Slated for release in about 18 months, we know, the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is getting ready the second generation XO-2 laptop with a low-powered ARM processor installation. But revealed at the IEEE’s 125th Anniversary, the solar-powered I-Slate – a stylus-controlled LED slate by Dr. Krishna Palem and his team from Rice University — could be a finer alternative for classrooms.
Down the lane, when you’ll walk into a classroom you’ll see touchscreens and 3D displays being used as teaching aids, with fortunate pupils working on netbooks and other such items. Then, those lesser kids using chalkboards now would definitely fathom working on the I-Slate, which works and downloads on wireless networks drawing power from Dr. Palem’s purported energy efficient probabilistic chip, and is designed to impart basic math skills to children without a teacher requirement.
Testing of the prototypes could begin by next spring in India, however, I doubt if the wireless network and some preprogrammed lessons could substitute a teacher’s need in the classroom – but we have robots become teachers, then why doubt this future?
Via: PopularMechanics
