access

The Indian Minister of Human Resource and Development, Mr. Kapil Sibal, released a $35 (Rs. 1500) tablet computer last week. The touch screen device has been designed and developed by experts from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. The device was conceived 5 years ago as a response to XO, One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation’s laptop, which is currently priced at $199. Is it another feather in the cap of the Indian innovators, who earlier produced a $2,200 car and $16 water purifier?

The device based on the Linux platform comes with a number of applications such as video conferencing application, a multimedia content viewer, Open Office suite and media player. It also sports a USB drive. Keeping in mind the infrastructure challenges of developing countries, a solar panel has been included in the device. The price of $35 includes the cost of manufacturing the device abroad. The cost of the solar panel has, however, not been factored. The government has already decided to provide a discount of 50% to educational institutes, which will make the device as affordable as a basic mobile handset at $18.

Deadline Feb. 1, 2010

Apply for up to $650,000 for "Wireless Projects Demonstrating Promise Of Solving Critical Global Issues and mHealth." The Wireless Innovation Project identifies and rewards the most promising advances in wireless related technologies that can be used to solve critical problems around the globe. Although projects may be global in scope, applicants must be nonprofits, educational institutions or social entrepreneurs based in the United States. Up to $650,000 will be awarded to wireless projects demonstrating exceptional promise to solve a critical global issue in the following fields: education; health; access to communication; the environment; or economic development. Final winners will be announced on April 19, 2010 at the annual Global Philanthropy Forum in Redwood City, California.

Find complete detailed information about eligibility and an application here.

In this week's episode of the AshokaTECH Podcast, host Alex Budak interviews Ashoka Fellow David Green.  Green's work focuses on health care delivery to the developing world, enabling developing countries to produce, distribute, and service high-quality, affordable health care products. Having already directed the successful production and distribution of two products–intraocular lenses and surgical sutures, David is now launching an effort to manufacture and distribute top-of-the-line, cost effective, cosmetically acceptable, and locally maintainable hearing aids.  Alex asks him about his ongoing project, as well as what Green has termed "compassionate capitalism."

Be sure to follow Alex on Twitter, @TheBudak, for updates on the podcast and your chance to have your own questions answered in future interviews.

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