some of these shipments are against trial orders.

"We were naive to expect orders just on the description of the device,"
says Deshpande. "We realize now that customers both in India and abroad want to
get their hands on the product, and try it out in a limited way in their organizations
before placing large orders."

Besides getting the devices to customers, Encore will also take them
to about 400 ISVs who have downloaded the software development kit from
Encore's web site, but have not had an opportunity yet to test their software on the
hardware. The products are being manufactured by Bangalore contract
manufacturer Peninsula Electronics, though Encore is close to signing up a contract
manufacturer in Singapore and another in India, in order to handle large orders.

Why simputer? Why not?

40
 The global launch of the Simputer is marked more by scepticism than
hope and hype. Ironically, when the news about the Simputer first broke a couple
of years ago, it was heralded with much excitement. The media hype raised hopes
of development organisations that have been working to bring the benefits of ICTs
to disadvantaged communities.

But its failure to retain the interest of designers, manufacturers, the

Indian government and venture capitalists, coupled with repeated delays in its
launch, has given rise to scepticism about its marketability and sustainability.
Recently even its utility for the poor and non-literate people has been questioned
and debated.

Let’s be clear about one point: the Simputer is not an answer to

poverty, diseases or illiteracy. On its own, it cannot feed the poor, it cannot
eradicate diseases and it cannot teach the non-literate. No technological invention
can claim to be able to do that. Nor is the Simputer the only solution to the digital
divide.

• Vast potential

But what the Simputer can potentially do is of tremendous value. Pilot

projects in Indian states of Karnataka and Chhattishgarh, which are applying it in
micro banking, distance education and rural information access, are showing
promising results.

In Chhattishgarh, rural schools are using Simputers to receive

information via the WorldSpace radio and to learn from consultants across the
world. Farmers in Karnataka are using it to learn about the going crop rates; to get
local market and fertiliser news; and to send and receive email and voice mail.

Doctors in rural areas want to develop a portable ultrasound monitor

that can be plugged into the Simputer. Local government agencies can use it to
extend their services to the rural communities. Post offices can use it to service
money orders electronically, cutting delays and loss in transit. Local communities,
such as village councils, schools, kiosks, postmen or neighbourhood shops can loan
the device to individual users for different uses. Non-literate users can browse the
Web using pictures and its text-to-speech capability allows the Web content to be
delivered in local languages.

Even in developed nations, there are possible applications such as

computer access for the homeless and distance literacy programmes. Some even

41
see its potential in peace initiatives, if it is used in information gathering and
delivery of services to war victims and child soldiers. Indeed, the Simputer’s
applications are limited only by lack of imagination.

• Community building tool

Most important, the Simputer can help in community building and

bridging the social gap. Because the digital divide is not so much about the gap in
access to technologies as the social divide between haves and have-nots. Sharing a
community resource like the Simputer can multiply the effect of traditional open-
air theatres or festivities in countries like India, which foster a sense of community
among the rural people. This can get a further boost when its users also become
part of the online communities that can be created.

The significance of the Simputer is, however, more to do with its

philosophy than its features. Its designers have proved that developing nations can
build their own solutions to their problems and need not accept generously doled
out pre-fabricated, proprietary and expensive technologies.

The good news is, other developing countries are also now designing
similar low-cost solutions. In Laos, a team is designing Jhai PC, a rugged, pedal-
powered computing system for village telephony and Internet access. There have
been reports about a PDA similar to the Simputer being developed in Sri Lanka
that will cost about $50. In Kenya, a fishing community is currently testing the
Village PDA, an African counterpart of the Simputer.

• Design for the community

The design of the Simputer, as much as in the case of other alternative

devices, is demand-driven, based on the expressed needs of the communities which
they are meant for. The fact that designers have taken into consideration the actual
information needs, language capacities and potential interface preferences of low-
literate rural villagers, seems to be a step in the right direction.

Unlike proprietary software and hardware, the Simputer gives

freedom of choice to its users as well as to the civil society organisations and
software and hardware developers. As a user you are free to adapt it any way you

42
want for your needs. Designers are free to further develop its hardware and
software. And NGOs working among communities can adapt it to their
communities’ needs.

It is this desire of the Simputer people to encourage the creation of

intellectual property in IT among the Southern people and organisations that seems
to have upset the multinational IT giants and western academics. For obvious
reasons, it is a threat to the monopolistic manufacturers who loathe that they cannot
control or own the profits earned from the technology and fear that its sharability
will cut into their market.

Another reason manufacturers haven’t shown enthusiasm for the

Simputer could be that they are expected to turn in their extensions to the Simputer
design back to the community of developers and designers, which goes against
their perception of market ownership and leadership.

• Unjustified fears

In fact, the Simputer’s unique sharabiltiy and portability have been

criticised on the basis of fears that this will make it a focal point for theft in the
poor communities. But such fears are not only baseless, they’re an insult to the
poor as they imply that the villagers cannot be trusted with the Simputers. In
Bangladesh, the Grameen Bank has increased economic opportunities for many
poor villagers by distributing mobile phones to women who rent them out to fellow
villagers. The mobile phones are just as portable and also valuable, yet the
programme remains successful. There have been no reports of theft occurring in
similar projects elsewhere in developing countries.

People will protect items they value and make sure they are used
responsibly, so the dissemination of the Simputers ideally should be in conjunction
with well-planned programmes to get them in the hands of people who need them
and will take a community leadership role in possessing them.

Community sharing, as conceptualised in the Simputer, is a

completely foreign concept to the Western culture, which thrives on consumerism
that promotes individual ownership of resources. Is it the reason why even the
academics of the developed country are sceptical of the Simputer’s potential?

Obviously, it is too early to measure the impact of the Simputer, but

its development could well be a watershed in the underdeveloped countries’ efforts
to overcome the digital divide. Low-cost devices such as the Simputer, Jhai PC and

43
the Village PDA have a special role in speeding up development in the Third
World. But what is crucial at this point is their sustainability and it is their useful
applications rather than cost alone that will drive their demand and determine their
success.

9. FEATURES OF SIMPUTER

44
9.1 Text-to-Speech.

It includes Text-to-Speech software. It is a kind of speech recognition, and

you all know about this, Microsoft is still struggling to give accuracy in this
technology.

9.2 Linux OS.

It runs GNU/Linux Operating System.

9.3 Hand writing.

Amida allows you to write on every screen using stylus and send such
writings by mail. This is the world’s first instance of any computer permitting
annotation and e-mailing. One can write in any language, so far the first time
the knowledge of english is not pre-requisite to use hand held computers.

9.4 Interfacing.

Our Amida Simputer can be connected to a CDMA mobile phone and is

used to browse the internet- while moving. This has two USB slots and opens
the door to a wide variety of USB- compatible devices. Amida also connects to
GSM and GPRS enabled phones for network connectivity, being enabled to
connect to WiFi. Twin USB ports allow Amida to be connected to a range of
HP and Epson printers as well as allow small portable battery operated printers
to be connected for bill printing purposes.

9.5 Smart Cars reader/writer.

World’s first hand held computer that has built-in integrated Smart Card
reader/writer.

9.6 Scribble Pad.

Doodle or take down a diagram during a meeting. With your own hand,
draw diagram and save it in your Amida.

“Is your iPhone has all such features?” Hand writing and e-mailing, text to
speech built-in, Scribble pad, Smart card reader/writer, have you ever found
such a great device?

45
 Yes this is all about our Amida designed and developed by our scientists. You
might observed that i compared this with iPhone and you might feel that I am
wrong because iPhone is a mobile phone and Amida simputer is a hand held
computer, so I should not compare the both. I just compared the features that
are there in Amida but not there in any other device in this world. Only Amida
simputer has all.

“Why iPhone is so popular? Why not simputer?” as you know there are so
many advanced features hidden in Amida, then why it is not popular? Infact
most of the people are not even know about this, I am still in search of
answer….

Ease of use

Ease of use has to be an important guiding principle if this device is to

gain a substantial measure of popularity. A low-cost version of this device may be

46
targeted to the home user, whereas a slightly higher functionality version can be
designed for use in cyber kiosks where people can come in and surf at their
convenience.

The Simputer can also be used in schools to allow them to offer Web
access to students at relatively low-cost. It can also leverage the pervasiveness of
telephone lines and enable users to enjoy a new level of services from their net
service providers.

This could be in areas as diverse as Web-enabled email access, home

banking, home shopping, educational services and new forms of entertainment.

Micheal L Best, research scientists at MIT's famous Media Lab, told

rediff.com some time ago that his centre was working on developing a similar
device which should cost $50 apiece.

So the Simputer is certainly not a unique project globally, although it

is certainly new and special to India.

Best felt that even that was too high a cost for the target user of such a
device, which is basically a poor, rural farmer

10. DEPLOYMENT

47
 1. Simputers were extensively used by the Government of Karnataka to
automate the process of land records procurement.
2. In 2005 they were used in a variety of innovative and interesting
applications, such as automobile engine diagnostics (Mahindra and
Mahindra in Mumbai).
3. Used for Electronic Money transfer between UK, Ghana and others.
4. Recently simputers are deployed by police force to track traffic offenders
and issue traffic tickets.
5. Used by Indian Military.

Multiple benefits

48
 "This provides us several benefits. We benefit from the experience of
the vast global pool of experts working on software problems. We also have access
to the entire source code, which enables us to deploy the software on any hardware
platform that might be cost-effective for us at a certain point in time. It will also
have the benefit of peer review processes that ensure a relatively robust and stable
end product," says Swami Manohar, an associate professor in the department of
computer science and automation of IISc, and one of the seven trustees.

The initial version of the Simputer is based on a StrongARM CPU.

The StrongARM is a Reduced Instruction-set microprocessor, which is designed
for embedded applications. Several vendors provide ARM based chips with a high
level of integration and high performance at a relatively low level of power
consumption.

"Our aim is to make Simputer a low cost alternative device to PCs, by

which IT can reach the common man," said Manohar. "That's why it features touch
screen and local language software interface."

Four trustees are from IISc and the remaining three from Encore.
Vinay Deshpande, the founder CEO and MD of Encore, is the managing trustee of
the Simputer Trust.

All that the trust is going to do on April 25 is to display about 10

Simputers and hold several demonstrations of them, at the JRD Tata Auditorium,
National Institute for Advanced Studies, IISc, Bangalore. This is to indicate that
the Simputer platform is ready for the next stage, namely, commercial manufacture
and deployment.

In other words, Simputers will not be available in your neigbourhood

computer store on April 26. Private companies will have to come forward to take
the licenses for manufacturing Simputers.

The trust has liberally borrowed its philosophy from the concept of
"free software" propounded by a worldwide group of software developers who
have created a new paradigm for the development and deployment of such popular

49
software as Linux and also benefited from pioneering work done by the Free
Software Foundation.

The trust will still retain ownership over the basic platform so that it
can continue to guide its development based on the philosophy of the Trust.

"The system software of the Simputer, since it is Linux based is under GPL," say
the trustees.

"We have been working on a license similar to the GPL, but

applicable to hardware. We realised, after considerable discussions, that hardware
has significant differences that precludes the possibility of using a simple extension
of the software GPL."

"We now have the first draft of the Simputer General Public License
that we believe to be a practicable license which at the same time facilitates the
rapid spread of Simputers."

"We invite comments from interested manufacturers and others on the

SGP, which was drafted by Rahul Matthan, the legal counsel of the Simputer
Trust."

The trust estimates that it will then take a company at least three
months to start manufacturing these devices for general use.

11. SUCCESS INHIBITORS

50
 By 2005, sales of Simputers failed to live up to the ambitious goal of
selling 50,000 units: only 4000 Simputers were sold .

11.1 Poor’s man computer

A reason often stated is that the poor have no need of computers before
their basic needs (such as electricity) are met. However, the Simputer was never
designed to be a "poor man's computer" (a position often used by the media)- it
was a device designed to help bridge the digital divide. While most people
tended to look at the cost of the Simputer as a factor, they ignored the fact that
the "cost of ownership" for the end-user of the device in villages was not the
cost of the device, but the cost of the Smart card used to store the user's data.
The device itself should be considered shared infrastructure for the village.

11.2 Lack of support from Government and NGO’s

Another reason may be that lack of purchasing by the Indian government

and NGOs (as earlier committed) led to lack of adoption in the field.

11.3 License Cost

The SGPL, the license under which simputer is marketed, asks for a
license fee of 1 Million Indian Rupee to commercially exploit the Simputer
design. This was perceived to be a high entry point for small scale organizations
wishing to license the Simputer design.

11.4 Comparisons with PDAs

51
 While the Simputer is not cheap when compared to PDAs available in the
market at the time, this point is largely irrelevant, as it was not designed to be a
PDA (which are used as PC companions) but as a standalone computer. The
comparison with PDAs was a natural outcome because of the form-factor (and,
to some degree, reports by the media).

11.5 Cost of Laptops

The decrease of prices of laptop computers may have reduced the

Simputer's price competitiveness.

Is India’s Simputer bad for industry?

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 Yes, it could be. Launched quietly after a delay of two years, the slick
new Simputer bristles with so many innovations and opportunities that it could halt
all development in the Personal Digital Assistant [PDA] industry and decimate
competitors. When it hits the Indian market it is likely to fly off the shelves. Call it
a killer-app; app for appliance.

When GoodNewsIndia reported on it in 2001, it was a bold dream

realised in a somewhat clunky box. The fact that the project soon got mired in
funding issues may have turned out to be good for it. The four scientists from the
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore—V Vinay, Swami Manohar, Ahmad
Fatehally and Vijay Chandru-- who have developed this product, appear to have
spent the hard years learning much about product positioning, ergonomics and
value perception. The technological vision however was always there.

A gadget freak will fairly itch to get his hands on one. It looks slim
and slick. With its pair of USB ports, it can ‘talk’ or ‘listen’ to hundreds of devices.
It can read a SmartCard. Its customised flash memory storage can hold limitless
amount of data. It has a sound recorder/player. It has an accelerometer that makes
it respond to user motion. It can be connected wirelessly to the Internet. You can
scribble everywhere on apps with a stylus. It has rechargeable batteries.

That’s the hardware part. The software innovations are truly indicative
of the developers’ minds. In a world that has been drugged to believe that
computing is not possible without Microsoft products, these four Indians are
pointing to an enticing road ahead.

The operating system is Linux. There is already an application

development suite for creating new software. Its built-in applications are meant for
people with little or no education.

They can handwrite or peck at key-boards in their native language.

They can send voice or drawn emails. For the first time in the world, someone has
thought of designing from the ground up.

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 It is heartening that India has done that. It is a wise move too; C K
Prahlad never tires of saying that the greatest consumers in the world are the poor
and businessmen are foolish in creating products only for the rich. The developers
have decided to ignore world markets and focus on India first. How much more
revolutionary can you get!

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 12. SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO SIMPUTER

1. Q: Is the Simputer like a PC?

A: No. The Simputer is *NOT* a personal computer. It could however be

a pocket computer.

2. Q: Is the Simputer like a Palm?

A: Again no! The Simputer is much more powerful than a Palm. For
example, in terms of screen size (320x240), memory capabilities (32MB
RAM) and the OS (GNU/Linux).

3. Q: How do I enter text? Can I attach a keyboard?

A: There are two options on the base simputer for entering text:

one is a soft keyboard, that can be brought up on the touch screen and you
poke at it to enter one character at a time.

The second option is to use a novel character entry software called tap-a-tap
which is similar in spirit to graffiti, but quite distinct (no patent infringement
:-). But if you insist on entering tons of text using the Simputer, you may be
able to attach a USB keyboard. We don't recommend the Simputer as a mass
data-entry device.

4. Q: What features set the Simputer apart from other handhelds?

A: The smart card reader in the Simputer. The Information Markup

Language (IML) that is (amongst other things) smart card aware. The use of
extensive audio in the form of text-to-speech and audio snippets.

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5. Q: What will the Simputer cost?

A: We expect the Simputer to cost about Rs 9000 when the volumes are
upwards 100,000 units.

6. Q: What processor does the Simputer run on?

A: It runs on an Intel strong-arm chip. The chip is known for its low
power consumption.

7. Q: What does the simputer run on?

A: Three AAA batteries or off the mains. It can also use rechargeable
batteries, but the charger is not built in.

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 13. SOME WORKING AREA OF SIMPUTER

• FORM-FILLING

I want to reserve a train ticket to Mumbai.

– Use the Simputer to submit a reservation form.

• COMMUNICATION

Can I meet the Tahsildar today?

– Use your Simputer to check his availability. You don’t have to trek
ten km to find out.

E-mail, voice-mail to near & dear

– Use the Simputer to send / receive

• MONEY ORDER

Dear Postman, can I withdraw Rs 100 from my account?

– Your money order e-transaction has arrived on my Simputer. Let me
credit your smart card first.

• EDUCATION / LITERACY

– Simputer’s high-resolution display facilitates images, local-language

text. Combined with audio files and text-to-speech in local languages,
this will facilitate literacy, self-learning

• MICRO-BANKING

Use the Simputer to take banking to the individual’s doorstep, not the
other way around. On-the-spot receipts electronically generated.

• RURAL HEALTH STATISTICS

State Health Depatments can empower their health workers with

Simputers for collection of health statistics in the villages, regardless of
location.

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• HEALTH

Portable Ultrasound
Telemedicine

• DRINKING WATER

Simputer with appropriate sensor interfaces can facilitate quality checks

• POLICE

Information Retrieval
FIRs
Criminal records

• COMMUNITY KIOSKS

Public Services
Land Records
Utilities payments
Information dissemination

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 14. CONCLUSION

Simputer is a low-cost multilingual, mass access handheld device that

uses Indian language user interfaces to provide information technology based
services to the multilingual population of India.

In the next decades, new devices and technological solutions for the
existing problems of underserved populations will continue to find their way to
markets around the world. The Computador Popular and the Simputer are
pioneering projects that will be pilot case studies for subsequent work in the area,
as research in this now nascent field moves towards a more structured and
investigative methodology. They offer valuable lessons in the study of initiatives in
technological equity.

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• Decisive role of needs assessment and usability testing: We find that in
an era of great enthusiasm for technology as a solution, there is limited
research into the market’s appreciations of these solutions. The Simputer
case shows urgent need for studying and codifying low-attainment users’
interactions with handheld screens. Contextual study to examine how
people currently do tasks that technology plans to replace is vital in
understanding peoples’ relationships with the variables that new
technology will affect.

• Greater focus on creating scalable general audience devices: The

scale of the Simputer’s task may have been its greatest impairment – its
aim to create a highly inclusive device by including audio capability
drove up the cost to the point where it cannot compete effectively with
other general audience devices in the market. An inexpensive low-power
basic device upgradeable with external attachments for specific
populations could have driven down the cost. Similarly, the creation of
modular accessories could have enabled other products to gain from the
same functionalities and facilitated greater market adoption.

• Free and Open Source Software will play a decisive role in

development projects: Underserved populations are dispersed and
diverse, having needs that require significant improvisation and
customization. The economic characteristic of FOSS is a benefit, but
what is much more valuable is the application developer’s freedom from
the motivations of proprietary software producers whose willingness to
invest in facilitating the advancement of new applications is directly
proportional to tangible benefits.

• Government investment works better in infrastructure and scientific

research: Both projects relied on the government to for underwriting or
purchase of systems. The availability of computing devices to consumers
in India or Brazil is not yet at the point where it can be considered
essential infrastructure. Since neither project was involved in
fundamental scientific research, support from financial markets may have
been more appropriate in ensuring that devices oriented to market needs
were produced.

• Technologies must address existing pains: It is important that advanced

technology does not step in where it is not required. Both devices present

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 better ways of doing things, but this may not always be obvious to their
intended audiences, resulting in a lack of bottom-up demand. Evidence
has shown that people with low literacy skills master relatively simple
user interfaces, when they have a tangible context in which to use devices
recurrently.

• Industry plays safe: Creators of new technologies have to take into

account the variables that would need to fall in place for them to succeed.
Despite the promise of expanding markets to serve the economically
marginalized, most of the initiatives to create products for the
underserved have come from academia or non-profits. The cooperation of
industry has been imperative, and as was seen in the case of the CP (and
in the lukewarm VC response to Simputer), there is still lack of faith in
the commercial viability of technology for development. The portentous
conclusion here is that we may see succeeding generations of
disempowerment until the underserved are naturally attractive to
industry.

Given that current general purpose devices are too expensive for being
directly used by the poorest (both devices we examined here failed to get the
price below US$200 per unit), and that industry is risk averse to invest in the
development of low cost, task specific devices, research universities have as
a very important role to fill this gap.

• Technologies must be fun, schools and young people are critical

test-beds: As research into speech recognition breaks new ground, it is
theoretically possible to test new technologies on all, even the least
literate people. But it is much easier to get people with no preconceptions
about a technology to become its adopters. School children have no
proprietary software to unlearn, and no fears of technology to overcome.
They are also more likely to find new devices fun to use and need not
have a contextual practical benefit to become users of these devices.
Children can take their knowledge of these technologies into the future as
users of advanced computing devices, as well as into their homes,
causing a “trickle-up” effect to their close relatives.

Any long-term change must be aimed at schools in developing

regions. Many of these do not have basic infrastructure, but all have inquisitive
children. Mobile devices can be easily incorporated into curricula, and inexpensive,

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low power versions of Simputers, for instance, can find their way into schools.
Governments around the world are looking at policies such as India’s IT for All to
build their manpower resources from the roots; basic handheld devices that
circumvent power requirements present a viable solution for the future.

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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