Engineering for Development

Engineering for Development

Experiences with Appropriate Technologies

Criticisms of the Simputer:

•$200 is a substantial fraction of the median Indianincome.

•Aimed at middle classes rather than at the neediest.

•What does an illiterate person most need in orderto access information?

Two success stories: the Kenya Jiko and the Solar Lamp

80,000 systems sold in Kenya

(about 1% of the rural population)

No subsidies or grants.

Panels imported, but batterieslocal.

About 60% of systems stillworking.

Sold by Energy AlternativesAfrica, based in Nairobi.

What kind of world do you want?

What drawbacks could result from bringing electricity to a rural village?

What is the downside of increased literacy?

Is putting children in school from 6 to 16 an improvement?

How many Western problems come bundled with Western technology?