Google Project 10^100: One Smartphone Per Microbusiness

Generating economic growth in developing countries by providing each microbusiness with an ultra-low-cost smartphone with rich mobile applications.

Three billion people in developing countries live on 2 dollars a day. Technological progress can help poor people to generate economic growth. The default device for micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries is the mobile phone, because they are cheaper and more energy efficient than computers. E.g. rice farmers use phones to relay SMS messages of good planting seasons. And fishermen get more for their catch by comparing prices online with mobile devices. Almost all existing mobile applications in developing countries are based on SMS text messaging.

Next step is providing rich mobile applications to micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries:
- to increase access to microcredit
- to find fishing grounds with maps and GPS
- to access real-time rural market information
- to share indigenous knowledge with local peers
- to collaborate with other micro-traders

Step 1: Create a $25 smartphone: ready-to-use, rugged, solar-powered.
First step is to develop an ultra-low-cost rugged smartphone. Solar-panels should be integrated in the smartphone to make the device completely self-sufficient. The smartphone should come with Android as mobile platform, GPS, WiFi and camera facilities. A VoIP client should be available to facilitate free calls between micro-entrepreneurs.

Step 2: Create a self-sustaining long-distance WiFi Mesh Network
Second step is to create standard tools to deploy plug-and-play solar-powered WiFi Mesh networks. The advantage of WiFi Mesh networks is you don't need carriers to connect the smartphones of micro-entrepreneurs. Experiments have shown that long-distance WiFi Mesh networks are feasible. For example the longest unamplified WiFi link is 279 km.

Step 3: Create an open-source ecosystem for mobile microbusiness applications
Third step is to build a community of application developers who are collectively working on mobile microbusiness applications. An open-source ecosystem will be created with applications that can interact together. E.g. an application to locate fishing grounds could link to an application that compares price information for fish products.

Category:

Science & Technology

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