Simputer

Architecture and Applications

Vinay L. Deshpande
Chairman & CEO, Encore Software Ltd
The Encore Simputer

• A mobile, hand-held device

– Simple to use
– Shareable by multiple users
– Connectivity-oriented
– Downloadable applications
– Local-language interface
– Text-to-Speech capability
– Ideal for developing-country semi-urban
markets with low IT penetration
The Bangalore Declaration on IT
1998
• “Facilitate the availability of a range of computers,
including cable-TV, modified telephone instruments,
and rugged, low-cost, hand-held devices, along with
traditional computers, for purposes such as
information gathering, communication and
transaction processing”
• “Avoid blind transplants of I.T. solutions, proven in
other infrastructural and cultural contexts, and
instead, nurture local expertise that can adapt I.T.
solutions to meet local requirements.”
• “Devise measures to create thriving markets for
local language content and applications”
 Motivations

“The task is not so much to see what no one has

yet seen, but to think what nobody has yet
thought about that which everyone sees.”
Arthur Schopenhauer

• Helping the Bottom of the Pyramid

• Largely neglected market, but one that seems
to have huge commercial potential
• Create a “platform”

“COLLABORATE AND CREATE”

 Rural Information Needs
Roti, Kapda, aur
makaan AGRI INFO
(fertilizer, seeds, LAND RECORDS
soil, weather, (maps, record of rights)
crop prices)
Critical Information

HEALTH BANK
INFORMATION BALANCES

At Your Doorstep

EMPLOYMENT INFO ON GOVERNMENT

INFORMATION SCHEMES
 Benefits of Information

• Facilitate/improve farmers’ decision-making

ability
• Better align farm output to market demands
• Access higher-quality farm inputs and
knowledge, at lower cost
• Eliminate wasteful intermediation and multiple
handling
• Improve price recovery by farmers
• Growth in rural incomes will trigger rural
economic growth which in turn will grow the
national economy
 Information Challenges

• Timeliness of Information – Perishable Value

• Cost of information acquisition by individual farmer

• Language

• Distributed Content Sources

• Security

• Personalization of Information Context

• Integration with broader IT infrastructure

Need for Innovation….

Driven by unique Information Access

needs of Indian users
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• UNIQUE SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING UNIQUE

CUSTOMER NEEDS

• NO “SINGLE BOX FOR ALL NEEDS”

SOLUTION MEANS THAT THERE IS NO
GENERIC DEVICE FITTING ALL CUSTOMER
NEEDS EFFECTIVELY!

Therefore the need for Innovation

User demands – Implementation Challenges

Unreliable power supply at the user

locations translates to need for battery
operated devices.

Definite ‘NO’ to power hungry devices

The device thus designed has to be

Mobile, Battery operated and Power
efficient
User demands – Implementation Challenges

Not “Technology Aware Users” all the time

Need for Simpler and Effective User

Interfaces

Need for Powerful applications

Device with display, Touch, Audio in and

out to facilitate applications
User demands – Implementation Challenges

Unique data transfer mechanisms and needs

Need for variety of communication

Interfaces

Need for the device to accommodate

several wired and wireless
communication Interfaces
User demands – Implementation Challenges

Availability of the device for

application developers to develop
custom applications for their unique
needs

Open Source Model

User demands – Implementation Challenges

And finally….

Price Sensitive Markets

Need for Affordable Computing

User demands – Implementation Challenges

NEEDS SUMMARY:
Mobile
Battery operated
Simpler User Interfaces
Display, Touch, Audio in and out Capabilities
Communication Capable
No-Compromise browsing Experience
Open Source

And finally….
Being affordable
IT for Bridging the Digital Divide
• Simple, easy to use, low-cost
• Independent of mains power
• Rugged, dust-resistant
• Shareable
• Multi-lingual capability
• Meaningful, must make an impact on daily life
– Education
– Earning a living
– Communication
– Entertainment
 Innovative use of hardware and software to
develop uniquely local solutions for uniquely
local needs
 The Encore Simputer
Low-cost, Mobile, Linux-based, local-language computing device,
with multiple input and connectivity options, designed for
bridging the Digital Divide SmartCard
• Flexible memory : 2GB-16 GB
Flash and 128-512 MB RAMHigh Resolution
• Touch-sensitive display -- 3.8” Screen Headphone /
with 240 x 320 resolution Audio I/O
• Built-in audio interface, speaker,
microphone
• SmartCard facilitates sharing Ethernet
while maintaining privacy of data
Multi-I/O Serial Port
• Data input through a Soft- Speaker
keyboard, a USB port, or smart Conn.
USB Slave
cards
• Built-in local-language support USB
and TTS MIC
• Cost-effective power source
(2xAA) or Li-Ion battery, built-in Backlight Sw
charger with external AC adapter
Power Sw
Navigation
Buttons
 DEVICE ARCHITECTURE

APPLICATION INTERFACES – GTK/ J2ME

LINUX KERNEL

UBOOT/ BLOB

32-bit RISC HARDWARE

2-16 GB NAND DISPLAY SERIAL PORTS GPS FINGER PRINTS

FLASH TOUCH
USB CDMA/ GPRS BAR CODE
128-512 MB
mDDR RTC RFID WI-FI PRINTER
 SIMPUTER BLOCK DIAGRAM
SD CS0
128 MB SD CS1
mDDR SDRAM CS 1 2 GB NAND
FLASH

MIC IN
AUDIO CODEC AC 97
AND USB TYPE A
CS 2 USB HOST
SPEAKER OUT TOUCH CONTROLLER
CONTROLLER
PROCESSOR USB TYPE B

4 WIRE LCD DATA

RESISTIVE BUS
TOUCH I/F 320x240
AD TFT DISPLAY CS 3 RJ 45
ETHERNET
CONTROLLER

RS 232 UART UART

3.3V
BATTERY
DC DC
CONVERTERS 5V

DC IN
& LDOs
1.8V
 Hardware View

Smart Bar Code Reader

Card Printer Disk On Key
Flash Disk
Keyboard
GPRS Modem
Web Cam
Digital Camera
USB Master Hard Drive

RJ45

Wireless
Ethernet
802.11a/b
GSM/GPRS Network =
Internet
Power Adapter
Software View

Pre-loaded Applications
• Browser
• Email Client
• MP3 Player
• Viewer
• Personal Productivity Tools

User Applications
built using Encore Tools
(drivers, Language Support)
 Simputer USPs
• Designed to be shared
– Smart card facilitates personalization and
security
• Simple to use
– Icons, Graphics, multi-lingual text
– Voice Feedback (TTS) in Local Languages
• Images and sound are the primary output
• Touch is the primary input
– Multilingual text output and input possible for
literate users
– Literacy in any language is not a pre-requisite
• Low cost
• 2 x AA batteries (rechargeable)
– commonly available anywhere
– Alternatively, Li-Ion battery
– Optional solar PV panel
 Simputer USPs …2

Large Memory
– Upto 512MB DRAM, 2-16GB Flash
• User data are NEVER lost even when battery is
discharged
• Built-in battery-backed RTC
• Rich in interfaces
– Built-in modem
– Smart Card
– Infra-red Data Access
– USB port
– Audio
• Platform-independent application
development (Java enabled)
Features
Large Memory
– 128 MB DRAM (extendable to 512MB)
– 2/4/8/16 GB (NAND) Flash
• Built-in battery-backed RTC
• Wide choice of interfaces
– Smart Card/RFID
– WiFi/Bluetooth
– GPS
– GSM/GPRS
– USB port
– Audio
– Fingerprint
– Thermal Printer
– Barcode scanner
– TV-OUT/VGA
– Camera
– Ethernet
 An Applications Platform

Its applications are limited only by

the users’ imagination!
Representative Application Criteria

• When somebody needs to take an

application close to where the action is
• When a small form factor is important
• When a laptop is an overkill or inappropriate
 Representative
Applications
• Loyalty • Inventory and
Programmes Warehousing
• Insurance – RFID
• Courier Services • Ticketing
• GIS Solutions • Vehicle and Mobile
• SFA Assets Tracking
– GPS
• Mobile Data
Collection • Microbanking
• Point of Sale • Small-Business
Accounting
• Field Service
Device Architecture for Data Capture

Simputer
Digital Camera
Smart Card

Fingerprint
Sensor
Wireless, GSM, GPRS
 Census Surveys
Enumeration using Face-to-Face Interviews: the biggest logistical
challenge

• Face-to-Face Personal Interviews

– Human Enumerators fill a Paper form while asking questions
– Hundreds of thousands of enumerators were deployed for
Indian census 2001 !
• Hierarchical organization of Enumerators
– Work allocation by small area units
– Verification and validation of paper entries
• Printing and Distribution of Forms
– India printed over 200 million copies of a 3-4 page
questionnaire – almost a billion pages !
• Distributed Data Entry
– It took over a year to complete data entry, verification and
loading of databases
 Surveys in Today’s Context
New Mobile Technology solutions for Survey Management and
Logistics
• Simputers for Data Capture
– Eliminate Paper forms, distribution costs, and data entry
problems
• Survey Design tools with Zero-Programming
– Simple and Quick Design on a PC
• Leverage existing communications networks for
collating captured data
– Phones, Internet
• Create re-usable infrastructure for periodic citizen
interface
– Population surveys, Healthcare surveys, other government
surveys can leverage Mobile Data Capture and Management
infrastructure – create once, re-design forms for any survey

Information Technologies for creating reliable information repositories from

field captured data
 Process Issues in Paper-based
Surveys

Design 1. Design of Questionnaires

Questionnaires 2. Printing and Distribution
Print to multiple geographies
3. Allocation and orientation
of field staff
4. Administration of
Dispatch by questionnaires to sampled
Courier
Data Ready for respondents
Analysis 5. Collation of Filled-out
questionnaires
6. Data Entry and Coding of
answers
Administer Survey
On field 7. Verification and Loading
of database
Data Entry,
Cleaning, 8. Application of Statistical
Verification tools and Data Analysis
Collate from Courier Packets
9. Report Preparation

Steps 2 through 7 account for the bulk of the turnaround time, and over
50% of the cost of a survey. Electronic data capture can save you both
time and cost
 EZpoll Surveyor : Capture Data on the Encore
Simputer

Login to start a survey

Fill the form on the
Load a survey Simputer
Multi-lingual support
options available

Check Status
 Data Capture

• Issues with Multi-lingual Data Entry of

Names

Lakshmi Natrajan
Laxmi Natarajan
Lachmi Natrajan
Luxmi Natrajan

• Name Data Entry in local languages should be

transliterated into English for storage
• Stored English text should be re-
transformable to local language
METER-READER ENTERING CONSUMER DATA IN
THE SIMPUTER
THE DAY’S TRANSACTIONS BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE
BACK END PC FOR REPORTS VIA USB-LAN ADAPTOR
Simputers in Government
• e-Governance initiatives for local communities
– A smart-card based general purpose Citizen’s Card
• Vehicle Registraion / Driving License
• Passport / Social Security Card
• Taxation Card
• Voter-ID Card
• Land & Home ownership records
• Health records
• School records
• Other governmental services
– Census and other Statistical Data Collection
– Health statistics data collection
– Smart-card based financial services
• Micro-banking
• Digital wallet
 e-Governance
• Land Records
– RTC
– Crop data collection
• Real-time data on standing crops feasible
• Time, Date, and GPS stamp
• Money Order
Use of the Simputer and smart cards for customers will
solve two major current problems
– Speed of delivery
– Cash robbery en route from destination P.O.
• Disaster Management through GPS/GIS
• Resources surveys, tax assessments, demand
notices, water bills, issuance of birth and death
certificates and property certificates.
Spot Fine System screen-shots
Spot Fine System screen-shots
Spot Fine System screen-shots
Spot Fine System using Encore
Simputer

• Field forms replaced by Simputer

• Offline transfer of data to Zonal
Fine Collection Center
• Onsite printing of notices
 OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM

SIMPUTER

1
ENTER VIOLATION AND DRIVER DETAILS

PRODUCE INSTANT CRR/PN

TRAFFIC
OFFICIAL

Thermal Printer

IMPORT AND EXPORT DETAILS

SIMPUTER
ZONAL PC
PRINTING IN THE FIELD
• PORTABLE THERMAL

PRINTER

• PRE-PRINTED STATIONERY

• RECHARGEABLE BATTERY

• REDUCED CONSUMPTION OF

STATIONERY
CR Report - Proforma
 DATA UPDATION - SIMPUTER TO SERVER
• THE TRAFFIC/ADMIN OFFICIAL
CONNECTS THE SIMPUTER TO
THE ZONAL PC

• THE ZONAL PC
Database COMMUNICATION LINK
Server
CONNECTS TO THE
SIMPUTER

Wired/ •INFORMATION ON SIMPUTER IS

IR TRANSFERRED TO THE ZONAL PC

•THE FIELD- UPDATED INFO IS

NOW AVAILABLE ON THE ZONAL
PC
 SECURITY ISSUES

•SECURE DATA FROM FIELD UNITS INTO SYSTEM WITHOUT HUMAN

INTERVENTION.
•MULTI-LEVEL USER SECURITY (USING PASSWORDS) OR OPTIONAL
FINGER PRINT IDENTIFICATION TO LOGIN FOR ZONAL PCS.
•THE COMPLETE NETWORK IS PRIVATE AND HAS NO PUBLIC
GATEWAYS.
• NETWORK IS POINT- TO-POINT WITH HIGH LEVEL ENCRYPTION
AND GENERATES REPORTS TO INDICATE DUBIOUS
TRANSACTIONS.
 ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM
• INSTANT POLICE NOTICE /CHECK REPORT-CUM-
RECEIPT GENERATION IN THE FIELD
• MINIMUM TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
• NOTICES ARE TAMPER-PROOF, NON-NEGOTIABLE
• REPORT GENERATION (SERVER)
• NEAR-PAPERLESS OPERATION
• POSSIBLE FUTURE EXPANSION INTO ELECTRONIC
PAYMENT
FUTURE EXTENSION OF THIS SYSTEM

•TO INCLUDE DIRECT ELECTRONIC

PAYMENT THROUGH BANKS
•KIOSK PAYMENTS - USING CREDIT
CARDS
•CHECKING OF DL AUTHENTICITY BY
OFFICERS USING SMART CARD READERS
BUILT INTO THE SIMPUTER

AND MORE...
 Gram Panchayat

• Data for citizens, land records, and the

associated tax and water bill details
• Simputers will also facilitate resources
surveys, tax assessments, demand notices,
water bills, and subsequently issuance of
birth and death certificates and property
certificates.
• Health statistics
• CDSS for PHC’s
• Internet access via Simputer kiosks owned
and operated by village youth
 Simputer and Land Records

• Since data updation is in real time, crop data are

more authentic and realistic.
• Time and date stamps are automatically attached
to captured data.
• Since data are captured and made available to the
respective authorities whilst the crop is still
standing, ability to predict cropping pattern,
regulate price, etc., is greater.
• Eliminates handwritten documents, thus
minimizing the data collectors’ drudgery.
• Authenticity & sanctity of the data are ensured
with the use of smart card validation.
Helping Information Diffusion

• The Simputer is much more than a PDA; It is a

Community Digital Assistant (CDA)
• Sharing is the key
• Simputer's built-in smartcard reader, modem,
and USB are its USP’s
• Main benefits are
– Lowering of Transaction Cost
• Reduction in Time
• Increase in Data Accuracy
• Increase in Efficiency
– Prevention of Revenue Leakage
– Secure Access to Information
– Better responsiveness to the citizen
 Simputers Changing Rural India
• Information Access at low cost, anytime, anywhere
– Information is power
Simputer : Effective tool for
– Panchayat administration
– literacy, education
– the local economy
• Microbanking
• Barter System
– No cash involvement
– Cash equivalent through smart cards
– e-Governance
– health services
– entertainment
… and much more!
Benefits of Using Encore Simputer

– Lowering of Transaction Cost

• Reduction in Time
• Increase in Data Accuracy
• Increase in Efficiency
– Prevention of Revenue Leakage
– Secure Access to Information
– Better responsiveness to Citizen
Benefits of the Encore Simputer

• Specific emphasis on enabling

technologies to bridge the Digital Divide
– Simple User Interface
• Text-to-Speech
• Local Language support
• Pen & Icon based selection
– Smart Card
• Security & Personalization of shared device
The Simputer has high-end uses
too!

• E-Logistics
• Sales Force Automation
• Aid for the Visually Impaired
– Low-cost video camera
– OCR Software
– Text-to-Speech
• Automatic Control
– Solar lighting
– Gobar gas plants
• …
 More Sample Applications
Mining Logistics Management (Goa)
Engine Diagnostics (Automobile
Manufacturer)
Battlefield Soldier Assistant (Army)
Spot fine system (Bangalore Police)
Tea Estate Management (Kenya)
MicroFinance (Sirsi)
Health Record System (Aurangabad)
Warehouse tracking
Electricity billing (Bhutan)
Cattle Development Program
Census data collection
Medical Health Data Collection
Screenshots – Microbanking

• Mobile banking terminal

• Dot matrix printer provided
• Smartcard based authentication
• Modem based synchronisation
• Large storage for data
• RTC for transaction validity
• Manage multiple accounts
Screenshots – Mobile Sales

• Order taking and invoicing

• Reporting of sales/inventory
• Interface to a thermal printer
• Easy input
Screenshots – Electricity Billing

• Large storage for customer details

• Quick entry and lookup
• Calculation based on last reading
• Comprehensive billing
• PC synchronisation
 Screenshots –
Orion ERP

• Mobile ERP Solution

• Detailed data entry/reporting
• GUI based function selection
• Security
Screenshots
Mining

• Track the
movement of
ore
• Use
smartcards for
data transfer
• Interface to a
weighbridge
• data collection/
reporting
 Middle East Loyalty Card

• Smartcard based loyalty programme

• Accumulate/monitor/use loyalty points
• Central server that calls terminals and
synchronises information
• On-the-spot points-based “deals”
• Over 50,000 Members
 Application – Plant Monitoring

• Embedded SimputerTM Technology

• Ethernet/Modem for remote connectivity
• Remote monitoring of plant operation
• Periodic reporting of status of
manufacturing plant to central server
• Alarms and Warnings
• Always on operation
Other SimputerApplications
available from Encore or third parties

1. Demographic Survey To collect (in a door-to-door survey) all

demographic information of the target population in an area and to track
this information over a period of 10 years.
2. Document Management System To view and use scanned
contents for the purpose of maintenance of aircraft (Simputer being
used in place of bulky and unwieldy maintenance manuals); could be
used in other sectors
3. Public Health Monitoring This is specifically used by health
workers to track all the persons in a block/unit regarding pregnency,
childcare, vaccination etc on a continuous basis. This is used by
Municipal corporations.
4. Microfinance Application Supports all activities related to
financial transactions in microfinace. Supports user registration,
remittance, disbursement and loan. Supports biometric, smartcard and
text to speech functionality.
5. Bar-code based Production Control For use on the
production floor in the garment manufacturing industry; adaptable to
other industries.
Competitive positioning

• Lowering of usage barriers

– Text-to-Speech in Local Language
– Iconic interfaces
– Multiple Local Languages for Display
– Minimal entry of forms-based data
• Through stored profile on Smart-Card
• Keyboard on Screen
New York Times

The most significant innovation in

computer technology in 2001 was not
Apple’s gleaming titanium PowerBook
G4 or Microsoft’s Windows XP. It was
the Simputer, a Net-linked, radically
simple portable computer, intended to
bring the computer revolution to the
third world.
New York Times, December 9, 2001
by Bruce Sterling
 First ever
DEWANG MEHTA AWARD
for
innovation in Information Technology

Instituted by the Ministry of

Communications and Information
Technology

Announced on April 12, 2002

 Other recognitions

• TIME Magazine, June 2002

– One of the Ten Technologies for a Sustainable
World

• The Week news weekly, Dec 29, 2002

– One of the twenty Authentic Heroes of India

• Worldwide TV Coverage by BBC, CNN, CNBC

Asia, National Geographic, ZDF II, etc