Microsoft research aims to narrow global technology gap

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Oct. 21, 2005

Microsoft has announced a $1.2 million academic research program aimed at making computing more affordable, accessible, and relevant to people in developing countries. Areas of focus will include mobile device form-factors, infrastructures, and applications; overcoming connectivity challenges; user interfaces suitable for technology novices; and "culturally relevant" applications, the company said.

The "Digital Inclusion" program seeks to encourage academic research that extends the benefits of computing technology to underserved communities, both rural and urban, according to the company.

Microsoft Research has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) and says it is particularly interested in projects that focus on these areas:

Creative new infrastructures, form-factors and applications of mobile devices
Connectivity, particularly in environments without existing network infrastructures or intermittent access to networking and power
Appropriate user interfaces to address challenges in literacy and novice users of technology
"Culturally relevant" technology applications for computing

The RFP is open to accredited, non-profit, baccalaureate-granting educational institutions. Proposals will be accepted from Nov. 7, 2005, through Jan. 13, 2006 with funding recipients to be notified by Feb. 10, 2006. Proposals should reflect a commitment to make all results stemming from a funded project, including the intellectual property within those results, broadly available in either the public domain or under a nonrestrictive license such as BSD, according to the RFP.

Microsoft Research says it expects to make 15 to 20 awards in the range of $20,000 to $100,000 each. Awards are for one year only, but may be renewable at the sole discretion of the company.

"The personal and informational connections made possible through computing and communications technology are becoming ever more critical to economic, educational and social progress," said Rick Rashid, senior vice president of Microsoft Research. "Yet many significant challenges remain to be solved in the push toward digital inclusion on a global scale. We hope these programs will encourage more researchers to pursue approaches in computing technology that advance these goals -- getting us one step closer to global digital inclusion."

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