On Saturday 02 September 2006 09:45 pm, krishnakant Mane wrote:
The web page will anyway provide only local information so it will not be a heavy page, just some light pages providing information. The text to speech is converted in the receiving device.
The server can server ogg much more effeciently.
Yes that is a kind of lite weight thing and is quite phisible.
The Wireless Access Point ( WAP ) nowadays costs Rs. 2K approx. It is a built-in web server with an 802.11 network interface for broadcast.
Multiply that by 20000 to cover just four metros and see. Besides the cost of having 802.11 in every handheld user device. If u need interaction a central webserver does the job far better. Access that using gprs or cdma cell phone. The problem of orientation is solved by the rails. Each bar can announce it's unique id e.g prabhadevi c. So interactive user enters url http:// mydirections.org/prabhadevi/c/passportoffice and webserver serves up ogg in Amitabh baritone"walk ten paces, turn left, buy asprin at Sar dard chemist stituated at twenty paces and TOI newspaper (both will pay ofcourse to have their brands annouced by Holy rail server), walk ten paces, you are at passport office swallow asprin and enter."
A WAP does not require a license to operate. The built-in web pages can be replaced with the web pages of the locality. The RF power output will be further reduced to allow a 5 to 10 feet range only. So the overall power consumption is only a few watts.
Yes roni, that is what I ment by looking at the cost effective solutions. I am not claiming here that this is the perfect solution. it may or may not be. but this is the kind of work expected from the team. if we explore around we get a lot of cost effective solution for every thing. and your way of looking at the cost aspect is really appreciable.
You would want COTS hardware to allow easy availability and maintanence. While it is easy to reduce capital costs by customising, it is a nightmare to maintain for even small periods - particularly in this case where there is no likely hood of a sustainable revenue stream.
The use of a standard 802.11 interface will allow any wireless device of that standard to operate as the receiver, depending on the user's purchasing power. Any handheld device can suffice. A special low cost version can be developed by using the Simputer type technology.
That was one big farce without an iota of thought about what it was actually trying to do. Grep the list archives a couple of yrs back for some interesting info.
It was meant to be a hand held computer with a wireless network interface and cost approx. 5K to 10K rupees. Our version need not have any graphics or modem and would simply download and play the web pages into a headphone, with a keyboard.
Use a gprs / cdma cell phone. You can never hope in hell to get a better price, availability and service which would be the exact opposit of any custom 802.11 device which a person has to carry merely to find dirctions that he may require occasionally.
IMP: I am just playing the devils advocate and not trying to put down good ideas (although i disagree on their utility for the problem on hand).