Wikimedia Commons, via Wikipedia: Simputer

Computing, IT & AI

Simputer, an open-hardware handheld

1998-2005 CESimputer Trust (IISc and Encore Software, Bengaluru)Simputer General Public License; Amida Simputer (2004)Karnataka

1998

A low-cost Linux handheld computer for shared use in villages, with openly licensed hardware.

Dated: 1998–2005
As scholars put it: 1998-2005 CE
Originator: Simputer Trust (IISc and Encore Software, Bengaluru)
Source text: Simputer General Public License; Amida Simputer (2004)
Region: Karnataka
Discipline: Computing, IT & AI
Evidence: Documented
Confidence: High
Verification: Verified-web

Background

Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science and engineers at Encore Software designed the Simputer as a computer that a village could share. It used smart cards for individual users, text-to-speech for people who could not read, and Indian-language support. Its hardware design was released under the Simputer General Public License.

Significance

One of the first open-hardware licences. Licensees built versions for micro-banking, traffic police and the armed forces.

Fair to say

A commercial failure: about 4,000 units were sold against a target of 50,000.

Path to modern innovation

An early statement of computing designed for the next billion users.

Global impact

Influenced later low-cost device and open-hardware projects.