Practical Insights on Hardware for ICT4D Projects

ICT4D Project Hardware Challenges

4 ICT4D Project Hardware Challenges

ICT4D projects face several hardware challenges that can hinder program effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). ICT4D project hardware challenges include:

1. Electricity Sources

In many developing regions, power supply is erratic, making the presence of low power hardware with long battery life crucial. Power swings, dips, blackouts, and brownouts can disrupt the operation of ICT devices, limiting their usefulness.

2. Infrastructure Cost

Striking a balance between the lowest cost and reliable, functional technology is essential. High costs can make ICT hardware inaccessible to the people who need it most, while low-cost but unreliable or limited-functionality devices can fail to meet users’ needs[1].

3. Environmental Challenges

ICT hardware needs to be designed with durability in mind, including resistance to water, humidity, dust, dirt, and extreme heat. Some screens are difficult to read in direct sunlight, so specific types of screens are needed. The harsh environmental conditions in many developing regions can cause devices to fail if they are not designed to withstand these conditions.

4. Internet Connectivity

Reliable and affordable access to electricity, internet, and mobile networks is often scarce or unreliable in rural or remote areas where ICT4D projects are most needed. This can limit the reach and functionality of ICT4D solutions and increase their operational costs.

Examples of ICT4D Hardware Projects

Please Stop Asking for Equipment Donations. There is NO Hardware Santa Claus

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Published on: Jul 24 2015 by Wayan Vota - 6 Comments
Recently, I was asked to help find a donor that would give a program several hundred Android tablets to support a new ICT4D initiative. I was a little surprised...
Top 5 Hardware Challenges in Information Technology for Development

Top 5 Hardware Challenges in Information Technology for Development

Published on: May 25 2015 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
When work began on Inveneo’s Hardware Challenges White Paper last year, all of the parties involved—including the organizations that commissioned and funded...
Join ARM and Inveneo’s Micro-Data Center Design Challenge to Win $10,000

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Published on: Mar 11 2015 by Atul Adhikari - Comments Off on Join ARM and Inveneo’s Micro-Data Center Design Challenge to Win $10,000
Looking for a way to change the ICT world? Join Inveneo’s newest competition: to design an ultra-efficient small-scale data center! Inveneo, in partnership with...
Green ICT: Taking Major Leaps to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Businesses

Green ICT: Taking Major Leaps to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Businesses

Published on: Dec 31 2014 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Green ICT: Taking Major Leaps to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Businesses
  From India to South Korea and beyond, businesses worldwide are scrambling to reduce their carbon footprint and trying to operate with a higher degree of...
Please RSVP Now: Is 3D Printing a Relevant Technology for Development?

Please RSVP Now: Is 3D Printing a Relevant Technology for Development?

Published on: Oct 24 2014 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Please RSVP Now: Is 3D Printing a Relevant Technology for Development?
IREX Tech Deep Dive – RSVP now Just as the Internet changed the communications world in the 1990’s, 3D printing is set to change the physical world. We...
Myanmar Will Be the First Smartphone Only Country

Myanmar Will Be the First Smartphone Only Country

Published on: Aug 20 2014 by Wayan Vota - 15 Comments
Today, Myanmar has the same mobile phone usage as North Korea, Eritrea, and Cuba – less than 10% – with only the urban elite owning smartphones, and mobile...
What Are the Industry’s Top ICT Hardware Challenges?

What Are the Industry’s Top ICT Hardware Challenges?

Published on: Aug 11 2014 by Danielle Schulkin - 2 Comments
You are in a minority. Yes, you. I single you out because, as you read this article online (perhaps on a phone or a tablet or even a MacBook Pro), you are part of...
Twitter Chat on July 18th: ICTs in Disaster Management

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Published on: Jul 11 2014 by Jana Melpolder - 1 Comment
Natural disasters hit communities around the world leaving paths of destruction that often take years to rebuild. ICTs are used to manage relief efforts, but how...
How Hybrid and Private Clouds Solve Problems for Schools with Limited Connectivity

How Hybrid and Private Clouds Solve Problems for Schools with Limited Connectivity

Published on: Jul 07 2014 by Matt Crum - 5 Comments
The use of digital content is an exciting concept for schools in developing communities. Schools all over the world, especially those in developing countries, are...
What’s the Best IT Equipment to Use in Harsh Environments?

What’s the Best IT Equipment to Use in Harsh Environments?

Published on: May 23 2014 by Jana Melpolder - 1 Comment
ICT4D practitioners work in all kinds of difficult weather conditions and environments. Dust, humidity, unreliable power, heat, and blowing sand can all make it...
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