ICT can make a difference in the Third World, but First World technology is a "bad fit".
This is according to Prof Eric A Brewer, of Intel Research Berkley (based at Berkley University), arguing the case for technology in developing regions at the Intel Developers` Forum in San Francisco this week.
ICT in developing countries should not be seen as a tool for Web access per se, he said. "Rather, technology should be used as a means of providing primary services such as health and education, as well as improving the role of government.
"ICT should have a sustainable impact, ideally saving money and improving services, while also increasing transparency to limit corruption."
ICT could be harnessed as part of either private or public sector projects to alleviate the plight of poor people in developing countries, he pointed out.
He cited as an example a project to eradicate west Africa`s blackfly, which carries river blindness. Using a network of hydrological sensors, the United Nations-sponsored initiative was able to tell when to spray larvacide, so protecting some 30 million people from river blindness.
In addition, Moore`s Law dictates that low-cost computing, micro-credit and franchising make this the right time for developing regions to embrace ICT, he stated.
The primary cost of introducing ICT is not necessarily hardware-related, but often has to do with environmental and infrastructure issues, Brewer pointed out. "An holistic approach is required and more attention should be given to the hardware requirements of developing regions, which often differ from requirements in the west."
Intel Research Berkley is focusing its research on core technology, ethnology and novel platforms to develop solutions for developing regions, he said.
On the early research agenda are rural network coverage, intermittent connectivity, shared devices and infrastructure and low-power networking and computing.
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