HP Labs India

HP Gung-Ho On Localisation

CXO Today.com
April 11, 2006

Hewlett Packard has built an electronic data-entry tablet for India and other nations that use non-Western tablets.

The tablet was among HP Labs India inventions intended to help grow opportunities in rapidly expanding economies, according to Palo Alto, California-based technology company. The products unveiled in Silicon Valley were tailored with India in mind, but were suited for China, Russia and Brazil as well, says HP.

Dick Lampman, VP, HP Labs India said, "We believe this will create opportunities for HP to access its next billion customers. Our goal is to help our customers around the world by improving access to information and communications technologies that best suit their needs and the needs of their economies and societies," added Lampman.

HP 'gesture keyboard' is an electronic tablet used with a stylus. The user's words are recognized by software and relayed to a computer. Creators of the device said it made computer use easier for people who write in languages not based on the Roman alphabet.

India has 18 official languages and conventional computer keyboards are awkward for many people who speak them, according to HP researchers. HP also introduced a 'pen-enabled' device to fill out forms and then submit 'digital ink' to a school, business or government office.

According to the company, a bar code guarantees authenticity and prevents tampering so that villagers could tend to official business remotely. HP researchers in Bangalore have also worked on making educational data available on-demand by television and synchronizing programming with home printers.

"We are looking at the many, varied needs of a vast society in India. We want to take into account not only the appropriate technologies, but the economic, cultural and social factors that determine value for our customers," said Ajay Gupta, Director, HP Labs.

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