MIT OpenCourseWarehttp://ocw.mit.edu MAS.965 / 6.976 / SP.716 NextLab I: Designing Mobile Technologies for the Next Billion Users�� Fall 2008 For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms.Introduction to NextLab I Designing Mobile Technologies for the Next Billion Users Wednesday, September 3, 2008Welcome to NextLab I ! •� Designing Mobile Technologies for the Next Billion Users –� 6.976 / MAS 965 / SP.716 •� Instructors –� Jhonatan Rotberg, Lecturer, Media Arts and Sciences –� Luis Sarmenta, Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab •� Team Mentors –� Gari Clifford, Principal Research Scientist, HST –� Rich Fletcher, Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab –� Andrés Monroy-Hernández, RA, MIT Media Lab •� Teaching Assistants –� Yoni Goldwasser (RA, HST) –� Paul Yang (RA, ESD) –� Luis Blackaller (Alumnus, MIT Media Lab) NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 2Overview: Mobile Technologies for the Next BillionThe Next Billion One billion of newly connected individuals within the next 3 years, throughout the developing world Developed Markets Next Billion Consumers Bottom of Courtesy of Joseph Bamber. Used with permission. the PyramidWorld Mobile GSM Coverage (Jan 2005) Source: http://www.coveragemaps.com/gsmposter.htm Four slides of World Mobile GSM Coverage Maps removed due to copyright restrictions. 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 versions, from http://www.coveragemaps.com/gsmposter.htm.The Mobile Phone Revolution •� Before … –� no phones –� no PCs •� Now … –� mobile connectivity almost everywhere! –� even lower-income people have it •� Result … developing countries are leapfrogging traditional technologies –� even “simple” tech like SMS can have huge impact –� innovations are happening in the developing worldMobile Phone Application Areas for the Next Billion •� Economic Empowerment •� Education •� Health •� Community and Citizen Journalism •� Environment •� Some recommended web sites –� http://ShareIdeas.org –� http://textually.orgExamples: Economic Innovation •� Just having communication helps! –� e.g., Fishermen in Kerala, India •� Tools for Micropayments and Microfinance –� Mobile-to-Mobile transfer of cash and/or pre-paid credit via SMS –� Empowers the unbanked –� Empowers microbusinesses –� Remittances •� Other Mobile Services –� e.g., job ads, classifieds, etc.Example: SMS Job Finder Service •� User texts FINDJOB <JOB> to 123 –� e.g., FINDJOB DRIVER •� Service responds (via SMS text message) with … Agency: JobsRUs. DRIVER needed as of 9/1/08, Call (987) 654-3210 •� Or, user can subscribe to alerts –� e.g., FINDJOB SUBS DRIVER * based on a gov’t service in the Philippines (ca. 2004)Example: J2ME Applications •� Runs locally on the phone –� but can include online component too •� Educational Games •� Tools –� e.g., calculators for health workers, as well as personal use Image: Luis Sarmenta* Example: Mobiles Reducing Infant Mortality •� Pesinet project in Mali and Senegal •� Local staff transmit infants’ weights and symptoms via a Java app on their cell phones •� In Senegal, infant mortality rate fell from 120 per 1000 to 8 per 1000 •� Self-financing, after installation costs covered by donors * Reported July 20, 2007 by Balancing Act, Africa, issue 364 NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 16Social/Community Engagement •� Mobile phones as a medium for coordinating community action –� e.g., Philippine “people power” in 2001 initiated by massive SMS chain – protest against Estrada •� Mobile phones for democracy –� monitoring elections –� reporting human rights abuse •� Donations via SMS NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 17Environment •� Surveying and Reporting –� including SMS and multimedia reports •� Using cell phone network as a cheap and widely available data channel for sensor data •� Disaster Reporting and Management –� (e.g. Sahana) NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 18E-government •� Replace paper applications and unreliable/expensive/slow snail mail •� Access info and/or services from local/nation government •� Report info to the government –� e.g., smoke belching cars in Manila •� Electronic I.D. •� Voting? NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 19A Virtuous Cycle of Development Health Education Business Community action NextLab I, F’08, L1 slide 20BUT … Some Issues •� Technical –� bandwidth –� user interface –� memory •� Social and Cultural –� Is it socially / culturally appropriate? –� How to design services for shared phones? –� Literacy? –� Government and Political Environment •� s •� Economic –� Coverage? •� improving –� Cost? •� of phones •� of service •� relative costs (e.g., SMS vs. voice vs. 3G) –� Cut-throat business environment –� SustainabilityRecommended Reading •� “Can the Cellphone Help End Global Poverty”, by Sara Corbett, New York Times, 4/13/2008 Image removed due to copyright restrictions. See photo at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/magazine/13anthropology-t.htmlNextLab I @ MITConclusions so far … •� Mobile phones have a lot of potential impact •� Even “simple”-looking applications (e.g., text -based SMS apps) can be very powerful •� But … also need to be aware of other issues, both technical and non-technical (social, economic, literacy, cultural, etc.)NextLab I @ MIT •� Discuss papers on the topic of mobile phones, and ICT in general, for Development •� Produce a solution using mobile phones to address a real need of real people in the real world •� Collaborate with an on-the-ground partner to get feedback, and develop a relevant solution •� Plan the sustainability of your technologyMobile Phone Labs •� You are expected to develop a working prototype of your solution •� We will not teach programming during class hours •� But, we will have a NextLab wiki contain tips –� SMS (and MMS) services –� J2ME applications •� Nokia hardware (phones) will be made available to borrow, as needed •� But … we will emphasize learning platform- and manufacturer-independent concepts and