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With low-cost PCs, tablet PCs and laptops being the in thing to not just attract more users, but reach the benefits of the Internet revolution to larger numbers in the country, Indian Defence scientists have also joined the race to develop an affordable laptop.
After the Simputer and several low-cost PCs and laptop versions getting into the market, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans to get its own version ready by December.
The Hyderabad-based Defence laboratory – Anurag – has joined hands with the IIT Jodhpur to design and develop a low-cost laptop, said Dr V.K. Saraswat, Chief of the DRDO.
In-house expertise
The ANURAG had earlier developed the 32-bit micro-processor and ANUPAMA the parallel processor-based super computer as well as ANAMICA a medical imaging software and has in-house expertise in design and development of computer systems.
Dr Saraswat told Business Line that the social need for PC and laptops, especially the affordable version for the large number of poor people was high. Therefore, the DRDO felt that with design and development expertise available it was time to come up with a marketable product.
The intention is also to help the Ministry of Human Resources Development which is pushing for providing a computer for a large number of people across the country at affordable prices. Several companies have already developed low-cost PCs.
Own operating system
The ‘One Laptop Per Child India' initiative is also looking at a sub-$100 laptop to provide computer literacy and information access to the poor.
The DRDO was also developing its own operating system in view of the security threat. It proposes to start two new software engineering centres in Bangalore and New Delhi. A consortium of Institutes, which will include the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, Centre for Development of Telematics will work with DRDO to develop the new secure operating system.
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