2003 Economic Development Award Laureate
Lee Felsenstein
| Laureate Country: United States |
| Website: www.jhai.org/jhai_remoteIT.html |
| Video: 2003Videos/lee_felsenstein.mov |
Project Description:
Lee Felsenstein's system technology is built upon readily available components and engineered for long, reliable service. His hope is to demonstrate the benefit of applying newly available wireless and computational technology to the problem of telecommunication in such a way as to bypass the capital-intensive centralized structures, which tend to dominate that field.
Problem Addressed:
Several Laotian villages have no electricity, no telephones and, during monsoon season, no access to the outside world over surface roads. Local farmers sell their produce with no knowledge of its fair market value. To make telecommunications and computer capability a reality, technological systems must stand up to torrential rains, high temperatures, humidity, and thick red dust.
Technology Solution:
Lee Felsenstein, with the support of the Jhai Foundation, designed a durable computer, which runs on less than 20 watts (70 when a printer is running). Developed entirely with off-the-shelf components, the computers can be powered by a wet cell lead-acid battery recharged via a stationary bicycle generator. The Jhai Remote IT Project has converted the Linux-based KDE Graphical Desktop and productivity resources to Laotian, making possible email, word processing, and simple spreadsheets.
