The MIT Media Laboratory's eDevelopment research group is no longer active as of 2002. This site provides background on some of the people and projects that were associated with this research. The most current information about related projects at the Media Lab can be found in the Lab's Research section.

The eDevelopment group invented systems that empowered, enriched, and inter-connected developing communities. In particular, eDevelopment studied new e-commerce, communication, and system software appropriable and appropriate to emerging communities.

PROJECTS
1 AgI: Agricultural Information System
Connects farmers from isolated rural communities to markets, to knowledge, and to each other.

2 Community Knowledge Sharing
Aims to provide a single multi-literate environment for communities to share experiences and learn from each other.

3 CONVIVO Communicator
A synchronous voice communication system designed to work with the network realities of many rural communities in the developing world.

4 SARI: Sustainable Access in Rural India
We are showing that viable markets exist for information and communication services in rural poor areas by inventing and deploying innovative technologies, assessments, and business models.

5 SPOTS - Spot Labor Market Information System
An e-commerce support system that brings together spot market employers and employees by utilizing an agent based matching and negotiation mechanism.

6 Telecenter Cost Estimator
A visual tool for exploring the impact of alternative telecenter configurations on capital and ongoing costs.

7 VAN - Village Area Network
A broadband network for rural developing communities that penetrates an entire village with mobile applications and fixed wireless services.

EVENTS
1 eDevelopment
This symposium sought to improve our understanding of the challenges facing marginalized communities, while developing new technologies, strategies, and policies for addressing those challenges.

2 Digital Nations
A research consortium that focuses on improving education, reducing poverty, enhancing health care, and supporting community development.

PEOPLE
FACULTY Michael L. Best
STUDENTS
Hani Shakeel Marco Escobedo Leandro Burnes
ADMIN Hao Nguyen
CLASSES
MAS 963
Development Technologies
Introduces principles and the promise of new information and communication technologies for traditionally under-served communities and international developing economies.

PAST
1 Summer e-development reading group
2 Development E-commerce Workshop
3 e-merging markets initiative of e-markets SIG
A Media Lab special interest group that focuses on the new forms that transactions may take in a networked world, and explores the new social and economic order that may result from these changes.