Open Society Institute, ThinkCycle

Open Society Institute: ThinkCycle

Organisational Background:
The Open Society Institute (OSI) is part of the Soros Foundations Network. The OSI is active in 61 countries, most of this work is focused in Central and Eastern Europe, the Former Soviet Union and Central Asia. More recently we have also begun working in countries in South and West Africa, South America and Asia.

The OSI's mission is to promote the development and maintenance of open societies around the world. OSI does this by supporting an array of activities dealing with social, educational, legal, governmental, and health care reform, as well as promoting an active and independent civil society (in particular media, women's rights, human rights, and ethnic minorities). The OSI works to encourage alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues within countries in transition.

The Information Program is just one of the "network programs" at the OSI. The core mission of the Information Program is civic empowerment and effective democratic governance through the deployment of information and communication resources.

Contact details for all the below projects are:
Stephanie Hankey, Information Program, Open Society Institute.
Email: shankey@osi.hu. Telephone: ++ 361 3273122.

1. Project Name:
Interactive language toy for Roma pre-school children.

Project Motivation/Background:
In countries such as the Czech Republic there is a system of de facto segregation between Roma (Gypsy) children and Czech children. This is based on the results of pseudo scientific testing. When they have to take the test at school going age (approx. 6 years old), Romani children are being wrongly classified as 'mentally deficient', and sent to special schools where there is little or no chance to graduate to non-vocational secondary education. This happens due to a combination of a lack of opportunities for pre-school education and inadequate language skills (that is proficient use of their national language as they are brought up in communities which speak Romanes). In cultures with scant sympathy for cultural diversity this means that a disproportionate number of Romani children end up in segregated schools. Equally important is the same problem the other way round, that is, countries where Roma communities are losing their own language (Romanes). This is why there is a need to encourage bilingualism at a pre-school level. The structural preconditions, poverty etc., home environments that with the best intentions are not always conducive to learning means that this is difficult to achieve in conventional ways. In this context interactive learning tools where children could be engaged in learning by themselves would be a real plus.

Brief Description:
Design an interactive toy for pre-school Roma children to learn and practice a secondary language. This should be speech based, however could include images or text.

Constraints:
It must be appropriate for kids age 4-7 (attractive, entertaining, hardy).
It must also be possible to make this cheaply (approx. $15 if produced).

Resources:
Available on request.

2. Project Name:
Human Rights Monitoring Data Collection Device

Project Motivation/Background:
Human Rights monitoring, whether it be in refugee centres, in prison detention cells, in police custody cells, or in post-conflict situations, relies on the collection of data and testimonials. Currently, there are few systematic ways of doing this, the methods mostly rely on sending students, volunteers or activists in to the field with a clipboard and paper. Invariably this is a survey which is filled in, not just yes/no answers but details, perhaps details of where a refugee used to live, or details from a prisoner of how long he has been waiting for his case to be heard. This data is then filed at a central office. This method can be problematic, unreliable, and makes the information gathered difficult to analyse or input. There needs to be a more systematic way to collect data, to ensure accuracy, safety of data (if it's on paper it can be destroyed very easily), and validity of information. This is especially so when collecting data on crimes against humanity, where the information is not just used for lobbying and alerts, but also potentially can serve as evidence in a court of law.

If a product were to be designed for this use, it could have a number of applications in other related areas, such as, census taking of ethnic minorities.

Brief Description:
Design a portable survey device for human rights monitoring.

Constraints:
Should be:
o Portable and rely on batteries which are easily replaced (in most of these locations it is not possible to rely on recharging from a plug socket)
o Hardy (won't break if it gets dirty or wet)
o Easy to use by unskilled volunteers (keyboards may not be appropriate), and easy to use whilst standing.
o Compatible with a central computer to collate data.
o If produced cost approximately $25 (or less!).
This is because each NGO may need 20-30 of these devices, and will not give valuable devices to volunteers.

Resources: Available on request.

3. Project Name:
InfoBus Personal ReaderWriter

Project Motivation/Background:
The InfoBus is an OSI project currently in its pilot phase. Throughout 2001 five InfoBuses will be set up, one each in, Kosova, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.

The InfoBus will provide access to local and global information and communication for rural areas. It is a bus with a mobile library, two laptops, a printer, photocopier, TV and video inside. The InfoBus will function as roaming email 'post office', local language information provider, lending library, and an outreach 'vehicle' for regional projects.

The bus will visit approximately 32 villages on a fortnightly cycle.

Brief Description:
Extremely low cost device for reading and writing email and page viewing which can be leant from the InfoBus like a book.

Constraints:
o incentive to return to bus and disincentive to steal (c.f. white bikes in Amsterdam)
o must be easy to use (intuitive and possibly without keyboard).
o must be low cost and small enough to provide 200 units per bus.
o does not require connection
o should have memory for a selection of books and pre-selected web pages

Resources: More resources available on request

Some background to this project:
Providing tools through which the general public can communicate, learn, develop and be informed remains out of reach in the provincial areas of this region for the foreseeable future.

Currently, there is a significant lack of access to and availability of information, the media and books outside major cities. Communications are either expensive, unreliable, or at worst, simply not available. Organisations (NGOs, local government) have problems outreaching to these communities.

4. Project Name:
Simultaneous video capture and broadcast device for the field.

Project Motivation/Background:
Whilst recent technological developments have increasingly enabled journalists and activists to get voice and text out of situations (i.e. conflict situations, disaster areas, remote locations), there is still a difficulty in getting images, and in particular, video out of these situations (e.g. the recent wars in Chechnya and Kosova). This is either due to safety and security issues, 'permission' issues, unsuitability of existing equipment, or simple connectivity and power problems.

Brief Description:
Design a device which allows journalists and activists to simultaneously capture video and images and stream to the web whilst working in the field.

Constraints:
This device must;
o be easy to carry and use whilst on the move (no breakables, not too heavy or big)
o be discrete
o not save data on the device
o be usable in remote areas
o consider the safety needs of the situation (e.g. encryption)

Resources: (More information to come on this project)
Further resources available on request