Updated: Feb 22nd, 2001
Open Society Institute, Soros Foundation (projects
1-4)
Contact details for all the below projects are:
Stephanie Hankey, Information Program, Open Society Institute.
Email: shankey@osi.hu. Telephone: ++ 361 3273122.
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.
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
Contact: Amy Smith mmadinot@mit.edu
Cholera.
Cholera kills roughly 6% of
those people afflicted with it. The
bacteria itself is not typically the cause of death, rather dhydration from
losing up to 20L of water per day when afflicted with the disease. An appropriate i.v. treatment system and
accompanying water filter could make cholera treatment more practical and
cheaper and in remote areas.
Develop:
A device for separating
serum from red blood cells
A device for shaking the
card during the test
A device for performing
dilution tests.
Supplementary contact: Susan Butler, TUFTS Medical, Cholera group.
Syphillis.
12 million new cases of
syphilis occur each year. South and
south east asia are most afflicted, followed by sub-saharan Africa. The spead of Syphillis accelerates the
transmission of the AIDS virus, and within itself can lead to mental
deterioration and even death. Many
cases are asymptomatic and those afflicted do not seek help. Treatment is available, and effective,
though not as widespread as desireable due to inadequate diagnosis.
One method of diagnosis is a serological test that utilizes card
agglutination. A small sample of the
patients serum is applied to an area of the card and a reagent added. The card needs to be shaken for a prescribed
time whereupon a visible reaction is present in the case of infection. Traditionally the rotary shakers required
are expensive and run on electricity meaning that the tests are bound to
centralized hospitals.
Develop a human powered rotary
shaker and timer for a portable syphilis diagnostic kit.
Supplementary contact: Riders for Africa
Tuberculosis.
Among infectious diseases,
tuberculosis is the leading killer of adults in the world today. One third of the world’s entire population
is now infected with the TB bacillus.
In the next decade it is estimated that 300 million more people will
become infected, that 90 million people will develop the disease, and 30
million people will die from it.
Screening for tuberculosis
is time consuming and not widely available.
The test is done by taking a sputum sample, staining it, and looking at
it under a microscope. There are two
ways in which this can be done. In the
first method, a sample of sputum is placed on a slide and stained. Because the sample is thick and the surface
uneven, it is necessary to re-focus the microscope often in order to properly
view the sample. This takes at least 15
minutes and is often inaccurate. By
another diagnosis method, sputum is spun down in a centrifuge and the fraction
which contains the most bacteria is separated out. This is placed on a warmed slide, causing it to spread out in a
thin layer which is then stained and viewed through a microscope. This is the preferred method, as a more
accurate screening can be done since the bacteria are more concentrated and the
sample is easier to view.
Develop a lower cost and
more accurate tuberculosis diagnostic.
Barry Coleman bcoleman@riders.org and Mike Gatton rfh@africaonline.co.zw
Sent: Thursday, February 15,
2001 10:37 AM
All the fuel for all the
vehicles we manage in Africa is contaminated or adulterated. In particular we
are having a serious problem in DRC (Congo, Kinshasa) with water in diesel.
All our vehicles (not
motorcycles, unfortunately) are fitted with what we call superfilters. These
filters are very, very tightly-wound paper filters that take out massive
amounts of contaminants out of both the engine oil. And the fuel. The oil
filters are fitted outside the engine (sometimes more Than a meter away, which
helps cool the oil) and we change the elements every
10,000 kilometers or so. So
fabulous is the filtration that we very rarely change the oil (though we do
sample it regularly). Nothing wrong with that.
The fuel filters are another
matter. Good as they are, there is so much water in the diesel that it gets
through anyway.
What we need is a simple,
non-motorized, light, foolproof, cheap, easily distributed device for taking
the water out of the fuel before it is put in, or maybe while it's going in. I
have talked with Mike briefly about this And his first thought was some sort of
gravity-driven device using filters similar to our fuel superfilters. But of
course there may be a much better way.
It's certainly a real
problem and it's certainly pressing. Failure to sort it out might mean parking
trucks and interrupting the polio surveillance work on which they are engaged.
Electronic Projects in
Rural India
Dr. Shrinath Kalbag,
Vigyan Ashram
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001
04:07:37 -0500
From: Neil Gershenfeld neilg@media.mit.edu
Following up on our TTT
lunch discussion of technology and the India project, I asked Dr. Kalbag of the
Vigyan Ashram (the remarkable rural science school that I showed) for a
technological wish-list. It follows below; the projects range from afternoon
hacks to Ph.D. theses, and most are (at least for me) entirely non-obvious
applications of familiar capabilities.
This will give you a good feel of some promising areas for early collaboration;
feel free to follow up directly in advance of us setting up a more coherent
process for tracking problems and solutions.
Neil
----
From: shrinath kalbag sskalbag@vsnl.com
Vigyan Ashram
Pabal, Dist Pune 412 403
Tel; 02138-52326 Date:19
Feb 01
Electronic Projects
1 A Data logger, 8 channel. Where
a 'chip ' is removable and data can be transferred to a PC and processed. We
collect various data such as rainfall, humidity, max-min temperature etc. We
also want to be able to collect data such as the water level in wells. If we
have one person going around different locations and collecting these 'chips'
where the data is stored for previous 24 hours, we can collect this in a
central place and process.
Some of our friends were developing this for some time and later gave up. They
had estimated the price at `Rs 1500 max.
We could also use this for other development projects such as drying,
baking etc to see the rate of drying or uniformity of temperature etc.
2 Electronic fuse. Many of our
people have the habit of putting a bigger size fuse wire if it blows
repeatedly. Also it takes a long time for replacing. An electronic 3-phase fuse
would be useful to farmers for water pumps. We had built a single phase
electronic fuse. But we could not build 3 phase for power supply.
3 We make a DC tube circuit,
where using only diodes and condensers we get a pulse of 600 V DC and this is
used for lighting 40 W tube lights that have a burnt out filament. We have put
back in use many such tubes (over 200 till now). We give this as an exercise to
students. However we find some burnt out tubes don't work and some do. We do
not know how to s select the tubes from the junk tubes.
4 A Power-off meter. Our power
supply goes off frequently. For our control purposes it will be useful to have
a record of when the power was off- the total time during an interval. We tried
an electric watch where the power was supplied through a relay, when the mains
power goes off. This gives the time but not as hours. We tried to make a
recorder where we fixed a chart on the hour hand of a clockworks unit. This works but the chart has to be changed
every 12 hours. This was given as a project for a dropout girl.
5 Electronic fence. We wanted to
protect our farm from stray grazing animals. Fencing is very expensive. So we
used a timer circuit, and connected an ignition coil. This gave a short pulse
of high voltage for a fraction of a second, and repeated at desired frequency.
This worked fine on dogs and sheep. We did not test on cows. The animals learnt
within 2-3 contacts and then do not go near the wire fence. But the people who
own the animals come and damage this so that their animals can graze, in this
area. That is what we want to prevent.
6 Water table alarm for wells.
Farmers have wells where the water table goes down below 9 meters and then the
pumps don't pump out water. So they lower the pumps on a hanging platform. When
the rains come, the table rises, and some times it floods the motor and they
have to rewind the motor. This happens every year. Some alarm to indicate a
rising level would be useful.
7 Dairy, milk collection centers,
often get milk, which sours and has to be thrown away. When they do not know
which is good and bad, they mix milk from several farmers. Then the good gets
spoilt by the bad one. Souring of milk
is tested by the time taken to reduce the colour of a dye, (Methyl red) If we
could use an electrode to measure the redox (oxidation-reduction) electrode
potential of the milk, perhaps this could tell the stability status of the
milk. By not mixing good with bad, we could save milk.
8 We make an earth resistivity
meter, for locating underground water. We have used it effectively for 17
years. We make the instruments and sell it to other agencies and also teach
them to repair and maintain. It works on a 4 Hz 18 volts generated from dry
cells. It gets interference from high-tension power supply cables if they are
over the land we are testing. In some cases where it possible, we do the
Vertical Electrical sounding when the power is off. But this is not always
possible. These lines induce frequencies in the ground and our instrument
cannot filter out these and produces errors. The commercial instruments also
have this problem.
9 We also have another problem.
In some areas, there are natural currents produced by flowing water. These also
produce interference; here they may actually give information we want. But we
do not know how to measure and interpret. We can produce the effect by actually
putting the instrument near flowing water, even water flowing through a steel
pipe.
10 We want to be able to make
inverters for operating PC colour monitors on a car battery. We could make it
for a TV but not for any higher wattage. We have used simple battery supply
with 7805 IC for operating 286 PC with car battery. But with colour monitors
this fails. Sealed batteries have to have a low charging rate. And where the
power-off time is high they do not get fully charged in the given time.
11 Many diesel engines are not
working properly because they are set by intuition only. A lot of fuel is
wasted this way. We thought of a diagnostic instrument. But could not make it 5 years back, because
the experts said the computer clocks are not that fast. May be they are now, or
will be.
The power stroke of a diesel engine produces acceleration in the rotation of
the flywheel. This energy is then used for the compression and exhaust strokes.
Theoretically measuring the acceleration of the flywheel and the slowing down
in the compression and exhaust stroke could diagnose almost all the ills of the
engine, beside measuring power out put etc.
Normal engines have a RPM of 1500 to1800. If we attach a fluorescent colour
marker on the flywheel and sense it with an electronic device, this could be
analyzed time taken per revolution and detect all the health status of all the
engine functions. Our friends did not consider this measurement of nano seconds
feasible, but if it is now, it will be a very useful device everywhere.
12 Sensors: Among the sensors, we
are now doing fertilizer analysis of soil for Nitrogen (Nitrate and
Ammoniacal.) Phosphate and Potassium. These are fairly easy. But testing for
trace elements, like, Copper, Manganese, Magnesium, Boron etc is more
difficult. And trace element deficiencies are more often needed that the
standard NPK analysis. Can we have sensors for testing for these elements in
soil extracts?
From International Development Enterprises:
$20 bicycle for the
people. Carrying capacity of 50kg,
minimal service requirements, indigenous materials.
Family biogas unit,
Marketing price ~$50. Serviceable.
Project Summaries Updated: Feb 22nd, 2001