The newest version of the OLPC PC
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The One Laptop Per Child project has been an incredible boon for children in impoverished areas. It is a project that aims to create high quality, durable laptops at a low cost (around $100) so that school children everywhere can access the benefits of computer learning, as well as become technology savvy at a young age. The project works at closing the digital divide and has spurred clever innovation.
For example, one design project from OLPC Afghanistan acknowledged that many children in areas where the OLPC program is needed also lack reliable electricity to power the computers. So, they developed a pedal-powered OLPC computer. Fuse Project is also on the ball with designing new versions of the laptop. As we move towards tablet-like computers in our daily lives, the Fuse Project is ensuring that OLPC is keeping up with the technology. They've designed a gorgeous new version of the laptop.
Yves Behar of Fuse Project worked in conjunction with Nicholas Negroponte to release the "One Laptop Per Child XO Laptop." Now, they've come up with the XOXO version. It is tablet-like, with an all-plastic screen that is semi-flexible to make it more durable around hard-wearing kids. The display is designed to work in both transmissive and reflective modes, which means it is easily viewable indoors and outdoors, making it a versatile tool for learning in the classroom or out on field trips. It can also switch from being set up like a laptop or like a book. And it has multi-touch capabilities so that multiple children can work and play on one device.
While the design is still a concept and not yet an actual product (though it is aimed to come out sometime in 2010), it is still important progress for the OLPC project. The OLPC project has helped over a million school children gain access to technology they wouldn't otherwise have. And that started out with designers dreaming up what once seemed impossible - an incredibly cheap but high quality computer for kids. It's this very same work that has gone into the newest version and which can help these school children stay familiar with the latest technology worldwide, improving their chances at a strong education and job opportunities.
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