One Laptop Per Child Becomes Reality
Mass production begins on affordable computers for developing countries.
July 26, 2007 -- It began as a dream more than 40 years ago, and today Nicholas Negroponte's vision of providing affordable laptops to children all over the world is moving closer to reality.
After years of research, prototypes and collaboration, the non-profit organization One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) begins mass production of a laptop that has the potential to provide children all over the globe with a critical tool to the world -- the Internet.
The machines will allow impoverished children all over the world to have the chance to better their lives through a new platform of learning.
Negroponte, who has based much of his research on the learning theories of Seymour Papert, an MIT mathematician, believes that this will not only impact the children, but society as a whole.
"This goes back to over 40 years of on how children learn, how computers play a role in learning, and it was really only in the past years that we were able to reach out to telecommunications, to very remote poor children to build affordable laptops," he says.
These sleek-looking green laptops have the ability to run in villages without electricity and a telephone line.
"They run on being wound up and cranked…so we can go to the most remote villages," says Negroponte.
"Mass production is just beginning and we're in talks with 50 governments who are enthusiastic about the project," Negroponte told ABC News.
Of those 50 governments, at least a dozen countries from Asia to Africa plan to role out OLPC within the next six months. While the XO is certainly more affordable than your average laptop, the much-talked-about "$100 laptop" is currently at $176.
Negroponte says the price fluctuates and he hopes to see it drop significantly as they continue to reduce the computer's some 800 parts.Despite the recent success of OLPC getting off the ground, it hasn't been all smooth sailing.
Among the many challenges, Negroponte says, is creating a laptop that doesn't sacrifice quality despite the more affordable price tag.
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