Vinay Venkatraman: Technology crafts for the digitally underserved

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Yu-Sheng Lin 審譯者: Yuguo Zhang

Frugal Digital is essentially a small research group at C.I.D.

簡約數位研究小組是一個來自哥本哈根數位設計學院

where we are looking to find

這裡我們在追尋的是

alternate visions of how to create a digitally inclusive society.

可以創造一個普遍數位化的社會的各種可能發展方向

That's what we're after.

這就是我們努力的目標

And we do this because we actually believe

這個目標源自於我們所體會到的一個現象

that silicon technology today is mostly about

目前的電子科技的發展

a culture of excess.

絕大多數偏向過度追求

It's about the fastest and the most efficient

速度與效能

and the most dazzling gadget you can have,

還有更炫的神奇小玩意

while about two-thirds of the world

然而全世界有將近三分之二的人口

can hardly reach the most basic of this technology

卻幾乎沒有機會利用電子科技

to even address fundamental needs in life,

來解決生存的基本需求問題

including health care, education

包括健康醫療, 教育

and all these kinds of very fundamental issues.

還有其他的非常基本的生存問題

So before I start, I want to talk about a little anecdote,

我想先講一個小故事

a little story about a man I met once in Mumbai.

在印度孟買的時候,

So this man, his name is Sathi Shri.

我遇到了一個神奇的人

He is an outstanding person,

他的名字叫 Sathi Shri

because he's a small entrepreneur.

是一家小店的老闆

He runs a little shop

他的小店

in one of the back streets of Mumbai.

在孟買的一條小街上

He has this little 10-square-meter store,

店面大概10平方米(三坪多一點)

where so much is being done.

營業項目之多

It's incredible, because I couldn't believe my eyes

讓人無法想像

when I once just happened to bump into him.

我幾乎無法相信我所看到的.

Basically, what he does is, he has all these services

基本上, 他的店提供了以下的服務項目

for micro-payments and booking tickets

小額付款, 訂購票劵,

and all kinds of basic things that you would go online for,

還有你平常上網會做的其他事情

but he does it for people offline

而他的店就是讓這些無法上網的人,

and connects to the digital world.

也能享用到數位世界的各種便利服務.

More importantly, he makes his money

他的店的主要營收來源

by selling these mobile recharge coupons, you know,

是販賣儲值點數

for the prepaid subscriptions.

給預付卡型態的手機用戶

But then, in the backside, he's got this little nook

當我進到小店的後半, 看到有個小小的工作台

with a few of his employees

還有幾個員工在那裏

where they can fix almost anything.

負責修理各式各樣的東西

Any cell phone, any gadget you can bring them, they can fix it.

任何廠牌的手機, 數位小玩意, 他們都能修好

And it's pretty incredible because I took my iPhone there,

當我拿著我的 iphone 到這家店的時候, 被嚇了一跳

and he was like, "Yeah, do you want an upgrade?"

因為他問我 "先生, 你的 iphone 要刷機嗎?"

"Yes." (Laughter)

"嗯...." (笑聲)

I was a bit skeptical, but then, I decided

我有點擔心, 於是當時的決定

to give him a Nokia instead. (Laughter)

是把我的另一隻手機, Nokia 的交給他 (笑聲)

But what I was amazed about is this reverse engineering

我非常訝異的看到了在這裡發生的逆向工程

and know-how that's built into this little two meters of space.

還有在這兩米長的工作檯上的維修作業指引

They have figured out everything that's required

他們搞懂了所有的維修所需的知識

to dismantle, take things apart,

如何拆開各種裝置, 分解模組與元件

rewrite the circuitry, re-flash the firmware,

修改電路板, 刷新版的韌體

do whatever you want to with the phone,

你想怎麼搞你的手機, 他們都能做到.

and they can fix anything so quickly.

而且速度超快.

You can hand over a phone this morning

早上把手機送進去,

and you can go pick it up after lunch,

吃過午飯就能去拿回來.

and it was quite incredible.

真的是非常神奇.

But then we were wondering whether this is

於是我們就開始在想

a local phenomenon, or is truly global?

這個神奇的小店是個特例, 還是其他地方也有?

And, over time, we started understanding

在有系統的研究了一段時間之後

and systematically researching

我們開始了解到

what this tinkering ecosystem is about,

這種 "修補匠" 的產業體系

because that is something that's happening

並不僅僅存在於

not just in one street corner in Mumbai.

印度孟買的一條小街上的一家小店

It's actually happening in all parts of the country.

而是在印度整個國家的每個區域都有

It's even happening in Africa, like, for example,

我們在非洲調查時 也發現類似的狀況, 例如:

in Cape Town we did extensive research on this.

我們在南非開普敦 看到的這個小攤子.

Even here in Doha I found this little nook

還有在這裡(卡達的杜哈) 我也看到了這樣的小攤子

where you can get alarm clocks and watches fixed,

精修各式鐘錶

and it's a lot of tiny little parts. It's not easy.

如果你自己試過修理鐘錶的話, 你就會知道

You've got to try it on your own to believe it.

裡面有很多很小的組件, 修起來很不容易的

But what fuels this?

這種 "修補匠" 產業體系 是怎麼形成的呢?

It's this entire ecosystem of low-cost parts

目前全球化的生產體系,

and supplies that are produced all over the world, literally,

提供了低價的零件與原料的貨源

and then redistributed to basically service this industry,

來支援這類型修補匠產業的運作

and you can even buy salvaged parts.

甚至於還可以利用拆船貨(二手零件)

Basically, you don't have to necessarily buy

不必花錢買全新的零件

brand new things. You have condemned computers

從報廢的電腦裡面

that are stripped apart,

解體拆出可用的零件

and you can buy salvaged components

利用這些二手零件

and things that you can reassemble in a new configuration.

組裝成新的用途

But what does this new, sort of, approach give us?

這種新的 "修補匠" 對我們而言有什麼用處呢?

That's the real question, because this is something

既然這種修補匠產業普遍存在於

that's been there, part of every society

每個資源貧乏的社會中

that's deprived of enough resources.

那就值得認真的想想, 如何來利用他們

But there's an interesting paradigm.

這裡有一個既存的有趣類比

There's the traditional crafts,

就是傳統的工匠產業

and then there's the technology crafts.

跟在這裡談到的科技修補匠

We call it the technology crafts because these are emerging.

這種科技修補匠 是一種新興行業

They're not something that's been established.

並不算是完全定型的

It's not something that's institutionalized.

也還沒有正式的定義

It's not taught in universities.

學校裡不會教到

It's taught [by] word of mouth,

只有口耳相傳

and it's an informal education system around this.

屬於非正規的教學傳承

So we said, "What can we get out of this?

如同前面說過的, 這種典型有什麼用呢?

You know, like, what are the key values that we can get out of this?"

能發揮什麼重要的價值呢?

The main thing is a fix-it-locally culture,

其中最關鍵的 就是 "在地解決" 的觀念

which is fantastic because it means that your product

這是很棒的, 因為如果能這樣, 你的產品

or your service doesn't have to go through

或是服務的問題, 不必透過

a huge bureaucratic system to get it fixed.

龐大而官僚的體系就可以被解決.

It also affords us cheap fabrication, which is fantastic,

另外一件很棒的事情, 就是可以用很低的成本,

so it means that you can do a lot more with it.

來嘗試製造各種的新東西.

And then, the most important thing is,

而且最關鍵的,

it gives us large math for low cost.

就是用很低的成本, 就能做到很大的彈性,

So it means that you can actually embed

所以基本上你可以把

pretty clever algorithms and lots of other kinds

各式各樣的演算法 還有創意發想

of extendable ideas into really simple devices.

做成簡單的裝置

So, what we call this is a silicon cottage industry.

我們把這個取名為 家庭手工科技業

It's basically what was the system or the paradigm

就好比工業革命發生前的家庭手工業

before the industrial revolution is now re-happening

在現代以新的型態再次發生

in a whole new way in small digital shops

就是這些出現在全球各地的

across the planet in most developing countries.

發展中國家的地方性的 科技修補匠工房

So, we kind of toyed around with this idea,

從這樣的想法來激盪發想

and we said, "What can we do with this?

問自己可以來嘗試些什麼呢?

Can we make a little product or a service out of it?"

能不能利用這些科技修補匠工房, 做出些產品或服務呢?

So one of the first things we did is this thing called

在我們一開始嘗試的案子中, 有一個是關於

a multimedia platform. We call it a lunch box.

多媒體的平台裝置, 我們叫它 "便當盒"

Basically one of the contexts that we studied was

這個案子所研究的使用情境,

schools in very remote parts of India.

是在印度偏遠地區的學校裏頭

So there is this amazing concept called the one-teacher school,

這些學校很特別, 只有一個老師

which is basically a single teacher who is a multitasker

扮演學校裡的多種角色

who teaches this amazing little social setting.

在如此特別的環境下執行教育工作

It's an informal school,

雖然不算是正統的學校體系

but it's really about holistic education.

但是所教的內容是相當全面化的

The only thing that they don't have

這種學校跟老師所需要的 是教學的資源

is access to resources. They don't even have a textbook

他們沒有教科書

sometimes, and they don't even have a proper curriculum.

有的甚至沒有經過規劃的課程

So we said, "What can we do to empower this teacher

我們能如何幫忙這些學校裡的老師

to do more?" How to access the digital world?

取得數位世界的資源, 來教得更多更好呢?

Instead of being the sole guardian of information,

讓老師從一個孤獨的資訊監護者

be a facilitator to all this information.

轉身變成大量資訊的導引者

So we said, "What are the steps required to empower the teacher?"

要如何逐步的幫忙這些學校老師變身呢?

How do you make this teacher into a digital gateway,

如何讓他們變成數位資訊的門戶呢

and how do you design an inexpensive multimedia platform

能不能設計出一個 便宜的多媒體平台裝置

that can be constructed locally and serviced locally?"

能夠 在本地製造, 並且使用呢?

So we walked around.

於是我們到附近的商場裡

We went and scavenged the nearby markets,

思考並尋找著有哪些材料

and we tried to understand, "What can we pick up that will make this happen?"

可以派上用場, 做出我們想像的東西.

So the thing that we got

結果我們選上的

was a little mobile phone with a little pico projector

包括這個手機, 具有微型投影的功能

that comes for about 60 dollars.

大約60美元

We went a bought a flashlight with a very big battery,

另外我們還買了一個 有著大電池的手電筒

and a bunch of small speakers.

還有幾個小型喇叭

So essentially, the mobile phone gives us

我們是這樣盤算的:

a connected multimedia platform.

把手機當作可連網的多媒體平台

It allows us to get online and allows us to load up files

透過網路可以下載各種格式的檔案

of different formats and play them.

並且播放投影出來

The flashlight gives us this really intense, bright L.E.D.,

手電筒裏頭包括了 高亮度的LED(發光二極體)

and six hours worth of rechargeable battery pack,

還有可用到六小時的充電電池組

and the lunch box is a nice little package

這些所有的零件,

in which you can put everything inside,

應該可以放到一個小小的便當盒裡

and a bunch of mini speakers to sort of

而這些小型喇叭

amplify the sound large enough.

可以放大播放的聲音

Believe me, those little classrooms are really noisy.

蓋過教室裡面吵鬧的

They are kids who scream at the top of their voices,

小孩們的喊叫聲

and you really have to get above that.

讓大家都聽得到

And we took it back to this little tinkering setup

所以我們把這樣的想法 跟這些零件

of a mobile phone repair shop,

帶到一家手機修理鋪

and then the magic happens.

神奇的事情就這樣發生了

We dismantle the whole thing,

這些東西被拆開之後

we reassemble it in a new configuration,

我們把它重新組裝

and we do this hardware mashup,

拼裝成為一個新的裝置

systematically training the guy how to do this.

並且以系統化的方式 教工匠如何製作

Out comes this, a little lunch box -- form factor.

這種只有便當盒大小的新產品

(Applause)

(掌聲)

And we systematically field tested,

然後我們以系統化的方式 進行現場實驗

because in the field testing we learned some

從實驗中發現了很多重要的議題

important lessons, and we went through many iterations.

進行一次又一次的反覆修改與實驗

One of the key issues was battery consumption and charging.

有個議題 是關於電池的充放電

Luminosity was an issue, when you have too much bright sunlight outside.

另外一個議題 是投影的亮度, 在好天氣陽光充足的日子

Often the roofs are broken, so you don't have enough

很多教室的屋頂是破的, 所以教室裡面不夠暗

darkness in the classroom to do these things.

投影的效果不好, 沒辦法上課.

We extended this idea. We tested it many times over,

我們進一步的發想, 試了很多次

and the next version we came up with was a box

發展出的第二版的 盒子

that kind of could trickle charge on solar energy,

上面有太陽能板可以充電

but most importantly connect to a car battery,

而更重要的是可以接上汽車電源

because a car battery is a ubiquitous source of power

因為就算在供電不普遍

in places where there's not enough electricity

或是供電不穩定的地區

or erratic electricity.

車電仍然是相當普遍可得的電源來源

And the other key thing that we did was

另外還有一個重要的改變

make this box run off a USB key, because we realized

是把內容用USB拇指碟的方式來傳送

that even though there was GPRS and all that on paper,

因為我們了解到, 就算有行動上網可以下載資料,

at least, in theory, it was much more efficient

直接郵寄USB拇指碟的方式

to send the data on a little USB key by surface mail.

還是比較有效率的

It might take a few days to get there,

就算郵寄要多花幾天的時間

but at least it gets there in high definition

但是寄到的內容可以有高解析度

and in a reliable quality.

播放的品質 也可以比透過網路更穩定

So we made this box, and we tested it again

於是我們做了這樣的盒子, 再次實驗

and again and again, and we're going through

一次又一次的反覆進行

multiple iterations to do these things.

持續的改進與實驗

But it's not limited to just education.

這樣的方式與技巧

This kind of a technique or metrology

除了用在教育

can actually be applied to other kinds of areas,

也可以用在其他的地方

and I'm going to tell you one more little story.

比如接下來我要講的另一個小故事

It's about this little device called a medi-meter.

這是我們發展的一個 叫做 就醫篩檢儀 的小裝置

It's basically a little health care screening tool that we developed.

可以用在健康照護的篩選作業中派上用場

In India, there is a context of these amazing people,

在印度的健康照護體系裡,

the health care workers called ASHA workers.

有一群特殊的叫做 ASHA 的工作者 (經認證的社會保健工作員)

They are essentially foot soldiers for the health care system

她們是健康照護體系的主要戰力

who live in the local community and are trained

居住在社區當地, 受過基本的訓練,

with basic tools and basic concepts of health care,

了解健康照護的知識與基本工具

and the main purpose is basically to inform people

她們的主要工作, 就是教育民眾

to basically, how to lead a better life, but also

改善生活品質的做法, 並且提供

to divert or sort of make recommendations

健康照護相關的指引與建議

of what kind of health care should they approach?

例如: 該到什麼地方 看哪種科別的醫生

They are basically referral services, essentially.

本質上算是一種健康照護的轉介服務.

But the problem with that is that we realized

我們對於這個案子做了一些研究後,

after a bunch of research that they are amazing

發現這些這些 ASHA 工作者 對於

at referring people to the nearest clinic

轉介民眾到附近的診所 或是公立的健康照護機構

or the public health care system, but what happens at the

做得非常好. 但是當民眾到了那裏才發現問題大了:

public health care system is this: these incredibly long lines

轉介而來的民眾大排長龍,

and too many people who overload the system

就診的民眾數量太多

simply because there's not enough doctors and facilities

公立的健康照護機構 沒有足夠的醫生與設備

for the population that's being referred.

來服務這些被轉介來的民眾.

So everything from a common cold

不管是小感冒

to a serious case of malaria gets almost the same

或是嚴重的病像是瘧疾, 都被一視同仁

level of attention, and there's no priorities.

不分輕重緩急

So we said, "Come on, there's got to be a better way

我們覺得, 這件事情

of doing this for sure."

應該有更好的做法才對

So we said, "What can we do with the ASHA worker

那我們應該可以做些什麼, 讓這些 ASHA工作者

that'll allow this ASHA worker to become an interesting filter,

除了篩選出需要就診的民眾之外

but not just a filter, a really well thought through referral

還能在轉介時更周延的考量

system that allows load balancing of the network,

不至於讓健康照護的體系網絡超過負載

and directs patients to different sources of health care

而且生病的民眾 也能依據病症與嚴重度

based on the severity or the criticalness of those situations?"

被轉介到不同的適當的健康照護機構.

So the real key question was,

其中最關鍵的

how do we empower this woman?

就是要如何協助這些 ASHA工作者

How do we empower her with simple tools

用簡單的工具

that's not diagnostic but more screening in nature

還談不上診斷, 但是可以對病人進行篩檢,

so she at least knows how to advise the patients better?

得到更多的資訊來提供病人更好的建議

And that'll make such a huge difference on the system,

這樣應該可以讓整個系統的運作大大改善

because the amount of waiting time and the amount of

要知道這些病人要排隊等很久,

distances that people need to travel, often sometimes

而且也要走很久, 通常有 7 到15公里遠

seven to 15 kilometers, sometimes by foot,

才能走到這些機構讓醫生看診

to get a simple health check done, is very, very detrimental

而這也常常會讓民眾

in the sense that it really dissuades people

不想花那麼大的力氣與時間

from getting access to health care.

到健康照護機構就診

So if there was something that she could do,

所以如果這些 ASHA 工作者 能有些檢測的工具

that would be amazing.

對整件事情會有很大的幫助

So what we did was that we converted this device

所以呢, 我們所發展的, 是把這個鬧鐘

into a medical device.

改裝成一個 就醫篩檢儀

I want to demo this actually,

我想現場操作給大家看

because it's a very simple process.

因為用起來真的很簡單

Bruno, do you want to join us? (Cheers)

Bruno, 請你過來幫忙好嗎?

Come along. (Applause)

請過來這邊

So, what we're going to do is that

我們現在要做的呢

we're going to measure a few basic parameters on you,

是要量測你的一些基本數值

including your pulse rate and the amount of oxygen

包括你的脈搏, 還有血氧濃度

that's there in your blood.

(血液裡的氧氣含量)

So you're going to put your thumb on top of this.

請把你的大拇指按在這上面

Bruno Giussani: Like this, works?

Bruno: 像這樣嗎?

Vinay Venkatraman: Yeah. That's right. BG: Okay.

講者: 對, 這樣就可以了. Bruno: 好了

VV: So I'm going to start it up. I hope it works.

講者: 接著我要啟動這個裝置, 希望不會出錯...

(Beeps) It even beeps, because it's an alarm clock, after all.

(嗶嗶聲) 這裝置也會嗶嗶叫, 沒錯, 它本來就是個鬧鐘

So ... (Laughter)

(笑聲) 然後...

So I take it into the start position, and then

我把它設定在起始的狀態, 然後

I press the read button. (Beeps)

按下這個 量測 的按鈕 (嗶嗶聲)

So it's taking a little reading from you. (Beeps)

就會開始量測你的數值 ... (嗶嗶聲)

And then the pointer goes and points to three different options.

然後指針就會開始轉動, 可能停在三個不同的區域

Let's see what happens here.

我們來看看...

(Beeps) Oh Bruno, you can go home, actually.

(嗶嗶聲) 嗯, Bruno 你的健康沒問題, 可以回家了

BG: Great. Good news. (Applause)

Bruno: 這真是好消息啊! (掌聲)

VV: So ... (Applause)

(掌聲)

So the thing about this is that

這個指針最後停下來的位置

if the pointer, unfortunately, had pointed to the red spot,

如果不幸的是在紅色區域

we would have to rush you to a hospital.

那就得趕快送你去醫院才行

Luckily, not today. And if it had pointed to the orange

如果指到黃色區域

or the amber, it basically meant you had to have,

那就要小心了, 最好能持續且經常的

sort of, more continuous care from the health care worker.

由 ASHA 工作者來關注你的健康

So that was a very simple three-step screening process

這個裝置是一個簡單的三等級的篩選工具

that could basically change the equation

可以對健康照護工作的運作

of how public health care works in so many different ways.

產生多方面的改變

BG: Thank you for the good news. VV: Yeah.

Bruno: 感謝你帶來的好消息 講者: 嗯

(Applause)

(掌聲)

So, very briefly, I'll just explain to you how this is done,

我想大家會想知道這個裝置是怎麼改裝的

because that's the more interesting part.

讓我簡單的說明一下

So essentially, the three things that are required

總共需要三樣東西

to make this conversion from this guy to this guy

把一個 鬧鐘 變成 就醫篩檢儀

is a cheap remote control for a television

第一個是很便宜的電視遙控器

that you can almost find in every home today,

現在幾乎每個人家裡都有

some parts from a computer mouse, basically,

第二個是從電腦滑鼠拆出來的零件

something that you can scavenge for very low cost,

這也可以從報廢品裡廢物利用, 也很省錢

and a few parts that have to be pre-programmed.

第三個是可以預先載入程式的

Basically this is a micro-controller with a few

一個微控制器晶片,

extra components that can be shipped for very little cost

還有幾個到處都買得到的便宜的電子零件

across the world, and that's what is all required

零件都齊全了

with a little bit of local tinkering talent

加上工匠的巧手

to convert the device into something else.

就可以把鬧鐘變身成不同的用途

So we are right now doing some systematic field tests

目前我們正進行系統化的實地試用

to basically ascertain whether something like this actually

希望知道這個裝置是否真的能

makes sense to the ASHA worker.

對 ASHA 工作者 有幫助

We are going through some reference tests to compare it

我們也會進行一些對照測試

against professional equipment to see if there's a degree

來比較這個簡單裝置與專業的設備 在成效上

of change in efficacy and if it actually makes an impact

有沒有程度的差異, 對於居民的生活有沒有影響

in people's lives. But most importantly,

更重要的是

what we are trying to do right now

我們接下來打算要做的

is we are trying to scale this up, because there

是擴大使用的規模

are over 250,000 ASHA workers on the ground

現在總共有 二十五萬個 ASHA 工作者

who are these amazing foot soldiers, and if we can

在各地進行了不起的工作

give at least a fraction of them the access to these things,

只要能讓一小部分的人能用上這種裝置

it just changes the way the economics of public health care

就能改變公共健康照護的經濟運作方式,

works, and it changes the way systems actually function,

改變整個體系的功能

not just on a systematic planning level,

不僅僅只於系統規劃的層面

but also in a very grassroots, bottom-up level.

而是從基層往上, 草根性的改變

So that's it, and we hope to do this in a big way.

這是我們想做的, 而且我們希望能做大它.

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝大家 (掌聲)

(Applause)

(掌聲)