Humane PC Have an 8-bit experience! Learn to hack on a smaller scale with the Humane PC 8-bit microcomputer - a classic style console which displays to your TV and accepts input from any PS/2 keyboard. The palm-sized device comes with an SD Card reader for storage and a micro-usb connector for both power and USB device action! The expansion headers break out maximum hackability, and are compatible with most Arduino expansion shields. Use most existing Arduino software, or write from fresh to take full advantage of the audio, video, IR, and keyboard capabilities of the platform. Learn More... Humane Reader Wikipedia for Everyone The Humane Reader is a low-cost device which can bring a five thousand book library into a home or school which has no other access to internet content. The Reader can be produced in quantity for approximately $20 per unit, and uses any existing television set as a display device for Wikipedia or other content. It is available to NGOs, educators, non-profits or other aid agencies. Learn More...

News and Events

May 2012 - Prototype Deployed to Nigeria

A Humane Reader prototype loaded with wikipedia is now deployed to and in active use by a small girls school in Nigera.

March 2011 - Update

This project has demonstrated that extremely low cost offline content readers can be built, and hopefully has raised awareness of this concept. There unfortunately appears to be no easy channel through which these devices can be funded and distributed in high volume into the developing world. As an engineer, I must be content to prove the design and leave the sales and distribution problems for others to solve.

I would refer the interested to also see the WikiReader Project which has similar goals and has put into production a <$70 battery powered device with a touch LCD screen which does not require a TV or mains electricity. Braddock Gaskill

8 Nov 2010 - Seoul, South Korea - Presented to the G20 International Symposium on Convergence Technologies

Filling the Digital Divide with Offline Content: Six ways to deliver a library anywhere for under $90. A survey of offline content delivery systems. Watch Video (Ogg/Theora), Slides

27 July 2010 - Upcoming presentation to the Pasadena Radio Club

I will be presenting to the Pasadena Radio Club with an emphasis on my use of Morse Code in the project on July 27th (see club web site for details).

18 July 2010 - Seeking partner to deploy initial prototypes

I'm seeking a partner non-profit, NGO, or educational organization with field experience which can help me deploy up to 50 initial Humane Reader Wikipedia prototypes into a developing country or underserved area. Please contact Braddock Gaskill (braddock@braddock.com) with any prospects.

14 June 2010 - Presentation to the UNIX Users Group

UNIX Users Association of Southern California, Orange County

8 April 2010 - Presentation made to San Gabriel Valley Linux User's Group

I presented the design and development of the Humane PC to the April meeting of the SGVLUG.

License

The Humane PC and Humane Reader hardware designs are covered by the Creative Commons Attribute Share-Alike license. The software is covered by the Lesser GNU Public License v3.

Download

This download contains all hardware design files and software source code for the Humane PC and Humane Reader:

humane-20110131.tgz

Design Documentation

Contact